There are 50,000 people bitten by snakes each year. The number is growing as we infringe of the wild. However, of all of those snakebites victims, only about 20% are bitten by poisonous snakes. There are fewer then 20 fatalities from snakebite per years and most of those were not treated in a hospital. If you see someone who has been bitten buy a snake, try to ascertain what kind of snake it was that bit him or her. If they have not killed the snake, ask them to describe it to you in case they are not conscious when emergency personnel arrive.

In the United States, most of the venomous snakes have these characteristics:

– A pit, or depression, between the nostrils and the eyes, usually in the center of their head
– Elliptical shaped eyes. They look like slits.
– A head with a triangular shape
– Rattlesnakes are identified by the sound that they make with the rattles at the end of their tail when they are aggravated enough to strike.
– A water moccasin has a whitish lining in its mouth that looks cottony.
– The copperhead is self-explanatory with a head that is large and coppery.
– Coral snakes have a red, yellow, and black band of rings along the entire length of their bodies. There are snakes that look like the coral but do not have those colors in a row like that. Remember RYB for Red, Yellow, and Black, or just say Rib instead of RYB.

If Bitten By a Poisonous Snake

If you are bitten by a snake that is not poisonous, follow these steps if you do not wish to go to an emergency room or your family doctor.

– Clean the wound by rinsing it under cool water and wash it with a mild soap
– Do not stop bleeding unless it is very severe
– If you have not had tetanus shot in five years or have not completed your primary series, consider going to your doctor to get one.
– Keep an eye on the bite for signs of an infection.

Snake Bite Kit Use Is Up To You

If you have been bitten by a poisonous snake and emergency aid is more than a half of an hour away, you will need to use a snakebite kit within five minutes of the bite if you intend to use one. There has been some controversy on whether snakebite kits do more harm than good so using one of these is neither advised nor warned against in this article. It is up to the individual and their experience and belief in the snakebite kit process.

While waiting for medical help to arrive, it is important to have the victim remain calm. Here are a few things that you can do while you wait. If you are the victim,

– Lie still, remain calm, and stay as quiet as possible. Concentrate on slowing down your heart rate. Studies have shown that you can dramatically slow the rate of your heart if you focus on it. This will slow the poisonous venom in your bloodstream.

– Keep the area on which you were bitten lower than your heart if that is possible.

– Take off any jewelry near the affected area including any piercings you may have.

– If you were bitten on the arm or leg, wrap the area above the bite between it and your heart snugly with a cloth. Do not cut off the blood circulation but wrap it very snugly.

– If it is your arm or leg, splint it to prevent moving the bite.

– Do not take any drugs. Aspirin and other products are blood thinners and increase blood flow. This will allow the venom to move to your heart much faster.

Do Not Suck The Venom Out

Remember that a tourniquet can do much more harm than good. Do not try to suck the venom out as it can enter your bloodstream rather quickly through the mucus membrane or any cuts and cavities you may have inside your mouth. HIPAA Compliance Training in blood borne pathogens teaches about the dangers of blood transferred contagious diseases. Never suck the venom from another person. Remain calm and wait for emergency services to arrive.

Author Bio: For more information please visit our Blood Borne Pathogens Training website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: HIPAA Compliance,emergency aid ,Poisonous Snake,Coral snakes ,Snakebites