Steppe viper bite first aid. Symptoms of a viper bite, help to the victim, the consequences of a bite. Prevention of snake bites

Viper bites are not uncommon in areas where they are common. The common viper, steppe viper and Pallas muzzle live on the territory of Russia. Snakes bite people solely for self-defense. Most often this happens when a person is in a hurry and does not look under his feet, steps on a snake, or the viper does not have time to crawl away.

Viper venom has the ability to increase the permeability of the vascular wall (hemorrhages appear), causes blood clotting and tissue death in the bite area. Deaths account for less than 1% of those bitten and are mainly associated with delayed first aid or improper use of antivenom for viper bites. It is dangerous if the bite fell on the neck and head, small children, the elderly or patients with chronic diseases suffered.

An antidote against a viper bite should be administered by a doctor, who will also prescribe symptomatic treatment, depending on the degree of damage to the body.

What are the antidotes for viper bites? Let's find out.

First aid to the victim

Before we talk about antidotes, let's recall what to do in such cases, what needs to be done in the first place, because this is also very important.

The victim should be taken to the nearest medical center as soon as possible. In areas where venomous snake bites have been reported, health facilities are provided with antidote for the viper.

Viper antidote

The antidote for a viper bite is a specific serum. It's called like this: Serum against the venom of the common viper. It is produced in biofactories, based on horse serum. The antibodies contained in it neutralize the venom of the common viper. The drug is a clear liquid in a glass ampoule. The volume depends on the activity of the drug in each batch, but not more than 3 ml. There are also foreign analogues of the drug.

Several points should be taken into account.

Symptomatic treatment for a viper bite

There are times when an antidote is not available after a viper bite. Then you will have to take first aid measures and rely on symptomatic treatment.

In field conditions, you can give the victim the following medicines.

The bite of a viper can have long-term consequences in the form of disruption of the liver and kidneys. It should also be borne in mind that usually a reaction to poison develops 15–20 minutes after contact with a snake, but sometimes this period reaches 12 hours. In 2-3 days after rendering assistance, the edema at the site of the bite should subside, and general well-being should improve. It is recommended to consult a doctor in any case, since hospitalization and intravenous administration of drugs may be necessary for the first time.

The common viper is the most common type of venomous snake in Eurasia. Compared with its non-poisonous relatives, the viper has a more massive, shortened body from 65 cm to 1 m long, an expanded thyroid head and a vertical pupil. The color varies from light gray to black, mainly with a diamond-shaped or zigzag pattern on the back.

The viper lives in mixed forests, on the banks of freshwater reservoirs, peat bogs, the outskirts of fields and wet meadows. Shelter equips in burrows, heaps of branches and in damp deadwood. Sometimes it can settle in garden plots in old heaps of firewood, construction waste, etc. The bite of a viper is painfully tolerated by a person and in some cases can be fatal.

Vipers

In their natural habitat, snakes try to avoid meeting humans. Since they do not have ears, reptiles feel the approach of a person by vibrations of the soil with the help of their abdomen. It happens that the forest floor, consisting of peat or thick grass, makes it difficult for the vibrations to spread, and the viper notices the danger too late. In this case, the snake first tries to scare off the enemy with a hiss, curling up into a ball. If that doesn't help, it attacks with a short, sharp throw. The length of the throw is about a third of the length of the snake's body.

The bite of a viper for a person is dangerous with the possibility of developing anaphylactic shock, since the poison often causes allergic reactions. Whether or not a bite turns out to be fatal depends on the promptness of first aid and the correctness of the actions. It is important to remember that rescue measures must be started immediately, as the toxic substance is rapidly spreading throughout the body.

Experienced herpetologists, in response to the question of whether the bite of this snake is fatal, argue that for an adult who is not allergic to the components of the poisonous substance, the poison is practically safe. The amount of toxin in an ordinary viper is designed to kill small animals, for a person this volume is not enough. However, if an hour after the bite, the victim has symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea, flashing lights in the eyes, bleeding from the mucous membranes and loss of consciousness, the person must be urgently taken to the hospital.

Symptoms and signs of a snake bite

Immediately after a person has been bitten by a viper, two small round holes with minor bruising will be observed at the site of the lesion.

There is no severe bleeding with a viper bite, because the poison has a hemolytic effect - the blood in the wounds quickly coagulates.

The damaged area turns red, becomes hot to the touch, there is a sharp pain, which increases with the development of edema. The following symptoms are most often noted:

• lethargy;
• nausea;
• dizziness;
• heart palpitations;
• dyspnea.

In rare cases, a state of inhibition is observed. As the poison spreads over the entire surface of the affected limb, numerous subcutaneous bruises, bruises and hematomas occur. Completely these manifestations disappear after 2-3 weeks.

First aid to the victim

The main thing in a critical situation is to try to remain calm. In most cases, irreparable damage to health is caused by improper medical care, and not by the bite itself. To avoid common mistakes, consider what to do if bitten by a viper. Most often, the incident happens in the forest, and it is not possible to promptly deliver the victim to a medical facility. In this case, first aid must be provided independently and as soon as possible.

It is important to remember that the closer the snake bite is to the head, the more dangerous. Rapidly developing edema, which spreads to the mucous membranes of the nose and larynx, leads to difficulty breathing. Delay can be fatal. The first step is to immediately take any antiallergic agent. It is better if it is an injection of Dexamethasone or Dimedrol. These drugs have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, relieve swelling and prevent the development of anaphylactic shock.

If the bite fell on the arms or legs, you can try to suck the poison out of the wound. This should be done in the first 3-5 minutes after the bite. After this time, the procedure loses its meaning, since the special enzyme contained in the viper's venom - hyaluronidase - rapidly removes toxic substances from the wound into the lymphatic system.

To suck out the poison, you need to open the wound by pressing on the bite so that a skin fold forms. When droplets of blood appear, it is necessary to remove the poison with short suction movements, constantly spitting out the contents. You need to continue the procedure for 10-15 minutes. After that, it is advisable to treat the bite site with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and cover the wound with a clean bandage to prevent infection.

The victim should be given more liquid to drink: it is better if it is water. If you have lingonberry leaves on hand, you can make tea from them. This will enhance the diuretic effect, and the poison will leave the body faster. Coffee and alcohol are contraindicated: their vasodilatory and nervous system stimulating actions can aggravate the situation, contributing to more rapid poisoning.

The injured limb must be immobilized, because when moving, the blood circulates more actively and the poison spreads faster throughout the body. After providing first aid, the victim should be taken to a medical facility as soon as possible, where a snake antidote will be administered to a person to neutralize toxic substances in the body. If you do not seek qualified medical help in time or do the wrong things in the first hours after the bite, dangerous consequences can occur. Complications can be severe, including chronic renal failure or death.

Treatment

In the hospital, a person will be given an injection of serum, the necessary procedures will be carried out, the wound will be treated with an antiseptic and a sterile dressing will be applied. The antidote for the viper begins to act after a few hours. All this time, the patient should be under the supervision of a doctor who, if necessary, will prescribe additional drugs.

It takes about 5-7 days for the symptoms of poisoning to disappear. Treatment of a bite during this period is to comply with bed rest and the recommendations of the attending physician. In some cases, the affected limb may hurt for another 2-3 weeks. To reduce pain during sleep, it is necessary to build an elevation on the bed and place the affected limb 15–20 cm above the level of the heart. This position will help relieve discomfort, since the circulation of lymph in the limb will be limited.

What not to do with a viper bite

Often there is information that when snake bites, a tight bandage or tourniquet must be applied to the affected part of the body to prevent the spread of the toxic substance throughout the body. This opinion is erroneous, in no case should a tourniquet be applied. The enzyme, which is part of the viper's venom, causes tissue necrosis. In a limited space, this process occurs rapidly, gangrene begins. A large amount of toxins that accumulate, when the dressing is loosened, enter the bloodstream and cause severe poisoning of the body. In the worst case, such actions can lead to limb amputation.

You should not cut the bite, try to burn it with alcohol solutions, potassium permanganate or any other chemicals. These manipulations will not affect the poison in any way, but will lead to infection in the wound and the development of complications.

