Snake bite

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Snake bite is a type of injury that occurs when a snake bites a person or an animal. The effects of a snake bite can range from mild to severe, depending on the species of snake, the area of the body bitten, the amount of venom injected, and the health condition of the person bitten.

Types of Snake Bites[edit | edit source]

There are two main types of snake bites: dry bites and venomous bites.

  • Dry bites occur when a snake bites but does not inject any venom. These bites can still cause pain and swelling, but they are not usually life-threatening.
  • Venomous bites occur when a snake injects venom into the person or animal it has bitten. The effects of a venomous bite can be severe and can include pain, swelling, nausea, difficulty breathing, and in some cases, death.

Symptoms of Snake Bites[edit | edit source]

The symptoms of a snake bite can vary depending on the type of snake and the amount of venom injected. Common symptoms include:

  • Pain and swelling at the site of the bite
  • Redness and bruising
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Blurred vision
  • Sweating and salivating excessively
  • Weakness or numbness

Treatment of Snake Bites[edit | edit source]

The treatment for a snake bite depends on the type of snake and the severity of the bite. In general, the following steps should be taken:

  • Call for emergency medical help immediately.
  • Try to remember the color and shape of the snake, which can help medical professionals identify the species and provide the appropriate treatment.
  • Keep the person who has been bitten calm and still to slow the spread of venom.
  • Do not attempt to suck out the venom or apply a tourniquet.

In some cases, antivenom may be administered to neutralize the venom. However, antivenom is not always necessary and can cause serious side effects.

Prevention of Snake Bites[edit | edit source]

Prevention is the best way to avoid snake bites. This can be achieved by:

  • Avoiding areas where snakes are known to live.
  • Wearing protective clothing when in snake-infested areas.
  • Not attempting to handle or provoke snakes.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Medicine - Specialties and subspecialties
Surgery

Cardiac surgery - Cardiothoracic surgery - Colorectal surgery - Ophthalmology - General surgery - Neurosurgery - Oral and maxillofacial surgery - Orthopedic surgery - Hand surgery - Otolaryngology - ENT - Pediatric surgery - Plastic surgery - Reproductive surgery - Surgical oncology - Transplant surgery - Trauma surgery - Urology - Andrology - Vascular surgery

Medicine Internal medicine - Allergy / Immunology - Angiology - Cardiology - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Hepatology - Geriatrics - Hematology - Hospital medicine - Infectious disease - Nephrology - Oncology - Pulmonology - Rheumatology
Obstetrics and gynaecology Gynaecology - Gynecologic oncology - Maternal–fetal medicine - Obstetrics - Reproductive endocrinology and infertility - Urogynecology
Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional radiology - Nuclear medicine - Pathology - Anatomical - Clinical pathology - Clinical chemistry - Cytopathology - Medical microbiology - Transfusion medicine
Other specialties Addiction medicine - Adolescent medicine - Anesthesiology - Dermatology - Disaster medicine - Diving medicine - Emergency medicine - Family medicine - General practice - Hospital medicine - Intensive care medicine - Medical genetics - Narcology - Neurology - Clinical neurophysiology - Occupational medicine - Ophthalmology - Oral medicine - Pain management - Palliative care - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry -Addiction psychiatry - Radiation oncology - Reproductive medicine - Sexual medicine - Sleep medicine - Sports medicine - Transplantation medicine - Tropical medicine - Travel medicine - Venereology
Medical education Medical school - USMLE - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Doctor of Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Alternative medicine - Allied health - Dentistry - Podiatry - Pharmacy - Physiotherapy - Molecular oncology - Nanomedicine - Personalized medicine - Public health - Rural health - Therapy - Traditional medicine - Veterinary medicine - Physician - Chief physician - History of medicine
Misc. topics Health topics A-Z - Rare diseases - Drugs - Diet - Medicine portal - First Aid - Glossary of medicine - Health insurance - Glossary of health topics - Drug classes - Medicines - Dentistry portal - Pharmacology and Medications-Medications portal - Pharmacology portal - Psychiatry portal


Template:Animals

‎ ‎


Wiki.png

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD


Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD