| hemolysis, thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Weak and feeble patients, the elderly and children may be more vulnerable to systemic loxoscelism. Treatment The treatment of a spider bite depends on the spider its self, most spider bites are harmless to humans and don't require first aid. If bitten and experience extreme discomfort and require treatment, the spider if seen biting you may need to be identified by an expert, so that they can determine the species of the spider so the proper course of treatment can be administered. The best thing to do is to try and catch the spider, either alive or in a well preserved condition. A spider that has been flattened or left to decay may not be useful in a definite identification. The majority of medical responders are not trained to identify spiders and very few hospitals have spider experts on there staff. In general it is not possible to identify the type of spider responsible for a bite by observing the symptoms, contrary to media reports. Unless a spider was seen biting some one, it can not be assumed it was a spider that has coursed any symptoms. Assuming the injury and side effects are from a spider bite can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment, leading to potentially life threatening consequences. Spiders are the most common source for false reports. A larger number of spider bites including ones from dangerous species, can be painless and go unnoticed if un observed. Symptoms from more dangerous species bites can manifest hours later, and by this time the spider will be long gone and identification impossible. Treating a minor bite should be the same for any puncture wound, the wound should be first, encouraged to bleed to wash out any foreign debris. A topical antiseptic should be applied on the chance the bite may have introduced a virus or microbe beneath the skin level, were the antiseptic can penetrate. Observing the bite for a couple of days after is important so that if there are any signs of infection, medical help can be sought after. First aid may involve applying an icepack to control inflammation, applying aloe Vera is a good idea to help soothe the pain, if symptoms are sever, immediate medical care should be sought after. If bitten by a widow spider, Australian venomous funnel web spider or a Brazilian wandering spider, immediate medical attention should be sought after. In a few cases, bite from these spiders can develop into medical emergency's. Also, medical attention should be sought if there is a severe allergic reaction. Necrotic bite treatment Unfortunately there is no established treatment for necrosis. Routine treatments should include immobilization and elevation of the affected limb along with, applying ice, local wound care and tetanus prophylaxis. Other therapies have been tried with varying degrees of success such as hyperbaric oxygen, antihistamines, dapsone, dextran, antibiotics, vasodilators, glucocorticoids, heparin, electric shock, nitroglycerin, curettage, surgical excision and antivenom. All the therapies have not been subject to controlled, randomized trials to conclusively show benefits. Bites are self limited in almost every case and will |