Prevention

Going to nature, you need to remember the main safety rules, be extremely careful and look under your feet. It is necessary to choose the right clothing that will help protect against bites. Canvas trousers and high boots are the most suitable option for walking through tall grass and swampy areas. When picking mushrooms or berries, before putting your hand into the grass or a bunch of old branches, you need to check with a stick if there is a snake there.

When arranging an overnight stay in the forest, it must be remembered that at night the vipers can crawl up to the fire and crawl into tents and sleeping bags to warm up. In these conditions, it is important to always have a flashlight and carefully examine the place before stepping somewhere, sitting down or lying down.

If the meeting could not be avoided, you need to remember that the snake is also afraid. The reptile perceives a person as a potential threat and will attack only as a last resort. It is necessary to remain calm and not make sudden movements. After making sure that nothing threatens her, the viper will quickly leave.

Pulmonologist, Therapist, Cardiologist, Functional diagnostics doctor. Doctor of the highest category. Experience: 9 years. She graduated from the Khabarovsk State Medical Institute, clinical residency in the specialty "therapy". I am engaged in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of internal organs, I also conduct medical examinations. I treat diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system.

The common viper (Vipera berus) is the most common venomous snake in central Russia. After wintering, vipers appear on the surface of the earth usually in April - May. In summer, the burrows of various animals, voids in rotten stumps and between stones, bushes, last year's packed grass, and hay serve as shelters for vipers. You can also encounter a viper at the water's edge, as these snakes are good swimmers. Vipers can settle in abandoned buildings, under a pile of old building materials.

The color of the viper can be very different. On the background (gray or other tones), a strip stretches along the back, which usually looks like a zigzag, but sometimes with even edges. Maybe a viper and pure black.

Risk zones

In the middle lane, cold-blooded vipers are active during the daytime. They like to bask in the sun, and they can do it right on the path, on stumps, bumps and stone slabs. On warm summer nights, snakes are active and can crawl to the fire.

When meeting a person, a snake, as a rule, tries to crawl away. Approaching steps of the snake (deaf) perceive through the vibrations of the ground. Fluctuations almost do not spread over soft peat litter or dug up soil, and the viper sometimes does not have time to hide in advance.

A snake taken by surprise takes up an active defense: hissing, making threatening throws and, finally, biting throws, to which it is provoked by the movement of a threat object. Therefore, it is better not to make sudden movements during a direct meeting with a viper, and certainly you should not try to get to know it better.

One way or another, only in the European part of Russia, several thousand bites of a person by a viper are recorded annually.

What happens when you bite?

The closer the bite is to the head, the more dangerous it is. At the site of a viper bite, and this is usually a limb, there are two point wounds from the snake's poisonous teeth. The bite immediately causes severe increasing pain.

In spring, viper venom is more toxic than in summer. It contains neurotropic cytotoxins, that is, it affects nerve cells. Other components of viper venom cause a number of blood clotting disorders, as well as tissue necrosis.

A local reaction begins in the very first minutes after the snake attack: the bitten part of the body turns red, becomes hot, edema spreads upward from the bite site, that is, the limb increases in volume.

The general reaction usually develops in 15-20 minutes, but may occur immediately. It starts to hurt and feel dizzy, lethargy, nausea (sometimes vomiting), it becomes hard to breathe, the heart is pounding. Clouding of consciousness for those bitten by a viper is not typical, but still the victim may look inhibited, “drunk”.

What to do?

The poison should be sucked out only when there is no chance for medical assistance in the coming hours, that is, on serious long trips. According to numerous data, in all other situations, much more damage to the health of the victim is caused by incorrect actions in first aid, and not by the snake bite itself.

When bitten by a viper, you should immediately go to the doctor (or call an ambulance). On the way, it is very important that the bitten part of the body remains motionless and does not work. Movement accelerates the flow of poison into the body. The limb can be fixed with a scarf, ordinary sticks.

