Snakebite treatment: Know about few dos and don'ts while giving first-aid

One of the commonly reported occurrences in the world, snakebite has been recognised as the highest-priority neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, millions of people are bitten by snakes every year globally and around 1-1.5 lakh people also die due to the same. While some of the snakes are non-venomous, some of them are highly poisonous and their venom can cause immediate or slow death. Notably, cases of snake bites are mostly reported in the forest regions and poor rural areas in parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America, as well as in Oceania. However, it is also among the most neglected topics in world health.

Speaking about the impact of snake bites, usually if bitten by a venomous snake it can lead to various medical emergencies including shock, paralysis, hemorrhage, kidney injuries, and tissue destruction which can later prove fatal or can also lead to permanent disability if left untreated. Most of the deaths and serious consequences from snakebites are usually due to untimely access to safe and effective treatment and also due to a lack of awareness among people regarding the preliminary first-aid for patients.

Read on to know about some of the dos and don’ts for patients bitten by a snake. While if non-venomous, a snake bite can be considered as a puncture wound and treated accordingly, however, for bites from poisonous snakes, certain measures need to be taken for preventing the condition from getting serious.

Dos of snakebites:

Immediately call an ambulance as the patient needs to be rushed for quick medical treatment.
If there is a delay, consider looking for an alternative to move the patient to the hospital.
Immobilise the patient and remove any kind of accessories from the area of the bite to prevent the fast spread of venom.
Try to keep the patient awake and calm.
Clean the wound with water and soap and cover it with a clean, dry dressing.
Try taking a picture of the snake to help understand the treatment.

Don’ts

Try to not panic as it can disturb the patient.
Never cut a bite wound.
Do not try to suck out the venom.
Consider applying ice or water to the wound.
Never self-treat the wound as it can deteriorate the condition.

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