Brown Recluse Spider Bite
The brown recluse spider bite, like many other spider bites, is extremely hard to feel; if anything, the bite would feel like a pinprick if even noticed at all. The brown recluse is one of four poisonous spiders. In fact, only 60 out of 20,000 species of spiders are actually capable of biting at all.
The brown recluse is not an aggressive spider and the only way on would bite is if they feel threatened. This is usually cased by the brown recluse feeling trapped, which can happen if they are caught in clothes, or pressed between skin and another surface.
Spider Bite Reaction
The Initial Brown Recluse Spider Bite
Two Weeks Later!
The physical reaction to a brown recluse spider bite depends on the amount of venom injected and also the way the victim’s body reacts to the venom. Some do not react at all to a brown recluse spider bite, while other’s can be severely injured. While some notice the bite right away due to immense pain, others do not notice the bite for several hours, which can be extremely dangerous.
Some reactions due to brown recluse spider bites are a fever, the chills, itching, going into shock, vomiting, as well as restlessness. Initially a small white blister will appear where the brown recluse bit, the skin surrounding the newly form blister will also become swollen. Later as the area becomes infected it will get extremely red in color and the tissue also becomes rather hard.
Brown Recluse Bite
The bite from a Brown Recluse Spider is usually dry, blue-gray or blue-white, with an irregular sinking patch with torn edges and extremely red. The deep and sore wound from the brown recluse usually takes a very long time to heal. Death usually will not occur, however the risk is higher in young children and the elderly.
When there is a reaction to the brown recluse’s venom the bite actually forms into almost what is like a volcano lesion. The open wound can range anywhere from a few centimeters to a few inches in size. The open sour can take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to heal completely, and after that the entire recovery can take several months.
Brown Recluse Spider Bite Treatment
Victims should seek medical attention immediately after being bit by any spider due to the fact that many are unaware if a spider is poisonous or not. It is extremely helpful to bring in the actual spider, if possible, so that the doctor can identify whether or not the bite is dangerous or not. Many doctors will give high doses of cortisone-type hormones to help defeat hemolysis and other systemic complications. Other treatment depending on the case sometimes is also administered.
Written by Jim on August 5th, 2007 with
217 comments.
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Hi, my name is Gary and I am from Central California. Several years ago I was bitten three seperate times by something, I don’t know for sure what, but from what I have seen on this site I tend to believe they were from a Brown Recluse.
The first time was on my lower leg. I developed the hard knot and what appeared to be a second degree sun burn in a large area around the bite. I did not know when I was bitten. I became sick with flu like symptoms, ie. fever, chills, neausea and body ache all over before I found the bite. I stayed home in bed for two days.
When I discovered the bite, because of the soreness and itching, I cut some Aleo Vera Cactus and applied a compress to the bite area, really dumb not to go to the doctor but, I was not sure what caused it. I was fortunate, it healed and there was no scaring or complications.
The second bite was on my stomach at the waist line right at my belt. I had the same visible indicators, ie. the hard knot and redness but no other sickness as with the first. I again applied an Aloe compress for several days.
The third bite was the same and symptoms like the second. I do not know if my body developed a tolorence to the venom or what but it was an odd situation.
So, some of these things I”ve been reading about sound more like MRSA than it does a brown recluse bite. If you have sudden swelling that later turns necrotic with a lot of pus, it may be a brown recluse, but it also could just be as easily c-MRSA. You need a doctor’s opinion, and a culture of the spot. If your doctor won’t swab for MRSA, insist on it!!
The brown recluse is he one of the most dangerous spiders of all. If you look at the spider bite at the top of the screen that is a really bad bite. Don’t go near the brown recluse!!!!!!!12
how do you treat the brown recluse spider bit?
I have just gone to the doctor for a spider bite. He believes it is a brown recluse because it has all of the characteristics of the bite. Unfortunately, like many people, I did not see the spider because it was evidently hidden in my clothing. As far as treating the bite, the doctor gave me a steroid shot and gave me a very strong antibiotic. He also told me to keep warm, moist compresses on it for a few days. I experienced headaches, dizziness, weakness, severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, chills, fever, and achiness, especially up into my shoulder, and down my right arm, as I was bit on the chest. I experienced these symptoms before I actually noticed the bite area. I hope this information helps others who suspect they have been bitten, and I hope noone else has to go through this experience. It is bad
I wish I still had my pictures. I was bitten on the back of my left leg when i was 14. I left it alone for 2 weeks before going to the emergency room. Mine progressed differently because i have a high immune system. By the time I went in my leg hurt a lot. I had been limping on it for 3 days. They drained the infection and i went in for outpatient surgery the following day. They had to remove a chunk of my leg that was about the size of a softball cut in half. The hole took 3 months to close completely so i basicaly went around with muscle tissue exposed for 3 months, well we has packing in it and a stretchy bandage around my leg to hold the packingin and the packing was change several times a day.
