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How to treat a snake bite - St John WA - First Aid FactsSnake envenomation therapy -
The compressor muscle contracts during bites to increase the pressure throughout the venom delivery system. The pressurized venom travels through the primary venom duct to the secondary venom duct that leads down through the fang sheath and fang.
The venom is then expelled through the exit orifice of the fang. The total volume and flow rate of venom administered into a target varies widely, sometimes as much as an order of magnitude. One of the largest factors is snake species and size, larger snakes have been shown to administer larger quantities of venom.
Snake bites are classified as either predatory or defensive in nature. During defensive strikes, the rate of venom expulsion and total volume of venom expelled is much greater than during predatory strikes. Defensive strikes can have 10 times as much venom volume expelled at 8.
While employing similar venom expulsion mechanics, predatory strikes are quite different from defensive strikes. Snakes usually release the prey shortly after the envenomation allowing the prey to run away and die.
Releasing prey prevents retaliatory damage to the snake. The venom scent allows the snake to relocate the prey once it is deceased. This is an important skill as venom is a metabolically expensive resource.
Venom metering is the ability of a snake to have neurological control over the amount of venom released into a target during a strike based on situational cues. This ability would prove useful as venom is a limited resource, larger animals are less susceptible to the effects of venom, and various situations require different levels of force.
There is a lot of evidence to support the venom metering hypothesis. For example, snakes frequently use more venom during defensive strikes, administer more venom to larger prey, and are capable of dry biting.
A dry bite is a bite from a venomous snake that results in very little or no venom expulsion, leaving the target asymptomatic. The alternative to venom metering is the pressure balance hypothesis.
The pressure balance hypothesis cites the retraction of the fang sheath as the many mechanism for producing outward venom flow from the venom delivery system. When isolated, fang sheath retraction has experimentally been shown to induce very high pressures in the venom delivery system.
It was determined that the pressure created from the fang sheath retraction was at times an order of magnitude greater than those created by the compressor musculature. Snakes do not have direct neurological control of the fang sheath, it can only be retracted as the fangs enter a target and the target's skin and body provide substantial resistance to retract the sheath.
For these reasons, the pressure balance hypothesis concludes that external factors, mainly the bite and physical mechanics, are responsible for the quantity of venom expelled. Venom spitting is another venom delivery method that is unique to some Asiatic and African cobras.
In venom spitting, a stream of venom is propelled at very high pressures outwards up to 3 meters. The venom stream is usually aimed at the eyes and face of the target as a deterrent for predators.
There are non-spitting cobras that provide useful information on the unique mechanics behind venom spitting. Unlike the elongated oval shaped exit orifices of non-spitting cobras, spitting cobras have circular exit orifice at their fang tips.
Snakes were both revered and worshipped and feared by early civilizations. The ancient Egyptians recorded prescribed treatments for snakebites as early as the Thirteenth Dynasty in the Brooklyn Papyrus , which includes at least seven venomous species common to the region today, such as the horned vipers.
The object was regarded as a divinely empowered instrument of God that could bring healing to Jews bitten by venomous snakes while they were wandering in the desert after their exodus from Egypt. Healing was said to occur by merely looking at the object as it was held up by Moses.
Historically, snakebites were seen as a means of execution in some cultures. Snakebite as a surreptitious form of murder has been featured in stories such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's The Adventure of the Speckled Band , but actual occurrences are virtually unheard of, with only a few documented cases.
At least one attempted suicide by snakebite has been documented in medical literature involving a puff adder bite to the hand. In , the World Health Organization listed snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease.
Key institutions conducting snakebite research on snakebite are George Institute for Global Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Indian Institute of Science. Several animals acquired immunity against venom of snakes that occur in the same habitat. Contents move to sidebar hide.
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Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons. Injury caused by bite from snakes. For other uses, see Snakebite disambiguation. Medical condition. See also: List of dangerous snakes. Main articles: Snake venom and Venom-induced consumption coagulopathy.
Further information: Pressure immobilization technique. Main article: Epidemiology of snakebites. See also: List of fatal snake bites in the United States and List of fatal snake bites in Australia.
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St John Ambulance Australia has a quick guide to the first aid management of snake bites. The Australian Red Cross also has a handy guide on how to treat them. A pressure immobilisation bandage is recommended for anyone bitten by a venomous snake. You should firmly bandage the area of the body involved such as an arm or leg , and keep the person calm and still until medical help arrives.
St John Ambulance Australia's first aid fact sheet includes information on pressure immobilisation bandages. Rarely, some people have a severe allergic reaction to being bitten by a snake.
The reaction can happen within minutes and lead to anaphylactic shock anaphylaxis. Anaphylactic shock is very serious and can be fatal. If you or someone near you has symptoms of anaphylaxis severe allergic reaction , call triple zero and ask for an ambulance.
For more information on anaphylaxis and an ASCIA allergy action plans, visit the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy ASCIA website.
St John Ambulance Australia has a printable poster on first aid resuscitation procedures. A dry bite is when the snake strikes, but no venom is released. Dry bites are painful and may cause swelling and redness around the area of the snake bite. Many snake bites in Australia do not result in venom entering your body known as envenomation , so they can be managed without antivenom.
Venomous bites are when a snake bites your body and releases venom into the wound. Snake venom contains poisons that are designed to stun, numb or kill other animals. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.
Around Australian snakes are venomous, but only 12 are likely to inflict a wound that could kill you. Australia has about species of land snake, and around 32 species of sea snake.
Most snake bites happen when people try to kill or capture them. Back away to a safe distance and let it move away. Snakes often want to escape when disturbed. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Read more on Royal Flying Doctor Service website. All known or suspected snake bites must be treated as potentially lifethreatening, and medical aid should be sought urgently. Read more on St John Ambulance Australia website. Snake bites can occur on Australian farms. Read more Read more on National Centre for Farmer Health website.
Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website. There are many hazards to consider after cyclones, floods and other disasters including asbestos contamination, mosquitoes, poisons, chemicals, pesticides, snakes, rodents and other wildlife. Read more on WA Health website. People in contact with tropical fish and reptiles such as turtles, lizards and snakes may be at risk of infections and illness due to germs such as bacteria, viruses and parasites carried on the animals.
Read more on Better Health Channel website. When returning to a flood-affected area, remember that wild animals, including rats, mice, snakes or spiders, may be trapped in your home, shed or garden.
First aid tips for bites and stings from some of the most venomous creatures in the world - snakes, spiders, jellyfish, blue ringed octopus and cone snail - all of which are found in Australia.
Read more on myDr website. First aid information about what to do If for common bites and stings. Includes - spiders, snakes, scorpions, bees, ticks, wasps, octopus, jellyfish and other sea creatures. Although relatively few bites and stings are seriously dangerous to humans, it may be difficult to distinguish which bites and stings are serious from those which are not.
Basic first aid procedures should be applied in all circumstances followed promptly by appropriate medical treatment. Read more on Queensland Health website.
Even the mildest chemicals, medicines, animals and plants can be poisonous to your family but preventing poisoning at home can be simple.
Emvenomation snakebite is an injury caused by the enveenomation Strengthen immune system a snake, especially a venomous snake. Tart cherry juice for weight loss outcome depends gherapy the type of snake, therapg area of the tyerapy bitten, the amount of snake venom injected, the general health of the person bitten and whether or not anti-venom serum has been administered by a doctor in a timely manner. Snakes bite both as a method of hunting, and as a means of protection. The WHO also estimates that between 4. Prevention of snake bites can involve wearing protective footwear, avoiding areas where snakes live, and not handling snakes. The number of venomous snakebites that occur each year may be as high as five million.
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