Whenever I get a bite, the bite swells up and becomes very hard and very sore to the touch. The hardened area usually grows to about the size of a tennis ball, and it becomes bruised around the center and a vicious red around the outside. The reaction usually lasts for about two weeks, and its very painful. Is this a normal reaction?
I didn't see the spider bite me this time, but I have in the past and I know the symptoms. I just got bit last night, and the bite area is already the bright red, it's very hot to the touch, and it hurts when I touch it.
Also, is it worth going to see the nurse? (I'm at college in a different town and I don't know where the doctors office is.)
Skinny Dipper - No that's not normal for most people, its just how your body reacts to spider bites. It's like bee stings, one person can get bit a hundred times and it has no impact, yet another can get bit once and they almost die. I think it has a lot to with your body chemistry but at least you know right?
ReplyDelete** If you know how to treat it from past experience then try that, but if it doesn't get better than go see the nurse.
PoohBearPenguin - First, are you sure it's a spider bite and not something else?
ReplyDeleteSecond, what kind of spider is it? Some spiders are fairly poisonous, so being bitten by them could be quite serious.
It could be you're just allergic to that particular type of spider, but honestly without more information (such as a positive ID on the particular spider that's biting you) it's impossible to give a more meaningful answer.
"I Don't Think So" Kat - It depends on what type of spider bit you. Some spiders have venom that can do that. If you get this reaction from different types of spiders you might be having a serious immune reaction to the protein in the venom. The immune system is funny that way. It can decide to build antibodies toward a perceived threat to the body even if it is something harmless like pollen or nuts. In this case it may be possible your immune system has decided to go to war with the protein in the spider's venom.
ReplyDeleteAnother plausible explanation is the possibility you are home to a nasty strain of Staph bacteria. Staph are bacteria that colonize human skin but some strains are quite nasty and a few are drug resistant. You might have heard of MRSA or VRSA. Well if you are home to a strain of tenacious Staphylococcus bacteria then the spider bite is not the problem. The bacteria living on your skin is. You could see a doctor about this and they can determine what the problem is. They can also do a simple nasal swab to check to see if you are a carrier of resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.