What is Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Brown Recluse Spider Bite is usually mild, but it can be life threatening. Brown recluse spiders can be dark brown to light tan in color.
On their back, they have a band of darker color that is shaped like a violin. A bite wound may take 1–2 months to heal.
If you think you were bitten by a brown recluse spider, get medical help right away.
Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
- Take or apply over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take or apply it as told by your doctor. Do notstop using the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
Wound care
- Follow
instructions from your doctor about how to take care of your bite wound.
Make sure you:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your bandage (dressing). If you cannot use soap and water, use hand sanitizer.
- Change your bandage as told by your doctor.
- Keep the bite area clean and dry.
- Wash the bite area every day, as told by your doctor. Use soap and water.
- Do notscratch the bite area.
Check the bite area every day for signs of infection. Check for:
- More redness, swelling, or pain.
- Fluid or blood.
- Warmth.
- Pus or a bad smell.
General instructions
- If
told, put ice on the bite area.
- Put ice in a plastic bag.
- Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
- Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
- Raise (elevate) the bite area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down, if you can.
Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
Contact a doctor if you:
- Notice that your symptoms do not get better after 24 hours.
- Notice that your symptoms get worse.
- Have more redness, swelling, or pain around your wound.
- Notice that your wound feels warm to the touch.
- Notice pus or a bad smell coming from your wound.
Get help right away if you:
- Notice that your wound seems to be getting bigger or deeper.
- Have fluid or blood coming from your wound.
- Have chills or a fever.
- Feel sick to your stomach (nauseous).
- Throw up (vomit).
- Have muscle aches.
- Feel unusually weak or tired.
- Have muscle movements that you cannot control (convulsions).
- Develop a rash.
- Pee (urinate) less often than usual.
- Have blood in your pee or other unusual bleeding.
- Notice that your skin turns yellow.
Summary
- Brown recluse spiders can be dark brown to light tan in color. They have a dark brown violin shape on their back.
- A bite from a brown recluse spider is usually mild, but it can be life threatening.
- Keep the bite area clean and dry.
- Check the bite area every day for signs of infection.
