Snakebites are rarer than you think, but CPR can save your life.
Avoid places where snakes may live. When moving through tall grass or weeds, poke at the ground in front of you with a long stick to scare away snakes. Watch where you step and where you sit when outdoors.Never handle a snake, even if you think it is dead. Recently killed snakes may still bite by reflex.
Apply a pressure immobilisation bandage and keep the person calm and as still as possible until medical help arrives. Avoid washing the bite area because any venom left on the skin can help identify the snake. DO NOT apply a tourniquet, cut the wound or attempt to suck the venom out.
For best results, antivenom should be given as soon as possible after the bite. It is usually given within the first 4 hours after the snakebite and may be effective for 2 weeks or more after the bite. Serum sickness is a delayed reaction to receiving antivenom and can occur several days or weeks after treatment.
Venomous bite can produce an array of symptoms, including localized pain and swelling, convulsions, nausea, and even paralysis.First aid steps you can take after a snake bite occurs include cleaning the wound, remaining calm, and immobilizing the affected area.
Venom from a snakebite travel via the lymphatic system to the bloodstream. There, it circulate to nerve and muscle where it can cause paralysis and muscle damage.In the blood itself, the venom destroys clotting factors, which makes the blood unable to clot, increasing the risk of bleeding.
The diagnosis of snake bite or determination of which snake is responsible for envenoming of a victim can be conveniently divided into clinical diagnosis and laboratory diagnosis. Clinical diagnosis depends upon recognising specific signs of envenoming in the patient.
If a person is bitten by a snake, it's important that he or she remains calm, immobilises the bite area and removes jewellery or tight clothing. Emergency medical care should be obtained as soon as possible.
A person who is exposed and has never been vaccinated against rabies should get 4 doses of rabies vaccine – one dose right away, and additional doses on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days. They should also get another shot called Rabies Immune Globulin at the same time as the first dose.
An antidote is a drug, chelating substance, or a chemical that counteracts (neutralizes) the effects of another drug or a poison.Some antidotes work for more than one type of poisoning.
You should be aware of the early signs and symptoms of poisoning. It is important to remove the person from the source of exposure quickly. You may save a life.