What Spider Bites Look Like and How to Treat Them At Home
The weather is getting much warmer now, and
you will likely be spending more time outdoors. As you take a walk in
nature or decide to do a bit of gardening, you may encounter insects or
even get a few insect bites. While mosquito bites and bee stings are
quite common and we usually know how to deal with them, knowing what to
do about a spider bite is not common knowledge. But before we get into
the nitty-gritty of identifying and treating spider bites, let us
preface this article with an important and reassuring message - most
spider bites are completely harmless.
Of the more than 40,000 species of spiders
that exist on our planet, only 500 species bite people and only 12 have
venom strong enough to cause humans any harm. Moreover, only two spider
species in North America - the black widow and the brown recluse - pose a
medical risk when they bite people (more on that later). With that
said, being able to distinguish these dangerous spider bites from
non-dangerous ones and knowing how to treat a spider bite at home are
two important skills everyone should know.
What a Spider Bite Looks Like
It’s not always easy to identify a spider
bite unless you know for a fact that you’ve been bitten by an arachnid.
Like any other insect bite, a spider bite usually appears as a small red
bump on your skin. It can be itchy and painful, but it can also cause
no discomfort whatsoever and clear up within a few hours. A spider bite
itself may be painful, but if the spider isn’t venomous, the pain will
usually go away within an hour or two.
The Symptoms of a Spider Bite 
The severity of a spider bite depends on the type of spider that bit
you. Some of the important signs that distinguish a mosquito bite or bee
sting from a venomous spider bite are the following. The bites of some
spiders may turn the area around the bite pale, which is a symptom
called blanching.
Other bites may generate blistering, much like a burn would, but this is
much rarer. If you’ve been bitten by a venomous spider, such as the
Hobo spider, you may also experience significant swelling and redness in
the affected area, headaches, and fatigue. While these symptoms are
bothersome, they usually go away within a week.
That being said, there are two spiders in North America that can pose a
significant danger to humans. Those two spiders are the brown recluse
spider and the black widow spider. These bites can be deadly to humans
and may require urgent medical help. Luckily, they’re usually easier to
diagnose, as the bites of both of these spiders have a characteristic
pattern of symptoms.
Brown Recluse (Loxosceles reclusa)
The brown recluse spider is mostly found in the Southeastern and
Midwestern states. Brown recluse bites are rare, but they are more
potent than that of a rattlesnake and could be deadly. As the name of
this arachnid suggests, brown recluse spiders live in undisturbed places
They are non-aggressive and only bite in
life-threatening situations, but their proclivity to shelter in people’s
attics, basements, sheds, closets, and garages makes some accidents
unavoidable. If you live in an area where this spider is common, be
careful while rummaging in your garage, basement, or attic. Check gloves
and shoes you haven’t worn for a while before putting them on.
Brown recluse bites are often painless, but you will notice symptoms
that something is wrong a few hours later. This spider only bites once,
so you will usually only see one lesion. The initial symptoms include a
bluish sinking patch of skin surrounded by redness, swelling, and
sometimes a pale center that contains a blister. A few days later, the
venom may spread and the wound expands, causing significant pain.
In more serious cases, the venom can lead to tissue necrosis 7-14 days
after the bite occurs. The venom kills the skin and surrounding tissues,
creating a hard black scab surrounded by red skin called an eschar.
People with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and children may
develop a severe systemic reaction to a brown recluse bite that requires
urgent medical care.
Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans)
The second venomous spider species that can be found throughout the US
and can pose a severe threat to humans is the black widow spider.
Despite the threatening name and scary appearance, black widows are
actually quite shy creatures. Like the brown recluse, black widow
spiders only bite when disturbed. And like the brown recluse, they
reside in dark places like attics, storage containers, drain pipes,
woodpiles, and basements.
Identifying a black widow bite is usually
easy, as the bite feels like a pinprick and leaves a distinctive mark -
two puncture marks. Unlike brown recluse bites, black widow bites do not
cause skin necrosis in the puncture site. Almost immediately, you will
start feeling a dull ache or numbness in the bite area and see skin
irritation.
In the following day or two, you may just experience pain, numbness, and
burning in the area of the wound. However, some people develop severe
symptoms, such as:
-Sweating and increased saliva production
-Nausea or vomiting
-Muscle cramps and pain in the chest, abdomen, and the lower back
-High blood pressure
-Restlessness.
Children, seniors, and people with immune deficiencies are the most
likely to develop a severe reaction to a black widow bite. If you
develop any of the above-listed symptoms or any other unusual symptoms,
it’s important to act fast and seek medical help. Black widow antivenom
can be administered to remove the venom from your body.
How to Deal With a Spider Bite at Home
Severe reactions to spider bites are
extremely rare. In most cases, you can treat a spider bite at home.
Doctors recommend the so-called RICE method - which stands for rest,
ice, compression, and elevation - to treat a fresh bite. Immediately
after a bite, apply an ice pack wrapped in a clean cloth or towel for 10
minutes to prevent the spider’s venom from spreading.
You can repeat this several times within the first hours after the bite.
Then, bandage up the area to prevent you from scratching it and
introducing germs to the wound. Rest and keep the affected area elevated
to prevent the venom from spreading. You can also apply a topical
antibiotic for a few days to prevent infection or a topical
hydrocortisone cream or anti-itch cream to soothe the bite. A typical
spider bite will heal within a few weeks.
When to Seek Medical Help
Not all spider bites, even those of the black widow or the brown
recluse, require medical treatment. There are a few red flags that point
that the venom is spreading through the body and you need to see a
doctor:
-Fever
-Dark urine
-The bite is not getting better or getting worse after a few days
-You’re experiencing severe burning and pain
-There’s a red and black ring-shaped rash in the area of the bite.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to go to
the emergency room as soon as possible.