First aid at a snake bite

Venomous snakes are found everywhere, nevertheless, the contact of the person with them happens rather seldom. Even less often snakes attack people and bite them though it and occurs. Fortunately, in our corner of the world snakes whose sting certainly would be deadly, nevertheless, practically do not meet it is impossible to exclude such meeting, but also, even not too strong snake poison can cause heavy reaction in people with hypersensitivity.

Snake toxin even in not deadly concentration can cause heavy local and general reactions therefore it is necessary to know how to give first aid at stings of snakes – until delivery of the victim in hospital.

What to do if the snake bit

Most often we should face nontoxic snakes therefore if the person was bitten by a snake, it is necessary to try to estimate the event soberly. If after a sting there does not occur bystry deterioration in the general state, the bitten part of a body does not swell, does not change the color, and pain from a sting quickly passes, then, most likely, the dragon was not poisonous. In this case it is enough to process a wound an antiseptic agent.

If after a sting local and general changes began to happen, it is necessary to work quickly, however at the same time not to fuss and not to allow excess movements of the victim – the matter is that snake poison, having got to an organism, spreads on circulatory and absorbent vessels, and reduction of muscles strengthens krovo-and a lymphokinesis, carrying that poison on an organism quicker.

So, first aid at a snake bite consists in the following:

1. As soon as possible to stop contact with a snake. If the snake seized the person and does not release, it is necessary to unhook her as the longer the sting will last, the more poison will get to an organism. It is desirable to manage to consider a snake to manage to describe it – it will help to pick up optimum treatment afterwards;
2. After a sting of the victim it is necessary to immobilize (for the reason described above). If near the victim there are rescuers, the person needs to be laid, having slightly raised legs so that they were above the head. If at the time of a sting of nobody was near, it is necessary to immobilize at least an affected part of a body (most often it is a hand or a leg);
3. It is necessary to take off all jewelry from the victim and to weaken hard fasteners. It needs to be made in order that the developing hypostasis did not lead to traumatic squeezing of fabrics;
4. To apply a pressure bandage an affected part of a body above the place of a sting. An indicator that the bandage is applied correctly is the possibility of advance between it and skin of two fingers. Too pressure bandage which is not allowing to make it will cause disturbance of blood circulation in the place of a sting that in the subsequent with high degree of probability can lead to gangrene;
5. From a wound it is necessary to suck away intensively poison within 10-15 minutes. For this purpose in the place of a sting it is admissible to make one-two small cuts of skin to facilitate removal of toxin. The poison which got into an oral cavity tens of times is less dangerous, than got to a blood stream therefore it is necessary only that the rescuer who is sucking away poison had no injuries of a mucous membrane of an oral cavity. Nevertheless, it is impossible to swallow of contents, and it is necessary to spit out. If to begin to do it quickly and rather vigorously, it is possible to remove up to 50% of the snake poison which got to sting time;
6. One of important measures of first aid at a snake bite is receipt in a liquid organism. The victim needs to offer water or any other drinks, except for alcoholic. Plentiful drink will allow to reduce concentration of poison;
7. If the condition of the victim promptly worsens, he faints, breath and cordial activity stops, it is necessary to start holding resuscitation actions (an indirect cardiac massage, an artificial respiration of companies - in - a mouth, a mouth - in - a nose);
8. As soon as possible to take the victim to hospital where to him will be able to enter anti-toxic serum. At the same time it is desirable to transport the person in a prone position on a stretcher if the child suffered from a snake bite, he can be carried on hands.

It is necessary to remember that anti-toxic serum which destroys the snake poison which got to blood is most effective the first 30-60 minutes after a sting therefore it is important that the victim got to medical institution as soon as possible, it is desirable within an hour after a sting.

What is forbidden to be done at a sting of venomous snakes

Sometimes, sincerely wishing to help, rescuers make actions which instead of simplification aggravate a condition of the victim even more. Therefore it is necessary to know what categorically is not recommended to be done during first-aid treatment at a snake bite.

So, at stings of venomous snakes it is forbidden:

1. To give to the victim alcoholic (including low alcohol) drinks;
2. To impose a plait instead of a compressing bandage as it will lead to a necrosis of fabrics therefore toxic decomposition products of fabrics also will get to a blood stream, in addition to poison of a snake;
3. To cauterize something (including solutions of the cauterizing action) the place of a sting;
4. Overlaying both the warming compresses and bandages and cooling is forbidden to influence the struck area thermally. At most admissible – cooling directly the zone of a sting, for the purpose of delay of local blood circulation.

Prevention of stings of snakes

In our corner of the world venomous snakes seldom meet in densely populated places. As a rule, the contact of the person with a snake happens far from city noise, in backpackings, country trips, etc. Therefore, going to a travel or to the country, it is necessary to provide a possibility of such meeting. If there is information that around stay venomous snakes come across, it is necessary to move in the clothes leaving as little as possible open body parts there (long trousers, a jacket with long sleeves, high gumboots, etc.). If the long travel is supposed, with itself it is necessary to take polyvalent anti-toxic serum – it is an antidote for toxins of the majority of venomous snakes. In distant campaigns this serum always has to be with itself within half-hour reach.