MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Snake bite poison

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Snake bite poison

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Treatment Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Illustrations

Snake bite on the finger

Definition Return to top

Poisoning from the bite of a poisonous snake.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

The nature of the venom depends on the type of snake that inflicted the bite.

Where Found Return to top

rattlesnakes
cottonmouth snakes
copperheads
coral snakes

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms Return to top

Rattlesnakes:

body as a whole
- swelling
- pain at site of bite
- weakness
- paralysis
- tingling
- numbness
- thirst
- tiredness
- shock
respiratory
- difficulty breathing
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
- eye lid drooping
skin
- destruction of tissue
- discoloration of skin
gastrointestinal
- nausea
- vomiting
heart and blood vessels
- bleeding
- low blood pressure
- weak pulse
- rapid pulse

Cottonmouth and copperhead snakes:

body as a whole
- swelling
- pain at site of bite
- thirst
- weakness
- tiredness
- shock
- tingling
- numbness
respiratory
- difficulty breathing
skin
- discoloration of skin
- destruction of tissue
gastrointestinal
- nausea, vomiting
heart and blood vessels
- weak pulse
- low blood pressure
- bleeding

coral snakes:

body as a whole
- pain at site of bite
- swelling
- drowsiness
- weakness
- slurred speech
- headache
- shock
- paralysis
- numbness of the affected area
respiratory
- breathing difficulty (change in the pattern of breathing)
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- difficulty swallowing
- blurred vision
- feeling of swollen tongue and /or throat
- eye lid drooping
- excessive salivation
skin
- discoloration of skin
- destruction of tissue
gastrointestinal
- nausea, vomiting
- stomach or abdominal pain
heart and blood vessels
- low blood pressure
- weak pulse
nervous system
- convulsions

Home Treatment Return to top

If within 40 minutes of an emergency room: Remove any restrictive clothing, rings, and watches. Have the patient rest. Keep the patient warm. Get the patient to the emergency room as soon as possible.

If further than 40 minutes from an emergency room, see the injuries document on snake bite for further information.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following information:

the patient's age, weight, and condition
identification of the snake if possible
the time bitten
the location on the body of the bite

Poison Control, or a local emergency number Return to top

A call is probably not necessary unless summoning an emergency vehicle, as the patient should be seen in an emergency room to determine if the bite contains any poison.

Some snake bites are from nonpoisonous snakes, but 20-30% of the bites from poisonous snakes do not actually inject poison into the wound site and can therefore be treated as a puncture wound.

What to expect at the emergency room Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Make an evaluation to determine if poison was injected into the wound site.
Give antivenom if necessary.
Give antitetanus shot if needed.
Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

If treatment is obtained soon enough, only a small percentage of those bitten by a poisonous snake die.

Update Date: 2/23/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.