Brown Recluse Spider Bite: Care Instructions

Overview

After being bitten by a brown recluse spider, you may have red skin and a blister where you were bitten. You may also have pain and itching around the bite that may increase over several hours.

In some people, an open sore or black skin can appear around the bite. This can happen a week or more after you were bitten. This wound can become infected, and the infection can spread through the body, so it is important to get medical help right away.

Brown recluses are found most often in the Southern, Western, and Midwestern areas of the United States. They live in hot, dry, dark areas, such as wood or rock piles, attics, basements, cupboards, drawers, and boxes.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and contact your doctor if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

• If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • Store your prescription pain medicines where no one else can get to them. When you are done using them, dispose of them quickly and safely. Your local pharmacy or hospital may have a drop-off site.
• If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
• Take an over-the-counter antihistamine to relieve the itching and reduce the swelling. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
• Put ice or a cold pack on the area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time for several hours. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
• If your doctor told you how to care for your wound, follow your doctor's instructions. If you did not get instructions, follow this general advice:
  • Wash the bite area with clean water 2 times a day. Don't use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, which can slow healing.
  • You may cover the bite with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a nonstick bandage.
  • Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed.

When should you call for help?

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

• You passed out (lost consciousness).
• You have severe trouble breathing.

Contact your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You get an open sore or black skin at the bite area.
• You are dizzy or lightheaded, or you feel like you may faint.
• You have new symptoms, such as:
  • Fever.
  • Vomiting.
  • Headache.
  • Worse pain at the bite area.
• You have symptoms of infection, such as:
  • Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness.
  • Red streaks leading from the area.
  • Pus draining from the area.
  • A fever.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

• You do not get better as expected.