Signs of Black Widow Bites
The female black widow spider is about 1 to 2 inches long, shiny black in color with a red hourglass marking underneath. Males are smaller, and they do not bite. Most of these spiders live in the southern and western United States. When the female black widow spider bites, it emits a highly potent venom which affects the person's nervous system.
First Sign
Although many people do not have a severe reaction to a black widow spider bite, most do. The first symptom is a pinprick pain at the site of the bite, which can rapidly become very painful. The person might be able to see two fang wounds, one or none. The bite site can have an obvious local reaction with redness, swelling and burning pain, or it may not react much at all.
Pain
Within 20 to 60 minutes, the pain typically spreads to other parts of the body and can become severe. Muscle cramps and aches, particularly in the shoulders and back, are common. People sometimes think they have appendicitis or a ruptured ovary because the abdominal pain is so intense, and chest pain resulting from the spider bite leads people to fear a heart attack or gallstones.
Additional Signs
Other signs of black widow bites include weakness and tremors, headache, light sensitivity, rash, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, dizziness, excessive salivation, sweating, breathing difficulties, elevated heart rate and high blood pressure. A black widow bite can induce premature labor in a pregnant woman.
Warning
Anyone who has been bitten, especially if experiencing obvious pain or other symptoms, should go to a hospital emergency room or call an ambulance. It is most important for children, elderly people and people who are already ill from another disease to seek immediate attention, because they are the ones who most often experience life-threatening conditions from a black widow bite. Children have been known to suffer seizures after a black widow bite.
Treatment
Clinics and doctor's offices usually do not carry antivenin, the anti-venom treatment for black widow bites, and not all emergency rooms keep it on hand either. The physician may decide not to provide antivenin unless absolutely necessary, because severe reactions can occur to the medication. Instead, doctors may administer drugs that lower blood pressure, along with muscle relaxants and pain relievers. People who do not visit an emergency room for treatment may have painful and otherwise unpleasant symptoms lasting for several days.
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