{"id":1276,"date":"2020-10-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/protherics2.aazzxx.com\/insights\/five-common-snakebite-myths-debunked\/"},"modified":"2022-11-15T11:20:20","modified_gmt":"2022-11-15T11:20:20","slug":"five-common-snakebite-myths-debunked","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/serb.com\/nl\/insights\/five-common-snakebite-myths-debunked\/","title":{"rendered":"Five common snakebite myths, debunked"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Snakebites are on the rise <\/a>this year, with states like Texas seeing a more than 50% increase in snake-related calls to their poison control centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This would be worrisome enough on its own. But it also happens to coincide with an era of health-related misinformation<\/a>, as sham Covid-19 treatments perpetuate and millions<\/a>, fearing the virus, avoid hospital care. Just recently, a video <\/a>of a biker bit by a snake \u2013 and deciding not to go to the ER \u2013 went viral, and if you search \u201csnake bites\u201d on Amazon you\u2019ll find a number of kits with suction cups, tourniquets, and other tools supporting corrosive myths about snakebite treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As snakebite experts, we thought we\u2019d take a moment to debunk some of those common myths \u2013 and provide what we hope is a helpful corrective for all those heading outside this summer, and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #1: Use a tourniquet to keep the venom in an extremity<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Like other myths, using a tourniquet can actually do more harm than good: studies have shown that confining the venom to an extremity where the bite occurred actually causes more damage to that area \u2013 without providing any benefit to the victim overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you can do is keep the wound at heart level (e.g. if you were bitten on the arm, drape it over your chest), remove constrictions (e.g. tight clothes, shoes), and stay as still as possible \u2013 while, of course, quickly finding your way to a hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #2: Sucking the venom out of the wound \/ snake kits<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all seen it in the movies \u2013 the cowboy gets bit by a snake in the desert somewhere, and his friend prepares to suck (or cut) the venom out. This myth was even perpetuated in old Boy Scout handbooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it doesn\u2019t work. Sucking the venom out can cause <\/a>the poison to spread to the mouth, and the extractor pumps found in snake kits won\u2019t do any better: a study <\/a>found that one of the most common extractor pumps extracted bloody fluid but virtually no venom. Meanwhile, cutting it out will only cause more tissue damage and blood loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t delay \u2013 getting the victim to a hospital as quickly as possible is the best thing you can do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #3: Shock it \u2013 with ice or electricity<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

We ice a lot of things \u2013 bruises, sprained bones \u2013 but even though snakebites may cause swelling, that doesn\u2019t mean ice will deactivate the venom. Neither will shock treatments or electricity . Obviously, electric shock could also be dangerous the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #4: You must identify the snake that bit you<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

This myth suggests that specific antivenoms are required to treat bites from different snake types in the US. While that may be true in other parts of the world, 98% of venomous snakebites in the US are from the North American pit viper, including copperheads, cottonmouths, and rattlesnakes. One antivenom, CroFab\u00ae, is approved to treat adult and pediatric patients envenomated by any North American pit viper, including rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths\/water moccasins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting a photo of the snake may be helpful if it is safe to do so, but do not try to catch or kill the snake, and do not bring a live or dead snake to the emergency room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than tracking the snake, track the progress of the venom. Take a new photo of the bite zone every 15 minutes and any red swollen areas until you get to the Emergency Room. This may help the doctor determine the appropriate treatment upon arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth #5: Copperhead bites are harmless<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s true that most copperhead bites are not fatal, that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re harmless. People have died from such bites (and not just those who have an allergic reaction). What\u2019s more, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study <\/a>in copperhead envenomation showed prompt treatment results in faster recovery of limb function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information about snake bites, click here<\/a>. And check out our app, SnakeBite911<\/a>, which can help locate the nearest hospital that may stock CroFab<\/em>\u00ae, track the progression of the venom, provide detailed information about snakes in your area, and more. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Snakebites are on the rise this year, with states like Texas seeing a more than 50% increase in snake-related calls to their poison control centers. This would be worrisome enough on its own. But it also happens to coincide with an era of health-related misinformation, as sham Covid-19 treatments perpetuate and millions, fearing the virus, avoid hospital care. Just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1372,"template":"","subjects":[99,96],"class_list":["post-1276","insights","type-insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","subjects-critical-care","subjects-snake-envenomation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFive common snakebite myths, debunked - SERB Pharmaceuticals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/serb.com\/insights\/five-common-snakebite-myths-debunked\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Five common snakebite myths, debunked - SERB Pharmaceuticals\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Snakebites are on the rise this year, with states like Texas seeing a more than 50% increase in snake-related calls to their poison control centers. 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