Progression of Spider Bites

Brown recluse and the black widow spiders are the most feared among the 30,000 varieties of arachnids. Although spiders seldom bite humans, both of these species can cause severe pain if they deposit their venom under a person's skin. The most common type of brown recluse, named for its color and solitary habits, appears from the central Midwest southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Black widows, on the other hand, are glossy black, with red hourglass markings, and generally live in the South.

Immediately After a Bite

• Very few people die from the bite of either spider, and many bites produce little discomfort. Sometimes the skin is not even broken. Black widow bites may generate symptoms that become noticeable in 20 minutes to an hour, reports eMedicine Health. While black widow bites cause intense, generalized muscular pain, brown recluse symptoms center on the site of the wound and may not begin until two to eight hours after the encounter with the spider. The victim of a black widow's bite may experience abdominal pain that may be mistaken for appendicitis or a gallbladder attack, or chest pain, initially thought to be a heart attack. In the case of a brown recluse bite, often a white blister arises at the wound site, surrounded by reddened, swollen tissue. As time passes, the area becomes hard to the touch, and the edge of the lesion turns a bluish color. This is called the "red, white and blue sign." In the worst cases, the bite erupts into an open, ulcerating wound, exposing the underlying layers of flesh and requiring six to eight weeks' healing time.

Treatment

• Apply an ice pack to the affected area soon after either bite. That and over-the-counter painkillers may bring sufficient relief. Soaking in a hot bath can help with muscular pain from a black widow bite. If the pain persists or gets worse, it is best to go to a hospital emergency room for treatment with narcotic pain medications, muscle relaxants and anti-venin, if available. Even if the black widow anti-venin, derived from horse serum, is on hand, some experts recommend its administration only to children, the elderly and those with other serious medical conditions, who are most at risk, because of the potential side effects. Other doctors advocate its use for everyone, since it provides rapid symptom relief, says eMedicine Health.

Mimicing Other Conditions

• According to the American Medical Association, each year 2,000 suspected brown recluse spider bites are reported to poison control centers, but the majority turn out to be something else. If possible, take the spider's remains, even if crushed, with you to the hospital. Doctors cannot diagnose the wound, with complete accuracy, unless they can view the specimen, preferably with "violin-marked" thorax intact. Among the other conditions masquerading as a spider bite are the bites of other insects, diabetic ulcers, bed sores, impetigo, side effects from some drugs, shingles eruptions, Lyme disease, T-cell lymphoma and "flesh-eating bacteria."

Precautions

• Both brown recluses and black widows bite only when they feel threatened. Generally, they stay in dark corners, under furniture and outside in rock or wood piles. Both species are nocturnal. Brown recluses, especially, may hide in cardboard packing boxes or in seldom-used shoes or clothing. Sometimes they bite when someone rolls over on them as they are crossing a bed at night. To protect yourself, shake out clothes, shoes, bedding and towels before use. Wear gloves when handling firewood, rocks or lumber. Open stored boxes with care. Eliminate clutter indoors and out. Ensure that doors and windows fit tightly, and caulk any cracks or crevices in the walls. Try sticky traps to ensnare spiders. For maximum spider control, hire a professional exterminator, who has access to stronger pesticides.