After cleaning out your garage, you may have noticed you have a bite with two puncture marks on your skin, leading you to wonder if you have been bitten by a brown recluse spider. If so, look for the following three localized symptoms:
Pain Starts Several Hours Afterward
When the spider bit you, you probably did not even know it was happening. Generally, a brown recluse's bite does not hurt immediately.
However, after a few hours, the poison from the bite will start to absorb into the surrounding skin and underlying tissues. As it soaks in, you most likely will start experiencing some pain in the area. You may also notice your skin starting to itch as the poison irritates it.
Skin Around the Bite Hardens Then Blisters
Several hours after the pain starts at the site of the spider bite, you may notice a hard lump forming where the fangs entered your skin. This is a sign that the brown recluse spider's poison is starting to dissolve the tissue.
The next day, after the poison has had more time to work its way through your tissues, you may notice a blister forming around the hardened area. This blister forms from a combination of the poison and white blood cells from your body that are trying to fight it off.
If left untreated, the blister will first become larger, then start to shrink. However, this is not always a sign that the poison has been defeated by your body's defenses. It could be a sign that the venom and cells are being reabsorbed by the surrounding tissues.
Skin Breaks Down Around the Bite
Even if the blister has disappeared completely, you may start seeing a black area develop around the bite. This is a sign that the venom has started to kill your skin cells, as well as the tissues underneath.
Known as necrosis, these dead cells are a sign of a medical emergency. If left untreated, the necrosis will spread throughout the area. As a result, you may need to have a large chunk of skin removed. Or, if nothing is done to treat the spread of the venom, amputation could become necessary in worst case scenarios.
If you notice any or all of the signs around your spider bite, the odds are good that you were bitten by a brown recluse spider. Even if you are still uncertain what type of spider bit you, start having severe symptoms, or notice necrotic tissue forming, obtain emergency room services so that medical professionals can examine the bite and begin prompt treatment, if necessary.
