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Spider Bite

Most spider bites cause local pain, redness and swelling. It's like a bee sting reaction.
A few spiders (such as the Black Widow) can cause a more severe reaction.
It is helpful to note what the spider looked like, if it was seen on the skin or around you.
If you can, capture the spider in a jar with a lid. It will help you identify the spider. Only do this if it does not risk getting another bite.

A shiny, jet-black spider with long legs. Total size 1 inch (25 mm).
A red (or orange) hourglass-shaped marking on its under-side.
Causes local pain and swelling right away.
Sometimes, you can see 2 fang marks at the bite site.
Severe muscle cramps (and stomach cramps) occur within 1 to 6 hours. These last 24 to 48 hours.
Rarely causes death. Exception: bitten by several spiders.
Note: many are dry bites (no venom) because the fangs are small.
The brown widow spider is related to the black widow. It is found in southern US.
Brown widow spider bites are treated the same as black widow bites.

A small brown spider; total size ½ inch (12 mm).
A dark violin shaped marking on top of its head.
Causes pain at the bite. Blisters form within 4 to 8 hours.
The center becomes bluish and depressed (crater-like) over 2 to 3 days.
Skin damage may require skin grafting in 10% of cases.
Other symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain can occur. No life-threatening symptoms occur.
Brown recluse spiders are hard to identify.

More than 50 spiders in the U.S. have venom. Their bites cause reactions that are not serious. This includes pain or redness at the bite site.
The bites are painful and swollen. This often lasts for 1 or 2 days. They can feel and look like a bee sting.

When to Call for Spider Bite
Call 911 Now Trouble breathing or wheezing Passed out (fainted) or too weak to stand You think you have a life-threatening emergency Call Doctor or Seek Care Now Fever and bite looks infected (spreading redness) You feel weak or very sick You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent	Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours More than 48 hours since the bite and redness gets larger Bite starts to look bad (such as skin damage, blister or purple color) Pain lasts more than 2 days Last tetanus shot was more than 10 years ago You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent Contact Doctor During Office Hours You have other questions or concerns	Self Care at Home Non-serious spider bite

For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
Put it on the bite for 20 minutes.
Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
Reason: helps the pain.
Caution: avoid frostbite by wrapping the ice pack. Do not put ice directly onto the skin.

To help with the pain, take an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
Use as needed, but do not take more than the maximum recommended dosage as stated on the packet.
If you are not sure what to take, ask a pharmacist.