Surviving a Snake’s Bite
Almost all of us fear snakes. Why? It is quite obvious; we do not want to be bitten by its venomous fangs. What if you do get bitten by one? Will you die after several minutes? If the snake proves to be venomous and no proper action is done, death could occur sooner or later.
It is advisable for someone who is bitten by a venomous snake to avoid unnecessary movements to slow down the spread of venom on the body. If the bite is on the arm, keep your arm lower than your heart; this way, the venom’s entry into the heart will be stalled. Do not apply a tourniquet to shut off arterial blood flow and try to slow down the venom from spreading because if the tourniquet is applied too long, some fingers or toes could get damaged. Unlike what is seen from some movies, it is not safe to cut across the wound and try to suck out the venom because this may cause certain damages to arteries, nerves, skin, and tendons. It is also ill advice to apply a cold compress on the wound because the tissues on this area are weak from the venom and are thus susceptible to frostbites. Although there seem to be so many things that you should be careful not to do, it is important to remember to cleanse the wound with warm water and soap to wash away the venom on the skin. Then, cover the wound with a clean and dry dressing. Remember to try to kill, catch, or at least try to remember how the snake looked like so that you can bring it with the patient to the hospital to help the hospital staff in finding the right antidote for the venom.
There seem to be so many things to do and to avoid and everything mentioned above is vital for preserving your life if ever you get bitten by a venomous snake. Follow them all and remember: try not to panic.