First aid of snake bite

Answer 1

Try to stay as calm as possible. The victim should be made to lie still and keep the bitten area still. The victim should try to remember what the snake looks like , but should not try to kill it. This is because the snake bite victim should stay as still as possible to slow the movement of the poison from the bite to other parts of the body. If someone else can kill the snake, it should be saved for identification by medical personnel. If possible, victims should be carried to medical help or have help brought to them. A bite victim should walk only if necessary and then very slowly. Symptoms of poisonous snake bites vary, but for rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads, symptoms include severe pain, rapid swelling at the wound site, weakness, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, breathing difficulty, convulsions and shock. The symptoms of a coral snake bite differ in that there isslight pain and swelling at the bite site and the victim may experience difficulty in speaking, drooping eyelids, heavy sweating anddrooling, drowsiness andparalysis in addition to nausea, blurred vision and vomiting . Absence of distinct fang punctures and failure of local pain, swelling, numbness or weakness to appearwithin 20 minutes are strong evidence against snake venom poisoning. If the victim is not breathing, try to restore breathing . Unless used properly,tourniquet or snake bite kits may do more harm than good. If you tie anything above the bite area to prevent the spread of the poison, you should be able to slip your finger under what you have used as a tourniquet. If the area under the tourniquet swells, move the tourniquet two to four inches above where you first placed it. If it is a coral snake bite, DO NOT use a tourniquet. If you use a snake bite kit, follow the instructions. Do not cut any deeper than the skin or you may damage muscles, nerves or tendons. A rubber bulb, breast pump or heated jar are all preferable to mouth suction, but if other means are not available and the person sucking out the venom has no open mouth sores, mouth suction may be used. Do not swallow the venom--spit it out. Never use cold or ice compresses on the victim. The cold may damage the tissue. Do not give the victim food or Alcoholic Beverages. The victim may have small sips of water if he or she is conscious and is able to drink without choking or vomiting. Even if the snake bite is believed to be non-poisonous, medical help should be sought and a tetanus shot may be required .

Answer 2

Treat the person for bleeding and attempt to identify the snake. Always seek medical attention as soon as possible.