Every mountain climber's nightmare is when descending the hill on a sunny day, one with nature, suddenly a snake appears and attacks you. In this situation, you must know how to properly treat a snakebite. If treated properly, even the most vicious snake venom can be overcome. So don't be afraid, go ahead with your plans to enjoy the outdoors, hike mountains, camp or simply enjoy the natural scenery, just understand the dangers of snake bites and prepare yourself with ways to deal with them if they occur.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Treating a Venomous Snakebite
Step 1. Call the emergency number, or shout for help
If you are alone, but can move to safety, try to ask for help. Most snake bites are harmless, but if you are bitten by a venomous snake, immediate medical attention is needed to treat it. Ambulance workers usually know the type of snake that live in an area and are provided with appropriate treatment. Call the emergency department or ambulance so you can go to the hospital immediately.
- You can't tell if a snake is venomous or not just by looking at the bite marks. It's best to seek medical attention immediately, regardless of the snakebite wound.
- Stay calm. Panic will increase your heart rate, and if the snake is indeed venomous, the increased heart rate will only make it spread faster throughout your body. Do your best to stay calm.
- If you can, call the poisoning emergency telephone number: (021)4250767 or (021)4227875 for first aid advice while you wait for help to arrive.
Step 2. Remember the appearance of the snake that bit you
Medics in ambulances and doctors in the emergency department need an image of the snake's appearance to determine whether the snake is venomous or not. If possible, take a photo of the snake that bit you, or ask a fellow hiker to memorize the snake's appearance to confirm what you saw.
- Don't try to catch the snake--snakes move very quickly and unless you're an experienced snake charmer, this won't do much good.
- Don't try to walk up to the snake or try to get a better look at the snake if you are still in danger of being bitten. This action is dangerous. You just need to catch a glimpse of the snake then walk away.
Step 3. Stay away from the snake
You need to get out of the snake's reach immediately, so you don't get bitten a second time. Walk away from where you were bitten. However, don't run or dodge too far. Your heart will beat faster when your body is moving too fast, so the snake's venom will spread throughout your body more quickly.
- Walk to a place where snakes won't come near. Look for flat rock on higher ground, clearing, or a place where snakes don't have a lot of hiding places.
- Try not to move at all once you reach a safer place.
Step 4. Limit movement and protect the affected area
Even if you need to limit movement, don't tie the bitten area. Also, keep the section lower than your heart. This will help prevent the spread of snake venom.
- Keeping the bitten area under your heart will block blood flow from that area towards your heart, which can pump the snake's venom throughout your body.
- If you can, make a splint to prevent the affected area from moving. Use a stick or plank, and place it on either side of the piece. Then, tie the fabric at the bottom, middle, and top of the board to hold it in place.
Step 5. Remove clothing, jewelry, or other objects that are tightly attached
A venomous snake bite can cause severe swelling in a short time. Even loose-fitting clothes can feel too tight when they start to swell.
Step 6. Clean the snakebite wound as much as you can, but don't rinse it with water
Take a clean cloth soaked in water, and gently clean the snakebite wound as much as possible. Once the wound is clean, cover it with a clean cloth.
Step 7. Wait or seek medical attention
The best option is to seek medical help as soon as possible. If after the bite is clean, the area has little or no swelling, this is a good sign--it's likely that the snake that bit you wasn't venomous. However, you are still at risk for infection or other serious reactions, including allergic reactions, so you still need immediate medical attention.
Step 8. Avoid steps that will make your condition worse
There are many myths about how to treat snake bites, and some of these can actually make your condition worse.
- Do not try to slice the bite wound and suck the snake's venom out. Slicing the bite wound will only add to the problem and increase the risk of infection. Anyone who inhales snake venom may actually ingest some of the venom and become poisoned.
- Do not tie or apply ice to the bite wound. Experts believe that tying the wound can cut off blood flow, and ice can make the wound worse.
- Don't drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks--both of which can increase your heart rate and spread toxins in your blood. Instead, meet your body's fluid needs by drinking water.
Step 9. Understand the medical care you should receive
In the emergency department (ER), you will receive treatment to relieve swelling, pain, and any symptoms caused by a venomous snake bite. Doctors in the ER will also monitor blood pressure, symptoms of disorders in the blood flow and nervous system, as well as any allergic reactions and swelling.
- The treatment given will be tailored to the symptoms you show. If no symptoms appear, you may still need to stay overnight so you can be monitored for 24 hours, as in some cases, symptoms from snake bites can take that long to appear.
- If the snake that bit you is venomous, you may be given antivenom. This antivenom is a combination of antibodies made against snake venom, and has been shown to be safe and effective for use in both adults and children. You may be given more than one dose of antivenom, according to your symptoms.
- Chances are, you'll also be prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic to make sure you don't get infected. A tetanus shot may also be given.
- For severe cases of snakebite, you may need surgery.
Step 10. Follow the snakebite follow-up care recommendations
Once you are discharged from the hospital, you should take extra care to keep the bite wound clean and protected, and follow all medical recommendations for treating your wound. This advice includes how to change the bandage, how to clean the wound (usually with warm water and soap), and how to identify an infection.
Signs of infection include swelling, pain, redness, heat, and discharge from the affected area, or even fever. If you experience any of these symptoms at the bite wound, contact your doctor as soon as possible
Step 11. Stay calm and wait if you can't get help
If you're deep in the woods, and medical help doesn't seem to be able to reach you in a short time, it's best to find a comfortable place and wait for the toxins to leave your body. In the vast majority of cases, snakes do not inject venom in lethal amounts. Give treatment to the symptoms that arise, and most importantly, stay calm and don't move too much. The fear of snakes and the anxiety that follows often lead to death, as a fast heart rate will make the venom spread much faster.