The victim should remain calm, not make unnecessary movements and drink a lot (but not immediately, preferably in small portions, up to about three liters, preferably plain water or juices, soda). You can take 1-2 tablets of allergy medication, such as Suprastin, Tavegil. Nothing else should be done on the way to the doctor.

Alcoholic beverages are not allowed. In no case is it allowed to cauterize the bite site, cut the wound, introduce potassium permanganate or any other substances into it. Do not apply a tourniquet to a bitten limb. All the "folk" remedies mentioned in this paragraph will not stop the spread of poison throughout the body, but can significantly aggravate both local and general manifestations of poisoning.

Extreme lovers: how to suck out poison

If medical attention is not available, you can try to suck the poison. Suction should be started immediately, after 3-5 minutes it is almost useless. This can be done by those who were nearby, and the victim himself.

First you need to gather the skin around the bite into a fold and squeeze to open the wounds, until droplets of blood appear. Suction should be done with short, sharp movements. The contents of the wounds (bloody fluid) must be spit out. It should be continued for 10-15 minutes (at the first sign of edema - stop, since the poison has already been absorbed into the surrounding tissues and it is impossible to remove it). In total, from a third to a half of the poison can be removed.

It should be noted that in field conditions it is not possible to incise the bite site without introducing an infection (including deadly tetanus!) into the wound, so this should not be done.

If there are no open wounds in the mouth, this procedure is safe for the sucker, since the poison that has got into the stomach, despite spitting, is digested and loses its activity. However, the mouth should then be rinsed with water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It should also, as in any similar situation, be aware of the danger of transmitting various infections through blood or saliva.

At the doctor

In any rural medical assistant's station, in any city hospital and polyclinic, in the city and rural "Ambulance" for those bitten by a viper, there is a special serum "Anti-Viper". Its components neutralize snake venom.

Serum does not act instantly, it may take several hours to relieve the condition. The victim should spend this time in the ward, under the supervision of a medical worker, at rest. It is likely that, in addition to the serum, other drugs will be required to correct the symptoms that the poison has already caused.

The doctor will treat the bite site with iodine, close the wounds with a sterile bandage to avoid secondary infection. The bite site does not require any special further care.

With timely treatment, after 5-6 days, and often earlier, all discomfort will completely disappear. During recovery, you should observe a sparing regimen and follow the doctor's recommendations.

For a person old enough and healthy enough to walk in the forest, the bite of an ordinary viper is not fatal. However, in case of untimely or incorrect treatment, severe complications can develop, up to chronic renal failure.

How to avoid a viper bite?

Going to places where a meeting with vipers is possible, you must have appropriate clothing and shoes. Protect against snake bites: high boots; thick woolen socks; tight, body-hugging trousers tucked into shoes. When picking mushrooms and berries, it is better to push the grass with a long stick, and if you intend to pay special attention to an overgrown tussock, poke it with a stick before putting your hands in it.

Bites from vipers and other venomous snakes pose a threat to a child's life. Parents who take their children on a picnic often have no idea what to do and how to help their child if he is bitten by a snake. Timely provision of first aid can save the health and life of the baby.

Why are viper and other venomous snake bites dangerous?

When going outdoors with your child, learn about the main types of snakes that live in your area. Vipers and other venomous snakes are distinguished by vertical pupils (the so-called cat's eye). They are usually dark in color. During mating season (spring) they become very aggressive and their venom is more toxic.

If a non-venomous snake attacked a baby, the child may experience classic symptoms of intoxication - nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness. The reaction of the body to the bite of a poisonous snake depends on the type of poison that it released. There are two main types:

• paralyzing - stops neuromuscular transmission, leading to paralysis and death of the victim;
• gemovasotoxic - disrupts the normal functioning of blood vessels, causing them to spasm, increasing permeability and leading to edema.

Bite symptoms

If the baby is bitten by a viper or other poisonous snake, the parent or any other adult should immediately call an ambulance, examine the wound and provide first aid.

When bitten by a viper, clear large holes from the front teeth will be visible; a non-venomous snake, as a rule, has small teeth in 2 rows

The bite of a venomous snake is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• the appearance at the site of the bite of two round points - traces from the puncture of poisonous teeth;
• burning, swelling, redness, pain in the wound;
• development of intoxication syndrome after 20-40 minutes: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever.

