Black Widow Bite Symptoms

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The last thing you want to end your day with is to be bitten by a black widow spider. Latrodectism is an illness caused by Latrodectus spider bites. These species of spiders consists of different types of spiders, the most common spider form this species is the black widow spider. Contrary to the general belief, this diseases is more dangerous for cats when compared to humans, it has been documented that many cats die from convulsion and paralysis after being bitten by a Black-widow Bite. It Posters less danger to human, so check your cats for black-widow spider bites, more often than you check yourself. There are different species of Latrodectus spiders, but not all of them are responsible for latrodectism, Brown widow species are one of the numerous Latrodectus spiders that do not cause this infection.

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Classic Course of Latrodectism.

This disease callused by a black-widow spider bite often presents with its unique clinical course and manifestations. There are series of allergic response and reactions given by the body after a bite from a black widow spider. Most people are not medical practitioners but could benefit from some first-hand knowledge about these prevalent diseases. The classic course of latrodectism includes:

  • Pallor and Rubor: Most people experience local pain, sweating, and goosebumps within an hour of a black-widow spider bite. However, the intense pain is rapid and occurs within 10 minutes of a black-widow spider bite. There are some symptoms such as redness and puncture marks, which are often mandatory and might be absent.
  • Disseminated Symptoms: Within a few minutes of the spider bite, the symptoms spread caudo-cephalic. The pain spreads from the feet to the thigh and trunk. There are few cases of mild hypertension and increased in pulse pressure due to an adrenaline surge. The venom affects the nerve endings and affects motor function.
  • Non-specific Symptoms: Latrodectism presents with some non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue/There were some reported cases of a headache and irritability in some people.
  • Duration: The symptoms often last for a maximum of 1-week. Conventionally; there has been some exception for people experiencing symptoms for greater than 1
  • Special Conditions: This infection can be dangerous for pregnant women because the pain could often be misdiagnosed for other conditions. The venom from black-widow spider could be fatal for the pregnancy and cause preterm labor.

Symptoms of a Black Widow Bite Timeline

There are numerous symptoms of latrodectism; it would do you no harm if you have first-hand knowledge about this disease. These spiders are very common in United States, Canada, and Mexico. The female species of this spiders and more dangerous than their male counterpart. Maybe due to their hourglass shape and venom.They are often found in cabbages, swimming pools, wood piles, and barbecue grills.  You need to be conscious of the spider, and ensure that you don’t go home with an extra dessert( Black-widow spider), after your barbecue party or swimming contest. These spiders are often prevalent in April in April and October.The most common signs and symptoms of Black –widow spider bites include:

  • Pain and redness: The presence of a sharp pain followed by redness of the skin is pathognomic for latrodectism.
  • Fang Spots: People are suffering from this bite, often complains about little red spots or fang marks on the bitten
  • Neuromuscular Damage: Muscle spasm, twitching, and weakness are common symptoms of latrodectism.it starts progressively from the site of the bite and spreads in the cephalic direction in the next 6-12 hours.
  • Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Nausea and vomiting \re the common digestive-tract symptoms experienced by people bitten by black widow
  • Sweating: There is an adrenaline surge in response to this spider bites in most patients. This surge leads to other symptoms such as profuse sweating, fever, and
  • Chest and Back Pain: The severity of the pain depends on a lot of factors such as the concentration of the venom, and duration of the bite. Back and chest pains are commonly experienced symptoms in people.
  • Irritability and Stupor: The venom from the bite and the disruption of the nerve conduction could lead to restlessness, irritability, and stupor in most people.
  • Hypertension and Shock: The disruption in the noradrenaline-adrenaline balance could lead to increased blood pressure and shock in most patients.
  • Goosebumps and Piloerection: These are parts of the physiological responses of the body to foreign bodies, especially venom or spider bites.

 

What Does a Black Widow Bite Look Like?

Frequently, spiders are often blamed as the culprit for all types of rashes and dermatological problems. Interestingly, Spiders seldolmly bit humans, except when disturbed or threatened. Black- widow spiders, are mostly feared because their bites could be very painful and dangerous/ Most species of this spiders don’t bite, except when disturbed, and the female species are more dangerous than their male counterparts.

You might not be a medical practitioner or spider specialist, but it would be beneficial, if you can detect the species of spider that stung you, Most people don’t discover immediately, because the bites feel like a pinprick, but your body starts responding after some minutes or maximum of 30 minutes. There are some first-hand tips for identifying when a black-widow bites you such as:

  • Shape: The female black-widow spider is very common in the southern parts of American. They are easily distinguished by their form and structures.They is known for their shiny black body and globed shaped abdomen. The female black widow spider is known for their red hour-glass shaped markings on its underside.
  • Creeping in the Dark: These unique breeds of spiders often love to lurk in the dark and hid in dark creeping places during the daytime. You can identify them, by their location and where you found them.
  • Spider Bite: Sharp acute single pain is the first symptom of a Black-widow spider bite. The site where you are bitten is often reddened and swollen, and sometimes, you can see the two small punctures on your skin. These types of spider have 2 fangs for destroying their pray, and they leave 2 puncture wounds on your skin.

Can You Die From a Black Widow Bite?

Contrary to the popular opinion, black-widow spider bite rarely kills, and it is more dangerous for cats than humans, However, just like any other medical condition, it is advisable to seek medical assistance immediately.

In the absence of a medical practitioner, wash the area where you were bitten, with soap and water, apply packed ice to the site and elevate the area and keep it still throughout, this helps to prevent the dissemination of the venom to other parts of the body.

References

Black widow spider bite symptoms. (2018). Aquaticcommunity.com. Retrieved 2 March 2018, from http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/spiders/blackwidow/symptoms.php

Hey! A Black Widow Spider Bit Me!. (2018). Kidshealth.org. Retrieved 2 March 2018, from http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/black-widow.html

What Does a Black Widow Spider Bite Look Like? | Terminix. (2018). Terminix.com. Retrieved 2 March 2018, from https://www.terminix.com/pest-control/spiders/black-widow/bites/

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