Viper bite: symptoms, first aid and consequences after the bite

Every year there comes a wonderful time when the long winter, thaw and muddy roads are replaced by a sultry summer. This is the time for hiking in the forest, picking berries and mushrooms, singing around the fire and spending the night in tents. But this period is also associated with bites from vipers - the most common poisonous snake living in Russia. Such incidents happen regularly every summer. Therefore, lovers of outdoor recreation need not only camping equipment, but also knowledge on how to avoid meeting a snake and what to do if the viper does bite.

Who is this viper

This is a poisonous snake belonging to the viper family. Its length usually does not exceed 60–80 centimeters. Moreover, females are slightly larger. The head is separated from the body. It contains eyes, a nasal opening, and a mouth. The tip of the muzzle is rounded. The snake's tongue has nothing to do with venom - it is an organ of smell, touch, hearing and temperature sensations. The viper strikes its victim during the bite.

The anterior fused venom-bearing teeth are located on the upper jaw and are capable of leaning back. At rest they lie in a special groove. Therefore, despite the long teeth that can bite through the skin of the victim, the viper can keep its mouth closed. In preparation for an attack, the snake bends them forward and down. The poison flows down a channel located inside the fused teeth and opening just above the tip. Thanks to this, when a viper bites, the victim’s tissues cannot block the flow of the toxin.

Types of vipers in Russia

The poisonous snake is distributed throughout the country, with the exception of the southern regions of Crimea. Vipers live over a vast territory of Russia - from the western borders to Sakhalin, from the Murmansk Peninsula and Yakutsk to the deserts of Central Asia. They are found even beyond the Arctic Circle. The following varieties of this family live in Russia.

The common viper is the most common snake in Russia. It is found in the European part of the country, in Siberia and western Transbaikalia. The bite of the common viper is potentially dangerous to humans, but rarely leads to death.
Steppe viper. It can be found in the forests of the European part of Russia, the steppe regions of the Ciscaucasia and Greater Caucasus, in the Rostov region, Southern Siberia, in the Volga-Kama region, in the east of Altai. Their venom is not highly toxic.
Dinnik's viper lives in the Greater Caucasus. In Russia these are Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan. Dangerous for humans.
The Caucasian viper lives on the southwestern and northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, including the Krasnodar region of Russia. It is also found in Abkhazia. The snake is very poisonous and dangerous to humans.
Lotiev's viper is found in the North Caucasus of Russia - in Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan. It is poisonous, but the bite rarely leads to human death.
The relict viper lives in the mountains of the Krasnodar Territory and Adygea. This is a rare species that is in danger of extinction.
The Sakhalin viper is found on Sakhalin, in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, and the Shantar Islands. Its poison is dangerous to humans.
Orlov's viper is a rare species of snake that lives in the mountains of the western part of the North Caucasus.
Levant viper or viper. In Russia it is found in Dagestan. Very dangerous for humans.
Nikolsky's viper lives in forest-steppe regions of the European part of Russia, as well as in the foothills of the Southern and Middle Urals.

In what places can you most often find a poisonous viper? The mechanisms of thermoregulation in reptiles are undeveloped. Therefore, vipers are active only in the warm season. After hibernation, they crawl out onto sunny edges and hillsides, where they warm up for one or two weeks. Vipers choose warm nights for hunting, preferring not to crawl out of their holes at temperatures below 10–14 °C. Pregnant females spend most of the daytime lying in illuminated and sun-heated places. Snakes live under stumps, in mouse holes and in other soil voids. On cool days, only in the morning do vipers emerge from their shelters, crawling out to bask in sunny meadows, clearings and clearings, where they can be encountered by humans.

General information about the viper

The viper family includes 58 species. Snakes live in Europe, Asia and Africa. All representatives of the viper family are poisonous and dangerous to humans. They mainly lead a terrestrial lifestyle. The exceptions are:

tree-dwelling bush vipers;
The bush viper lives in trees
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earthen vipers that live under the surface of the soil.
Some vipers have adapted to live underground

The most numerous types of vipers are:

