Spring and summer - it's time for picnics and long forest walks.
Fresh air beckons everyone.
However, often such trips end in an unpleasant encounter with a snake.
How to behave in such a situation and what to do if a snake has bitten?
What to do if a snake has bitten and how dangerous is it?
In most cases, lovers of walks in the country are faced with danger in the form of an ordinary viper. Her bite, as well as the bite of most real vipers, is not fatal. Their poison belongs to the hemotoxic type, that is, after a bite, red blood cells begin to break down.
Viper venom also contains a substance such as neurotoxin. It negatively affects the work of the cardiovascular system.
What to do if a snake has bitten and what first aid should be provided?
Before learning about medical care, you need to be able to correctly recognize the symptoms of a viper bite. These include:
● pain at the site of the bite;
● edema;
● the development of lymphangitis and lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymphatic vessels and nodes) in the next two days after a bite.
Rarely, but the following symptoms may occur:
● local necrosis at the site of the bite;
● hemorrhagic blisters;
● vomiting.
According to doctors, in most cases, a snake bite is accompanied by symptoms similar to poisoning. The number of deaths at the moment is less than 10%.
It often happens that the snake was frightened off and not allowed to complete the bite. In this case, the poison may remain on the surface of the limb. To prevent its absorption into the wound, it is necessary to remove it from the skin as quickly and accurately as possible with napkins.
In order to reduce the risk of possible complications after a bite, you need to know how to provide first aid.
Who bit
You can recognize a poisonous bite from a non-toxic one by its appearance. If one or two points are visible on the spot, it is more likely to say that a poisonous snake has bitten. Non-toxic leave a few bite marks. If you managed to kill the snake, then you can verify the safety of the bite by taking it with the patient to the emergency room.
Leave the danger zone
Snakes rarely crawl alone. If the bite occurred in a clearing, then it is worth moving away from this place to a safe distance. It is possible that in that place the snake is not alone.
Limb fixation
After a bite, it is important to move the limb as little as possible. Each movement causes an increase in blood circulation, which accelerates the spread of poison through the blood vessels. It’s definitely not worth putting pressure on the bite site, it will swell quickly and be very sick without it.
Treatment
Camping in areas where there are snakes should not be carried out without a first aid kit. It must contain antiseptics (hydrogen peroxide 3%, chlorhexidine gluconate 2.4%, potassium permanganate 0.1-0.5%) and antiseptic wipes.
After a bite, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse the place with an antiseptic solution, then apply a bandage with an antiseptic napkin.
Processing should be carried out carefully, you can not press on the site of the bite and, moreover, cut it or chop off with any drugs.
Heavy drink
After a snake bite, you need to drink as much water as possible. Any diuretic fluids are also allowed. This will reduce the concentration of poison in the vessels. The liquid will somewhat speed up the process of recovery and removal of the poison from the body.
The above actions must be carried out before contacting a medical institution. Do not try to get rid of the poison yourself. According to doctors, the classic "exhaustion of poison from the wound" will not help, since the substance quickly spreads through the blood.
After contacting the doctors, the patient will be injected with serum against snake bites. If the patient has a tendency to allergic reactions, it is necessary to warn the doctor about this. In this case, measures will be taken to prevent the development of allergies. Often it is precisely because of her that deaths occur. However, it is worth remembering that an allergy pill will not save you from its development after a snake bite. If the first signs of a reaction have appeared, it is necessary to consult a doctor in the next half hour or hour, where the antihistamine will be administered intravenously.
What not to do if a snake has bitten
It is important to remember that incorrect first aid can not only save a person, but also worsen his condition. What to do if a snake has bitten - described above, now some tips on what is strictly forbidden to do.
Apply a tourniquet
This is fraught with necrosis of tissues around the bite. The applied tourniquet prevents the even distribution of the snake venom enzyme throughout the body. It is concentrated in a large dose in one place, which increases its destructive potential several times.
Cut or grind the bite site
An independent tissue incision will not only not become an obstacle to the spread of poison, but can also cause various infections.
Drink alcohol
Contrary to the majority opinion that this will save from poison, drinking alcohol after a snakebite is strictly prohibited. His ability to dilate blood vessels in this case will play a trick: the poison will spread at an incredible speed, and its absorption will be several times faster.
What to do if a snake has bitten: how to prevent a bite?
A snake bite is much easier to prevent than to eliminate its consequences. If you plan a trip to nature, it is worth remembering where there is a high probability of meeting with snakes. First of all, these are places close to swamps, lakes and other bodies of water. Also, snakes often live where there are many fallen trees that are overgrown with moss.
If you are planning a trip for mushrooms or berries, it is important to take care of the right shoes. It should be high rubber boots, and under them it is better to wear woolen socks. It is also better to use a stick to move the grass in the search for mushrooms and berries.
Going for a walk in the forest, it is worth remembering that snakes are afraid of noise. Sometimes, for the snake to disappear itself, you need to talk loudly and rustle a lot with leaves under your feet. Snakes never attack first, they try to avoid collisions with people to the last.
If an unpleasant meeting has occurred, it is important to freeze and try to slowly leave the snake without making sudden movements. If she crawls very close, then you need to freeze and not move.
If you are planning night camping or camping trips, it is important to know that the activity of snakes occurs precisely in the dark. At this time, you need to be as careful as possible. Do not neglect the presence of flashlights. In addition to lighting the path, they will help scare away snakes.
It is very easy to confuse a snake with a grass or a twig at night, so nothing needs to be lifted from the ground until you make sure that it is safe.
There were times when snakes crawled into tents. Rarely, but this also happens. How to behave?
1. It is necessary to move away from it as slowly and carefully as possible.
2. Open all exits.
3. Freeze and wait for the snake to leave the tent itself.
Meeting with a snake does not mean that it will bite you. If you do not lose your temper and cope with the impending feelings of panic, you will calmly part with it and you won’t have to feverishly remember what to do if a snake has bitten it. Take a walk in the forest, breathe fresh air, pick mushrooms and berries, but be careful and careful.