First aid for a bite

When bitten by a viper or other snake, the fastest possible assistance plays a decisive role. Prior to the arrival of the medical staff, the following steps must be completed:

1. Calm down the child. After a bite, the poison enters the bloodstream, physical activity and strong emotions will increase blood circulation, accelerating the spread of a dangerous substance throughout the body. The baby must be seated or laid down and relieve nervous tension.
2. Remove poison. During the first minutes after the bite, it is necessary to pump out the poison from the puncture points by squeezing or sucking it out of the wound. If there is damage in the oral cavity or the teeth are affected by caries, it is impossible to suck out the poison.
3. Treat the wound. The injury site can be washed with soapy water, treated with alcohol or brilliant green and applied with a loose bandage, preferably sterile.
4. Immobilize limbs. As a rule, snakes bite on the arm or leg. The bitten limb should be fixed with a bandage that would prevent movement.
5. Drink regularly. For the speedy removal of poison from the body, it is necessary to provide the baby with plenty of fluids.

A large amount of fluid you drink will help to quickly remove the poison from the body.

What absolutely can not be done with a snake bite?

Parents often make blunders when trying to provide first aid to a child who has been bitten by a snake. The most common include:

• applying a strong tourniquet to the bite site or above it - causes necrosis and tissue death, can lead to amputation;
• cauterization of a wound with hot coal or metal - adds pain and worries to the baby to no avail, since snake venom is not destroyed by high temperatures;
• incision of the bite site - increases the likelihood of pain shock and additional infection of the wound.

Precautionary measures

Before heading out into the woods with a child, you need to think carefully about the threat of being bitten: choosing the right clothes and shoes, exploring the area, and giving instructions on what to do when in contact with a viper.

Preparing for outdoor recreation with a baby should include the following items:

The main categories of residents of Russia, which the viper attacks most often, are mushroom pickers, hunters and fishermen. The snake can be especially dangerous at the beginning of autumn - at the very height of the mushroom season. At this time, the creeping predator loves to bask in the gentle autumn sun, while settling in a place where it is very difficult to detect. One awkward movement of a “quiet” hunting lover, and that’s all - he has already been bitten, but that he will need urgent help.

First aid for viper bite

First aid to a person who has been bitten by a viper should be provided immediately, since the snake's venom quickly spreads through the human body. It is necessary to help the victim in the next 30-40 minutes after the bite, and if this is not done, the person may.

The first thing to do after a snake bite is to immobilize the victim. A person who has been bitten by a snake must himself understand that any muscle contraction, whether it be a movement of an arm or a leg, contributes to the spread of poison through his lymphatic vessels.

The victim must be helped to lie down in such a way that his lower limbs are above the level of the head - this will delay the destructive effect of the poison on cerebral circulation for some time.

After the victim is immobilized, it is necessary to remove as much poison as possible from the wound that the snake inflicted. The best option is to suck out the poison for 10-15 minutes. The procedure for suctioning toxic substances can be dangerous only if the person assisting the victim has wounds or ulcers in the mouth. After each suction, venom should be spit out.

After providing the necessary first aid to the victim, a loose bandage should be applied to the site of the snake bite. It is necessary to ensure that the person through whose body the poison circulates drinks any liquid as much as possible. If there is a deterioration in the condition of the victim, he should be injected intravenously with some kind of anti-inflammatory agent. For these purposes, "", "prednisolone" or "diphenhydramine" is quite suitable. By the way, every mushroom picker, fisherman and hunter traveling through the wilds of the forest must have a first-aid kit with all the necessary preparations.

What not to do with a viper bite

In no case should a tourniquet be applied to the bite site, as it can disrupt blood circulation in the victim's body. As a result of this violation, there is a fairly high probability of getting gangrene of the limb.

Also, you can not cauterize, cut the bite and moisten it even with the weakest solution of potassium permanganate. It is strictly forbidden to allow the victim to drink alcohol, because as a result of alcohol intoxication, the destructive effect of the poison on the body can only intensify.