steppe viper. The top of the snake is brown-gray in color, with a dark stripe running along the body. Lives in the steppes. The snake is small, has short fangs, and injects a small amount of venom into the victim. No deaths have been recorded after being bitten by this viper. It lives in the steppes of Western Europe, in the forest-steppe regions of southern Russia, in the Caucasus, and is found in Crimea;
Caucasian viper. A distinctive feature is its bright color. Color varies from yellowish-orange to brick red. The snake is not large, rarely grows to 60 cm in length. Only isolated cases of death from its bite are known. Distributed in the regions of the Western Caucasus and Transcaucasia, found in Eastern Turkey. In the northern direction it lives on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory;
long-nosed viper. It got its name due to the presence of a soft spike at the tip of its muzzle, shaped like a nose. It lives in the northeast of Italy, in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula, in Yugoslavia, Romania, in the regions of Asia Minor, in the mountains of Armenia and Georgia;
noisy viper. The snake is large, with a thick body, reaching 1.5 meters in length. When an enemy is close, it emits a very loud hissing sound. The probability of death from a bite is 15–20%. Distributed throughout Africa;
Gaboon viper. It has a thick body and grows up to 2 meters in length. The color of the snake is variegated and spectacular. The different colors form a clear geometric pattern on the surface of the snake. The snake is very calm and rarely attacks people. However, the bite of this viper almost always ends in the death of the victim: the snake has long fangs, which leads to the rapid penetration of poison into the body. Lives in Liberia, South Sudan, Angola;
common viper. It comes in gray and brown colors, with a dark stripe visible along the body. Fatalities after being bitten by this snake are rare. Distributed throughout Eurasia.

Photo gallery: representatives of the viper family

The common viper has a simple color

Various colors form a geometric pattern on the back of the Gaboon viper

The Caucasian viper is brightly colored

The snake has a powerful and thick body

The steppe viper is a small snake

The soft spike at the tip of the viper's snout resembles a nose.

People often mistake the common viper for a snake. External signs of a snake that distinguish it from a viper:

there is no dark stripe along the ridge;
uniform coloring;
Below the head is a yellow collar.

A distinctive feature of the snake is its bright yellow collar.

Unlike the viper, it is not poisonous.

The common viper can be found in many places:

on forest edges;
in the forest and spruce forest;
in a mixed forest with abundant grass cover;
in the forest-steppe zone;
on the banks of rivers and lakes;
in the meadows;
in rural gardens.

In summer, snakes make their nests in abandoned burrows of other animals, among large stones, under haystacks, and in rotten stumps. They can be forced to leave their home either by human intervention or by lack of food. Snakes hunt at night: they catch small rodents and birds. During the day they sleep in the nest or crawl out to bask in the sun, lying on paths, stumps, and stones. In winter they hibernate, which ends at the end of April.

Viper venom

Produced by the salivary glands of the snake. The main function of the poison is enzymatic. It is necessary for the viper to digest food, since they do not chew the caught prey, but swallow it whole. For normal digestion of food, it requires enzymatic substances, with a high rate of breakdown of the tissues of victims. Poison has these properties.

The viper's digestive process begins immediately after it bites the victim, still outside the snake's gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, the internal stage of nutrient processing no longer requires large amounts of energy. The use of venom for defensive purposes plays a secondary role for the snake.

The composition of viper venom includes microelements and organic components of a protein nature:

enzymes - hyaluronidase, phospholipase A, ribonuclease, adenosine triphosphatase, amino oxidase;
proteins;
polypeptides with hemolytic and neurotoxic effects.

A large number of proteolytic enzymes contained in the viper's venom triggers cascade inflammatory processes in its victim, with the participation of histamine, bradykinin and serotonin. This explains the pronounced swelling, hemorrhages and tissue necrosis at the site of the bite.

Symptoms

It is extremely important to understand what the signs of a bite are in order to provide timely help if necessary. The first signal is severe pain at the site of the bite. Also, this area begins to swell, and the size of the limb can increase several times. The poison, which spreads through the bloodstream, causes hemorrhage, which causes a sharp decrease in blood pressure and swelling of the lymph nodes. Frequent symptoms are vomiting, nausea, high fever, migraine, general weakness.

Effect of viper venom on humans

In the bite area, the initial deposition of the toxin occurs, followed by rapid entry into the circulatory and lymphatic system. The main effect on the human body is cytotoxic and hemolytic.

Poisoning with viper venom is accompanied by severe pain, hemorrhages, swelling and tissue necrosis. Once in the victim's bloodstream, the toxin causes the destruction of red blood cells and platelets. Viper venom also contains a small amount of neurotoxic substances.

The effect of viper venom on the human body is determined not only by the biologically active substances it contains, but also by the dose of the toxin, which is determined by the depth of penetration of the teeth into the skin and tissues. The danger posed by a snake also depends on its camouflage coloring, degree of aggression, daily rhythm of activity and proximity to people.

The venom of the common viper, which is most often found in Russia, is usually not fatal to humans. The exception is cases of a bite in the area adjacent to large superficial blood vessels. Then there is an accelerated absorption of the poison and a simultaneous effect on the body of a large dose. Over the course of several years, isolated deaths from viper bites have been recorded. The lethal dose of poison for an adult weighing 50–70 kilograms is about 40 ml, calculated as dry matter.

Distinctive features of vipers and properties of snake venom

In Russia, the most common viper is the common viper . It belongs to the order of squamates, the family of vipers (vipers). Vipers have a short and thick body, ranging from 30 to 80 cm in length. Moreover, females are always larger than males. The snake's head has a characteristic triangle shape that distinguishes it from other types of reptiles. Weight reaches 50-180 g, and life expectancy is 15-30 years.

