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Do Spider Bites Take Months to Go Away?

Spiders do bite humans but only do so when they feel cornered or threatened. Spider bites often happen when the spider is trapped between a person's clothing and skin. While typical symptoms of a spider bite are redness and itching that heal in a week or two, some bites from venomous spiders can cause extensive damage and take months to heal.

  1. Know your Spider

    • Confirming a spider bite can be difficult to do. Often bites occur at night or in an area where the spider might not even be visible such as a woodpile. Generally speaking, math is on your side. There are only a dozen species with venom known to be toxic to humans of the more than 34,000 species discovered worldwide. Capturing or photographing the spider that bit you is the best way to ensure proper treatment. The most common venomous spiders in North America are the brown recluse and the black widow.

    Brown Recluse Spider

    • Of all venomous spiders, brown recluse spider bites take the longest to heal because of the extensive tissue damage they cause. They are not as fatal as other known poisonous spiders, but the wounds often look gruesome due to the rapid decomposition of flesh surrounding the bite area. Everyone reacts differently to the venom, so symptoms may be more severe in certain people but usually include a volcano-shaped lesion at the bite area and swollen, hardened tissue developing around it after a few hours. This can also be accompanied by chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and weakness.

    Black Widow

    • The bite of a black widow spider can be lethal in some cases, but often is caught early enough so that proper treatment can be administered. These spiders are more of a danger to children and the elderly. The bites usually take about a week to heal. The effects of the venom, however, are quite severe and are noticed almost immediately. They include nausea, vomiting, chills and fever. The most characteristic symptom of a black widow bite is severe abdominal pain.

    First Aid for a Poisonous Bite

    • If you are bitten by a black widow or brown recluse spider, the first step to treating the bite is to cleanse the area with soap and water, according to the Mayo Clinic. Then, in order to slow the spread of the venom, secure a snug bandage just above the bite area if bitten on your arm or leg. If possible, keep the limb elevated. Apply a cold compress to the bite area using a cold cloth or ice pack. Then seek immediate medical attention.

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