In order to Treat Snakebite, First Aid is Essential
Although snakebite is an irritating and potentially life-threatening situation, it can be controlled with antivenom. The treatments used will depend on a number of factors including the type of venom that is causing the bite and the condition of the victim. Since the antivenom is not cheap, it is crucial to follow the treatment protocol.
Snakebite is an irritating and potentially life-threatening situation. Unfortunately, snakebites are often fatal. In this article we discuss some first aid benefits of the antivenom. This information is necessary to ensure patients receive the maximum amount of care.
First Aid Protocols – In a study published in the December 2020 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that an average of 90% of all snakebites require medical intervention within 24 hours. In addition, the median survival time following snakebite is three days.
However, in this study, most patients who had received medical attention received the appropriate level of care. The majority of patients were treated for symptoms such as local pain and swelling, while minor swelling was treated with ice packs or heat for the shortest period of time.
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, most patients required a more aggressive medical treatment. For example, swelling to the legs, ankles, or feet may require a blood transfusion to treat shock. Bleeding is common for deep puncture wounds, hemorrhage and shock.
Anti-venom will also be administered to the patient by injecting the medicine into the wound to prevent swelling and reduce the likelihood of infection. The body will naturally produce antivenom if a snake has recently bitten a human being.
Basic first aid protocols include applying a compress, warm compress, cool compress, and covering the skin with a wet bandage. If the bite is deep enough, the victim may need to be lifted off the ground to reduce the risk of bleeding. The goal of first aid is to remove any swelling and treat the victim’s symptoms.
After the victim’s injury, he or she will likely experience pain in the wound, which may lead to infection. When the poison is injected, the victim’s oxygen intake will be greatly reduced. It is possible for a victim to breathe through their mouth at this point, but breathing from the nose is generally more effective.
When the snakebite opens his or her mouth and breathes out through the nose, the skin between the eyes may bleed, which will cause the eyes to become red and the victim’s heart rate to increase. This could be fatal, but the wounds heal rapidly once the venom has been administered.
Rapidly decreasing the victim’s core temperature by applying a heating pad on the wound will decrease the possibility of complications. Once the blood circulation has been stopped, proper first aid should be provided to prevent blood loss and the spread of bacteria and viral infections.
Following these simple steps, the person should start feeling better within hours. Patients should stay at home for the next day, as returning to work or playing sports will likely cause significant bleeding.
In addition to following these first aid protocols, snakebite victims should seek medical treatment immediately after a snakebite. There are many first aid kits available for snakebite victims. Once the wound has healed, a physician will administer the correct amount of medicine.