{"id":1068,"date":"2017-07-03T10:21:36","date_gmt":"2017-07-03T10:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1068"},"modified":"2021-03-12T21:23:35","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T21:23:35","slug":"14-common-symptoms-spider-bites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-common-symptoms-spider-bites\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Most Common Symptoms of Spider Bites"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Many people are terrified of spiders and it\u2019s easy to see why. These are hairy, eight legged, alien-looking home invaders that come and go as they please and that might be crawling all over your face in the night for all you know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But while spiders might seem frightening in appearance and in concept, the reality is that most of them are harmless. In fact, most spiders actually do a lot of good for you and your home. The main role of a spider in your home is to sit quietly in the corner, not bothering anyone and trapping more serious threats such as flies that can contaminate your food and wasps that can leave a nasty sting.
Their biggest crime is just looking a little funny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though with that said, this is not true of all spiders. In the US, there are just two exceptions that can cause you harm: the black widow and the brown recluse. The good news is that even these spiders are relatively harmless to humans seeing as they don\u2019t tend to bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with all that said, if you do suspect that you may have been bitten by one of these poisonous breeds of spider, then it becomes very important indeed that you do something about it as quickly as possible. And by \u2018do something about it\u2019, I mean get in touch with the emergency medical services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key to staying safe then is not to scream and hop onto the nearest stool whenever you see a spider, but rather to learn to identify the dangerous kinds of spider bites. In this post, we\u2019ll look at<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14 symptoms that can help you to diagnose such a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular Spiders<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1.  Redness and Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A bite from any spider is likely to cause some localized redness, irritation and pain. This will normally be easily treatable with an over-the-counter local analgesic <\/a>to cool the discomfort and ease the swelling. Failing that, you can use a wet cloth to bring down the swelling. You might find that the pain remains itchy for around a 7-10 days and after this point you should notice the discomfort going down. The pain is mild generally and might be sore to touch but shouldn\u2019t cause you to wince and shouldn\u2019t prevent you from going about your usual activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2.  Allergic Reaction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most cases then, you\u2019ll be able to tell if a spider bite is the harmless kind because it will appear red and irritated but shouldn\u2019t cause any other symptoms. That said, in some rare cases you might suffer an allergic <\/a>reaction from the bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this case, you will likely notice that you develop a rash around the area of the cold and that you develop symptoms of a fever. Your temperature might go up, you might feel the chills and you might notice other symptoms similar to a reaction to food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consult with your doctor and seek urgent attention if the reaction is extreme and comes on quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3.  Infection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The only other time you might confuse a bite from a house spider with one from a black widow or brown recluse, is if it causes an infection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This occurs when bacteria gets into the open wound, thereby causing the body to react to try and drive it out. You might notice that you develop a rash, that the surrounding area becomes discolored (perhaps blue, black or yellow) and that the entire limb becomes painful to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might also once again notice symptoms of a fever and in this case you will likely need a course of antibiotics. Once again, it is worth visiting your GP in either case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Black Widow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>4.  Pinprick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have been bitten by a black widow, then you may remember feeling the sensation of the bite as it happened. It is said that a bite from a black widow spider feels a lot like a pinprick. Then again though, others report that they did not feel the bite happen at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you shouldn\u2019t use this as a symptom <\/a>to rule out the possibility of a black widow bite. However, if you do recall feeling a small pinprick sensation, then this might increase the likelihood that this is what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5.  Bite Marks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, you might also be able to see the area that was bitten<\/a>. If you can, then it will usually appear like two tiny fang marks, like you\u2019ve been bitten by a tiny vampire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, if you don\u2019t notice these bite marks that doesn\u2019t mean it can\u2019t be a black widow but if you do see them, it\u2019s more likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6.  Swelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As with any other spider, you are likely to notice swelling <\/a>and irritation right at the site of the bite. Again, this might be surrounding the two pinpricks, or you might just notice the redness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is likely to cause burning and immediate pain at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Brown Recluse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

7.  Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you are bitten by a brown recluse, then the order and the nature of the pain <\/a>might be slightly different. Usually, you will notice a mild stinging first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will then tend to get worse and develop into severe pain within around eight hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8.  Blister<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Something that makes a brown recluse bite a little easier to spot is the fact that it will often develop into a fluid filled blood blister <\/a>at the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will eventually slough off in order to reveal a deep ulcer underneath. Often this will turn black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9.  Discoloration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A brown recluse spider bite will cause discoloration of the skin, much like other bites but this can get a little more \u2018multi-colored\u2019! To begin with, the bite is likely to leave a local redness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With time though, this might also be surrounded by blue and purple discoloration. Sometimes this can even develop into a whitish inner ring with a red outer ring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a \u2018bullseye\u2019 pattern but mustn\u2019t be confused with the similar bullseye pattern that can accompany a tick and that might be indicative of lyme disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Subsequent Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>10.  Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is not the initial bite itself that you should worry about though, but rather the symptoms that occur from the venom<\/a>. These symptoms can be hard to differentiate from other conditions, such as staphylococcal infections, herpes, lyme disease and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common subsequent symptoms is fever. This might cause you to become very hot and to feel the chills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might break out in a \u2018cold sweat\u2019 and generally this might be similar to an infection or a flu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>11.  Muscle Ache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Along with the fever, you are also likely to notice other symptoms that are similar to a flu or an infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, you are likely to experience muscle ache and soreness, along with cramping and tension. Joints might become stiff and difficult to move and this might generally result in an overall malaise and lethargy <\/a>that makes it hard to get up and do things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might also notice that the joints and the muscles feel especially stiff and weakened in the area around the bite itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>12.  Headache<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is also common to experience a headache along with the other symptoms. This might take many forms but will generally be a mild throbbing headache <\/a>that accompanies a general sense of feeling unwell. Your thoughts might be a bit clouded and you might experience brain fog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might just seem to be a regular side effect of an infection or a cold or flu, but it is a little more likely and pronounced in the case of a spider bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>13.  Vomiting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain are all also likely to ensue following a spider bite. These symptoms are triggered by the body attempting to get rid of the venom and the toxins <\/a>in order to purge the system and bring you back to full health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of the more useful symptoms to look out for. It is relatively uncommon to experience a lot of vomiting and nausea from a flu or a cold and so you can look to this as a sign that it might be something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14.  The Best Way to be Sure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The problem with many of these symptoms is that they could all be caused by something else. There are many things that can cause both a skin rash <\/a>and a fever, while it\u2019s also completely possible that you were bitten by a spider and then because ill through an unrelated condition!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind then, there are two ways to be sure. Number one is to look for the spider. If you\u2019ve been bitten by a spider then chances are that it is still around the vicinity and if you can find it in your home, then this will help to make a speedy diagnosis and get the necessary medical attention. It will also ensure that the same fate does not affect anyone else. Just be very careful not to get bitten again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other way to be sure? Visit a doctor. If you\u2019re ever unsure as to whether you are experiencing symptoms of a disease, then asking a doctor is usually the best way to find out by far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that a spider bite is not normally that serious. It is very rare from people in the US to die from spider bites (though there are a few recorded cases from black widows). As long as you get treated quickly, then you should be back up to full health in no time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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