Blog Post

While a truly interesting species of reptile and a source of many myths and legends, snakes consist of thousands of varieties, but only a fraction of them are poisonous. Of the over 4,000 different species, 600 are venomous and only 200 of those have venom strong enough to kill. 

That doesn’t make snakebites any less a source of concern, as an estimated 8,000 Americans suffer bites annually. While the number of related deaths are low, that’s because medical help is readily available. 

Learn how to deal with snakebites, so you or a loved one doesn’t become a statistic. Let’s take a closer look at how to deal with these bites by exploring the types of snakes that are venomous, how the poison affects you, and what you need to do if it happens to you.

If you live in the Houston, Texas, area and a snake bites you, our dedicated staff at Houston Medical ER can help you.

Types of venomous snakes

There are approximately 22 different types of venomous snakes, broken up into four groups:

• Coral snake
• Rattlesnake
• Cottonmouth
• Copperhead

Of those types the largest number of poisonous snakes in America are rattlesnakes, which depending on your source, has an estimated 32 species and 83 subspecies. 

Home to an incredible 68 types of snakes, Texas has 44.2 bites per million in a year from snakes, such as the Texas coral snake, copperhead, timber rattlesnake, brown banded copperhead, and western cottonmouth (water moccasin). 

Damage snake venom does to the body

If you’re bitten by a non-venomous snake, the primary concern is the puncture wounds, redness, and swelling. 

Snake venom does quite a bit more than that (depending on the snake), leading to symptoms like:

• Abnormal blood clotting and bleeding
• Low blood pressure (hypotension)
• Tissue damage
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty breathing
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea

If you have an allergy to snakebites, it can be worse, causing difficulty speaking due to a swollen tongue or tightness in your throat, constant coughing or wheezing, and anaphylactic shock. 

What to do after you’re bitten

These are the key steps to take with a snakebite:

Call 911

Whether or not the snake is venomous, you should seek immediate medical care after being bitten, as misdiagnosing the type of snake when it happens could be fatal. 

Providing information

Give the emergency care team as much information you can on the type of snake responsible for the bite to best inform them of the proper treatment to employ.

Basic wound care

While waiting for responders to arrive, clean the wound with warm, soapy water, and then keep the bitten area covered, dry, and below heart level. 

Don’t do anything you’ve seen in the movies

Films have created a ton of misinformation about treating snake bites, and following any of it can be dangerous. Refrain from wrapping it in a tourniquet, opening the wound with a sharp object, putting ice on it, or sucking out the venom.

If you’ve been bitten by a snake or are with someone who has been bitten, contact our Houston Medical ER team right away. If, after treatment, you experience worsening symptoms or if signs of serum sickness develop in the first 10 days after treatment, contact us immediately.