How to Treat Spider Bites

Observe the body of the Sydney funnel web spider. This very aggressive spider, with a glossy body resembling a tarantula, usually lives in the dark and damp areas of southeastern Australia. You need immediate medical attention if you are bitten by a Sydney funnel web spider, as the symptoms of poisoning develop very quickly.

• The initial bite will be intensely painful. Although there is not much inflammation or blistering, the victim will sweat, face convulsions, and may have a stinging sensation around the mouth. This case needs to go to the hospital to be treated with antivenom as soon as possible.

Recognize the large and hairy body of the Brazilian wandering spider. The Brazilian wandering spider is a large, aggressive nocturnal spider that lives in the southern United States. They have a hairy, brown body, about 5 cm long, and have black markings on their abdomen. This spider does not web, but roams at night and often lives in banana bushes or hides in dark areas. ^[1]

• The bite of this spider causes local swelling and pain radiating to the upper body, which can be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, and erections in men. Antivenom is available to relieve symptoms, and death is rare.

Notice the blistering bite that is filled with brown recluse fluid. Brown recluse spiders come in a variety of shades of brown, but they all have a violin-shaped spot on their backs and long, slender legs. This spider’s bite initially stings, then turns to intense pain over the next 8 hours. A fluid-filled blister will progress to a continuously spreading ulcer, and red-green streaks radiating around the bite signal permanent tissue damage. ^[2]

• Other symptoms include fever, rash, and nausea.
• Although the bite of the brown recluse spider is terrifying, it has not caused any deaths in the US. There is currently no antivenom for this spider, but there are treatments for lesions with surgery and antibiotics.

Notice the red hourglass-shaped spot of the black widow. This is a large, shiny black spider with a red hourglass-shaped spot on its abdomen. They are present throughout North America. The bite of a black widow spider causes a stinging, reddening and swelling sensation, but the victim will begin to experience severe pain and stiffness within 30 minutes to several hours. ^[2]

• Other possible symptoms are severe abdominal pain, nausea, fever, or chills. Black widow spider bites are not usually fatal to healthy adults because antivenom is available, but the victim can lose a limb if left untreated.
• Note that the black widow and brown recluse are the only two dangerous venomous spiders in the United States. They all live in warm climates and prefer dry, dark places like closets or woodpile piles.

Notice the red stripe on the redback spider’s back. Closely related to the black widow spider, the redback spider lives throughout Australia, especially in urban areas. Only female spiders are dangerous. They have a pea-sized, black (sometimes brownish) body with a red stripe on the back and a red-orange hourglass shape below the belly. ^[3]

• The person bitten by a redback spider will sweat, vomit, nausea, muscle weakness, and pain, sometimes very intense.
• Thanks to the intervention of antivenom, no deaths from redback spider bites have been recorded.