If you're climbing a mountain and meet other climbers, ask them to call or bring help, or ask if they have a venom suction device
Method 2 of 3: Treating Non-venomous Snakebites
Step 1. Stop the outflow of blood
Non-venomous snake bites are rarely life-threatening, but first aid should still be given to prevent infection. Give treatment to bite wounds such as stab wounds; The first step is to apply pressure to the wound with sterile gauze or bandage so that not too much of your blood comes out.
Do not provide this type of wound care if you are not absolutely sure that the snake that bit you is not venomous. If in doubt, it is better to seek medical help immediately
Step 2. Clean the wound carefully
Wash the bite wound with clean water and soap for a few minutes. Rinse the wound thoroughly with water and wash again. Pat dry using sterile gauze. Use alcohol wet wipes if you have one.
Step 3. Apply antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a bandage
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the cleaned wound. Then apply a bandage to your wound. Ointments and bandages will help prevent infection.
Step 4. Seek medical attention
Your doctor will make sure your wound is clean and getting the right treatment. You are free to ask whether the wound requires further treatment, including whether you need a tetanus shot or not.
Step 5. Watch the wound healing process
Even a non-venomous snake bite can cause infection. Watch for signs of infection such as redness and red streaks around the wound, swelling, discharge from the wound, or fever. If you notice any of these signs appearing, visit your doctor again for a check-up.
Step 6. Drink plenty of fluids during the healing period
You must keep your body hydrated while recovering from a snakebite. Generally, you should aim to drink about 2 liters of water every day.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Snakes and Their Bites
Step 1. Understand venomous snakes
Most snakes are not venomous, but all snakes can bite. The most well-known venomous snakes are cobras, copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths (water moccasins) and rattlesnakes. Although most venomous snake heads are triangular in shape, the best way to be sure is to identify or locate the canine glands of a dead snake.
Step 2. Find out if you live in a rattlesnake habitat
Cobras can be found in Asia and Africa. Copperhead snakes are found in the southern and eastern US, as well as parts of Australia and Asia. A variety of coral snakes can be found in the southern US, parts of India and southeast Asia, China and Taiwan. The cottonmouth or water moccasin can be found in the southeastern US, and rattlesnakes can be found from southern Canada to Argentina.
Some places in the world, such as Australia, have more venomous snakes than the rest of the world. Remember that venomous snakes can live and live in cities as well as forests, so be careful
Step 3. Understand about snake bites
When a non-venomous snake bites, the thing to watch out for is infection and tissue swelling. However, when a venomous snake bites, in addition to tissue damage and infection, another thing to watch out for is the effect of snake venom. Most snakes will not bite unless they are disturbed or disturbed by humans.
- A snake's canine teeth may be permanent teeth or teeth that are "folded" until they are used for biting. Venomous snakes may have one of these types of canines. However, snakes with fixed canines such as coral snakes tend to affect the central nervous system, while "folded" canines such as rattlesnakes tend to affect blood cells.
- All types of snakes have compounds that can damage tissue--if you are bitten by a snake, preventing this damage from spreading may be the most serious problem to deal with.
Step 4. Understand the snake's behavior
Snakes are cold-blooded animals, which means their body heat comes from the heat of the sun and its surroundings. As a result, snakebites and snakebites rarely occur in winter or cold climates, as snakes will hibernate at this time.
Snakes and snakebites are more common in areas around the equator, as snakes in these areas do not hibernate and are more active in hot weather
Step 5. Avoid contact with snakes
The best way to treat snake bites is to avoid them. In the opinion of wildlife experts, there are several best ways to avoid snakes and their bites:
- Do not sleep or rest in snake hiding places, such as bushes, thick grass, large rocks, and trees.
- Don't put your hand in rock crevices, holes in logs, thick bushes, or where snakes might be waiting for their prey.
- Watch your step as you pass through thickets or thick grass.
- Do not try to catch snakes, whether alive or dead. Snakes have a biting reflex for a minute even after death… weird, but true!
- Always wear hiking boots to protect your ankles, and tuck the hem of the pants into your boots.
- Make a sound. Most snakes prefer to avoid you, just like you are trying to avoid them! So, to make sure your arrival doesn't startle him, make sure the snake can hear you approaching.
Step 6. Purchase a snakebite rescue kit
If you frequently hike or go on outdoor adventures, consider purchasing a snakebite rescue kit with a suction pump. Do not use equipment containing razor blades and suction bubbles.
Warning
- If you hear a venomous snake approaching, be quiet, don't move. Snakes cannot see well and use movement to detect threats. Back away slowly, alerting others of the snake's presence when it reaches safety.
- Watch your step in a place populated by humans and rattlesnakes. The rattlesnake uses its rattling sound to dispel any danger around it, so it doesn't have to attack. But the hunting of rattlesnakes by humans has changed this behavior in places where humans live. Rattlesnakes around humans rarely make a rattling sound, but more often they disguise themselves, so you can easily step on them.
- Some people recommend placing an elastic but not too tight bandage 5 to 7 cm above the bite wound. You can use an Ace bandage or make your own elastic bandage from a stretchy T-shirt or fabric. This kind of treatment will allow a large amount to be released when the bond is released. In addition, people who have not received first aid training often attach too tightly, such as a tourniquet, to the risk of stopping blood flow and making your condition worse.
- Do not attempt to slice the wound and suck the snake's venom out of the body, either with your mouth or with a snakebite rescue kit. This step has not been shown to significantly reduce the amount of venom, and may actually cause widespread damage to the skin's surface.
