Spider or scorpion bites or stings
Your Aims
- Reassure the casualty.
- Relieve pain and swelling.
- Prevent the spread of poison.
- Try to get urgent medical help if necessary.
- Prevent infection.
How can you tell that someone hasbeen bitten or stung by a spider or scorpion?
He or she may have:
- pain, redness in a light-skinned person, and/or swelling
- nausea and vomiting
- headache.
However, different species cause different responses.
Your actions:
As always, assess D R A B. If the casualty is showing signs of shock, or is having trouble breathing, he or she may be having a massive allergic reaction.
Reassure the casualty.
Help the casualty to sit or lie down.
Raise the affected part, if possible, put on a cold compress (something cold which you can use to apply pressure to the wound – like a cloth with ice wrapped in it) to relieve pain and swelling for at least 10 minutes.
Remember to keep checking the casualty’s vital signs and writing down (or remembering) what you found and what you did, so that you can report this to any health worker who takes over from you.
If the bite or sting occurs in the mouth, there is a risk of swelling which may affect breathing.
Encourage the casualty to suck ice or drink cold water to reduce the swelling. If swelling starts, try to arrange transport to medical help urgently, monitor R A B and reassure the casualty while waiting.