When it finally did heal it was only a few weeks before residual poison/infection surfaced next to the scar. It poped on its own and we went to the doctor and they cleaned it. These spiders are EVIL ! seriously. If you EVER find one in your home, kill it and spray your house ! Its not worth the experience, o and the surgery cost about $5000, so its also not worth the expense. If you get bitten the first signs are swelling and getting red and or dark. I tried to convince myself it was “just a bite” that would go away on its own like any other. it wont. Doctor told me that had I waited much longer they would have had to amputate my leg to get rid of it. if it had psread upward tward my hip it would have been too close to organs to cut out effectively. These bites can kill you. they hurt and are seriously not worth the trouble. these bites act similarly to cancer, but the response time for their growth is much faster. if these bites hit a sensative area you may be looking at weeks or even days. these spiders are not just your common house variety that you set free in the garden. BE CAREFUL !
My boyfriend realized a couple of days ago he had what looked like a mosquito bite.Now two days later it is doubled in size and has a huge hole in the middle.It also is kinda white in the middle and when he pushes it pus comes out.I’m thinking it could be a brown recluse from the pictures i have seen.Should I be worried?
i was bitten by a brown recluse spider on a thursday night. by friday morning my toe was twice its size, purple and red. not only that but the infection had started running up my ankle and leg. i immediately went to quick care were i was put on an iv and given two types of antibiotics along with pain killers. it was very painful to walk, not to mention how uncomfortable the chills and fever were. i really do advice if you get bitten seek medical attention asap! im glad i did. =)
I live in Central Missouri in the basement of my sister’s house. She had warned me about the brown recluses and how I should check every night before I go to bed to make sure there aren’t any in my room, especially my bed. I was lying in bed reading my book tonight and noticed something scuttling across my carpet. I immediately grabbed my empty water glass and stuck it over the spider. I went to google image search to look up a picture of a brown recluse. I compared the actual spider to the picture and realized that I had actually caught a brown recluse! It was headed toward my bed and I caught it right before it got to my quilt that spills onto the floor. I feel very fortunate, and a little freaked out at the moment. What if I hadn’t seen him and he got in my sheets with me and I woke up with a bite? It gives me the willies just thinking about it. I encourage everybody to buy spider traps!! I know I’m going to tomorrow when I go to town to run errands!!!
there are many half-inchspiders on our front porch in washington. they are brown with very big bulby thorax. we have noidea what type of spider they are and worried that they might be a recluse. please help!
does anyone know if it can re infest itself years later after you were bitten?
I went to Yucca Valley, CA this weekend (the high desert) and this morning took a clean pair of jeans out of the overnight bag we took with us to wear. I hadn’t unpacked our bag yet, but it was left open pretty much the entire time in the trailor we were camping in. Immediately after I had put the jeans on, I felt something pricking my thigh. I thought it must be a sticker from the desert or something, so I waited a little bit, but continued to feel it pricking me. It hurt. I ran into the bathroom, and when I took my pants off, I saw a brown spider fall out. My leg has been hurting all day, and there is obvious swelling and a pretty big bite on my thigh. It is swollen, and has a little redness to it. I am just scared of the Brown Recluse and hope it isn’t one. I tried to compare it to the pictures online, and it looks so similar I can’t tell.
Does anyone think I should see a dr?
I live in cali and i have a bite, 1 on my stomach and 3 on my thighs next to my bottom, its day 4 and i’m hella scared i dont want to pop it but i have to seek medical attention tomarrow.
i think i have a brown recluse bite. this morning, my arm hurt and i thought it might be a spider bite so i looked it up and most of the symptons seem to fit. i have a small white bump and the surrounding skin is red and it hurts and this morning i felt very nauseus but i thought i was just getting sick. now i realize it might have been the bite. what should i do?
Cure for Brown Recluse Bites…
My doctor from Central Florida, David Klein, was a Navy doc and used to run into soldiers with recluse bites. He developed a treatment to stop and reverse the spread of necrotic tissue cause by the bite. He prescribes a Guanethldine/Lidocaine spray in an N-decyl solution that has to be made up by a compounding pharmacist. It re-vascularizes the area and is the only treatment needed. I have seen pics of the healing in soldiers and personally saw how well it worked on one patient with a recluse infestation in her house who repeatedly suffered from multiple bites. She had beautiful legs and this treatment kept her from having to have chunks scooped out.
umm did the spider byte effect ur arm can u at least send me some pics soo i can see becuz my teacher is showing videos and pictures about brown recluce spiders on how bad there bytes are wen did u get bite by one
I believe this is a brown recluse spider bite. I haven’t had any treatment yet but I guess I’m going to the ER today because it’s just getting worse. I took some antibiotics that I had from a previous bite so some of the redness & swelling has gone down over the last 3 days but the hole is just getting bigger. So I had my daughter take pictures so I could send them to you.
Thank you,
Piper Wood