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Snake Bite: First Aid

Snake bites may lead to the fatal condition; it may take even the death of the victim.
There are many species of the venomous snakes in different parts of the world. Whenever a person is bitten by a snake, we should immediately provide the first aid treatment, making all the possible attempts to save the life of the victim.

First aid for snake bite:

Snake bite is an emergency….so immediately call 911 or any other local emergency assistance.
Meanwhile, carry out the following first aid measures:

• Make sure that the snake which had bitten the victim has been removed from the site.
• Manage everything very tactfully as there is value of each second.
• Provide assurance to the victim.
• Wash the punctured area or the bitten area with soap and water.
• Keep the bitten area below the level of the heart. Do not elevate the bitten area.
• Apply firm pressure using a pressure bandage or any piece of cloth available, about three to four inches above the area bitten by the snake. This will somehow act to prevent the dissemination or the spread of the snake venom in case the snake is poisonous, in the blood and the lymphatic channels. Start to apply this bandage starting from the part nearest to the heart and directed towards the extremities; ensure the affected area is kept below the heart level. The bandage should not cut off the blood flow of the veins and the arteries.
• The bandage thus applied should neither be too tight nor too loose. It should allow introducing at least one finger loosely beneath the bandage.
• Cutting and suctioning: the area bitten is sometimes cut off in long and deep incisions and suctioned to drain out the snake venom or even, suctioning alone without making cuts are the practices done using the snake bite kits available. Somehow still there exists a controversy related to the success rates of these kits available commercially. Logically the cutting exposes the skin to the exterior environment which makes it prone to infections.

All the above mentioned steps must be completed within 20 to 30 minutes. The victim must get medical treatment as early as possible. The anti-snake venom serum is given after performing the sensitivity test.

Disclaimer
This site provides you with the general guidelines and information regarding the first aid measures for the various conditions or health related problems. It is not a substitute for the medical advice or the formal first aid training. It will not be responsible or liable in case one tries to make diagnosis based on the provided information. You always need to consult the doctor and emergency department in case of all the serious emergencies rather than just relying upon the supposed guidelines.