CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
Although snakebites are scary, staying calm and knowing what to do are your best defense, according to an Appalachian Regional Healthcare physician.
“In the ARH service area, we see a lot of people working outdoors, hiking, hunting and gardening, so encounters with snakes are not uncommon,” said Dr. Bart Francis, an emergency medicine physician and director of ARH’s graduate medical education internal medicine program. Francis said. “The most important thing to remember after a snakebite is to stay calm, move away from the snake and get medical attention as quickly as possible.”
Most snakes are not venomous and generally avoid people, Francis said, but bites still occur. A person may panic after being bitten, especially when the type of snake is unknown.
Francis said the steps taken during the first few minutes after a bite can affect the seriousness of the injury. Some commonly repeated first-aid methods can worsen the injury. Meanwhile, a few basic precautions can help protect the patient until medical care is available.
“Do not try old remedies like cutting the wound, sucking out venom or using a tourniquet,” Francis said. “Those methods can cause more harm than good.”
Francis offered the following guidance:
- Move away from the snake. The first priority is reaching a safe location and avoiding another bite. Do not attempt to catch, kill or handle the snake. Francis said many people suffer a second bite while trying to identify or capture it.
- A photograph taken from a safe distance may help medical personnel identify the snake. However, Francis said no one should place themselves in danger to obtain a photograph.
- Remain calm and limit movement. Panic is a natural response, but Francis said the person should remain as calm and still as possible. Increased movement may cause venom to spread more quickly through the body.
- When the bite is on an arm or leg, keep the limb still and avoid unnecessary walking. Someone else should drive the patient to the emergency room when possible.
- A person who is alone and experiencing severe symptoms, including difficulty breathing, should call 911.
- Remove tight items. Swelling may develop quickly after a snakebite. Francis advises removing rings, watches, bracelets and tight clothing near the bite before swelling makes them difficult to remove.
- When possible, keep the bitten arm or leg below heart level while awaiting medical care, he said.
- Seek medical care immediately. A person should be evaluated by a medical professional even when it is unclear whether the snake was venomous.
Francis said symptoms may not appear immediately, and a bite that initially appears minor can become more serious over time.
Patients should go to an emergency room or call 911 for severe pain, rapidly increasing swelling, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting, heavy bleeding or signs of an allergic reaction.
Francis said many home treatments traditionally associated with snakebites are outdated and may cause additional harm.
He advised patients not to:
- Cut the bite with a knife or other object.
- Attempt to suck venom from the wound.
- Apply a tourniquet.
- Place ice on the bite.
- Drink alcohol or caffeine.
- Attempt to treat the bite at home instead of seeking medical care.
Francis said prompt evaluation by a medical professional is the safest response.
At the hospital, medical personnel will examine the bite, monitor the patient’s symptoms and determine whether additional treatment is necessary, Francis said.
Not every snakebite requires antivenom. When antivenom is needed, Francis said administering it promptly can help prevent serious complications.
Depending on the patient’s condition, treatment may also include pain medication, wound care, blood tests or observation to ensure symptoms do not worsen.
“Even bites that seem minor should be evaluated in the emergency department because symptoms can worsen over time,” Francis said. “Prompt medical care gives us the best chance to prevent serious complications and help patients recover safely.”