Pre-hospital management snakebite
Hi! I was just wondering, if I'm bitten by a venomous snake, do I elevate the bitten area or keep it below heart level? I found conflicting data online. Spencer Greene, MD, says to elevate, while Whit Gibbons, PhD, says to keep the bitten area below heart level. Both have good reasons. Elevate because if you don't the venom will stay in one spot and destroy tissue. Keep it below your heart to reduce the speed it gets to your heart and other vital organs. Which is better? Does it depend on the species of snake and what area the venom targets? Thanks!
Re: Pre-hospital management snakebite
NEVER RAISE IT ABOVE YOUR HEART!!! If you do, it will help the venom circulate faster throughout your system. Second misnomer, never "suck out the venom". You should apply ice as quick as possible, try to get a pic of the snake if at all possible, and head immediately to the ER. This information was provided by my wife, who's a board certified trauma surgeon in Texas. She's seen her fair share in the ER of snake bites. A little behind the scenes baseball, in the event of a snakebite you will be rated on a 6 pt scale. They will most likely mark your "limb" to monitor swelling and spread. Anti-venom will be given based on your score on that scale. We recently had a scare, my Mother in law got bit by a baby rattlesnake, and the old rumor about smaller snakes having less venom is also incorrect, as is the thought they can't control their venom control.
