Snake Bite First Aid: What to Do, What Not to Do, and Why Old Remedies Can Kill

The World Health Organization estimates that snakebites kill around 81,000 to 138,000 people every year and leave around three times as many with permanent disabilities, mostly in rural Africa, Asia and Latin America. WHO lists snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease.

A farmer is bitten on the ankle at dusk. His friends want to cut the wound and tie a rope round his leg. You stop them, keep him still, splint the leg and get him to hospital. He keeps his leg, and his life.

What to do

1. Move away from the snake. Do not try to catch or kill it; a photo from a safe distance can help.
2. Keep the person calm and still. Movement can spread venom faster.
3. Remove rings, watches and tight clothing before swelling starts.
4. Immobilise the bitten limb with a splint.
5. Get to a hospital or clinic quickly, ideally by vehicle rather than walking.
6. Note the time of the bite and any symptoms.

What NOT to do

• Do not cut the wound or try to suck out venom
• Do not apply a tight tourniquet
• Do not apply ice, herbs, chemicals or electric shocks
• Do not give alcohol
• Do not wait to see if symptoms develop

Warning signs of envenoming

• Swelling spreading from the bite
• Bleeding from gums or wounds, or blood in urine
• Drooping eyelids, double vision, difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Vomiting, dizziness or collapse

Prevention

• Wear boots and long trousers in fields and long grass
• Use a torch at night
• Sleep under a mosquito net tucked in well, off the ground where possible
• Keep areas around homes clear of rubbish and long grass

“But traditional remedies have been used for generations.”

Cutting, sucking, herbal pastes and “black stones” delay real treatment and can cause infection and further harm. The only effective treatment for serious envenoming is antivenom given in a health facility.

Source: World Health Organization, snakebite envenoming fact sheet and regional guidelines for the management of snakebites.