Vipers have excellent day and night vision and feed on small rodents, frogs, insects, and birds. The colors of reptiles are varied - in gray-blue, dark brown tones or black. Most often, males are lighter than females. Typical of both sexes is a dark stripe running along the reptile's spine.

This species of snake tends to lead a sedentary lifestyle, occasionally migrating to winter habitats. Vipers are cold-blooded, therefore thermophilic, they love to spend time basking in the sun. In autumn and spring, they can often be found in forest clearings and edges, at the edge of swamps and ponds, in garden plots and in places of land management work.

It is important to know some behavioral features of these reptiles:

Vipers are not the first to show aggression towards people and always try to hide from them.
Hissing is a warning sign indicating the presence of a snake, not a desire to bite.
The cause of a viper attack is most often careless and unintentional human actions.

Viper venom is not only a dangerous substance, but also a medicinal raw material used in the manufacture of medicines and cosmetics. It has a complex composition, including proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, salts of inorganic origin, and sugar. It also contains a large number of necrotizing enzymes that cause negative processes in blood cells and tissues.

The greatest danger from reptile venom is for people who have serious diseases of the cardiovascular system and have not received timely medical care.

In what cases does a viper attack?

When a snake sees a person, it usually tries to hide. But the viper is shortsighted. Her eyes are covered with a protective film, which causes accommodation to suffer. But it reacts well to all warm-blooded objects, even stationary ones, since it picks up infrared radiation.

For a viper to attack a person, it is enough, without noticing, to inadvertently approach the snake at a distance of half a meter. Then she views the warm-blooded individual as a potential threat invading her territory, going on an attack.

Where do vipers live?

The common viper inhabits the entire forest and taiga zone. It is found in the north (near Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Central Yakutia, etc.); in the east (Sakhalin, Primorye, Amur region, etc.). The common viper is well known in many countries. There is a greater chance of meeting a snake in damp swampy places, in meadows and clearings with tall grass, in clearings, in raspberry thickets, on the banks of rivers (lakes), in haystacks, in burnt areas overgrown with grass and in abandoned gardens. Vipers are often seen while picking mushrooms and berries. These snakes are also found in mountainous areas (among stones and rocks) at an altitude of up to 3000 meters above sea level.

During the day, especially in the heat, vipers lie motionless, basking in the rays of the sun. To do this, they choose paths, stumps or dusty roads. They like cloudy weather less. The snake waits out this time in a shelter. The viper's peak activity occurs at night, when it hunts rodents, amphibians, and birds and eats their eggs. The usual food of vipers are frogs and voles.

The number of common viper in some regions (especially in the European part) is constantly declining. The common viper is included in the Red Book of the Moscow Region and a number of national lists. This happens for many reasons: catching and destroying snakes, changing the landscape (for example, reducing the area of swamps) and environmental problems. Vipers leave en masse places that are inhabited by people. In addition, vipers (especially their young) are readily eaten by badgers, foxes, wolves and martens. The worst enemies of vipers are hedgehogs. Birds also destroy large numbers of vipers. Herons, storks, crows, owls and even ducks feast on them. More often, vipers suffer from birds.

In addition to vipers, snakes were also found near the ditches. They say that snakes are at enmity with vipers and kill them. I have seen more than once how a grass snake and a viper lie side by side and calmly bask in the sun. And I never saw them fight. I saw vipers fighting among themselves. I was walking through a meadow one day and noticed that someone was moving the grass near a ditch. He came closer. I see two vipers fiddling around. One holds the frog by the head, the other holds the same frog by the side. I don’t know how their struggle would have ended. I didn’t wait for the end of the fight - I put both of them in a bag (A.D. Nedyalkov “Naturalist in Search”).

An interesting fact: each viper strives to have its own territory (with a radius of 60 - 100 meters in diameter). However, there are also snake hotspots that contain large numbers of snakes in a relatively small area. The common viper is an excellent swimmer. She uses her skill to move to the other side of a river or lake in search of suitable places to live. Around the end of September, vipers begin to move in search of wintering sites. Since ancient times, these days have been called “Shift,” when “snakes gather for the winter.” Vipers overwinter (often in groups) in burrows of small animals, under the roots of old rotten stumps, in deep cracks, etc. During this cold period, they fall into a state of torpor.

Symptoms of a viper bite in humans

According to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD 10), a viper bite has a code - X20, which belongs to the heading - “Contact with venomous snakes and lizards.”

Symptoms of intoxication are divided into local and general.

Local signs caused by the cytotoxic effect of the poison include:

redness in the area of the bite;
swelling of surrounding tissues;
pain in the affected area;
hematoma formation;
tissue necrosis.

The general symptoms characteristic of a viper bite are caused by the hemolytic effect of the venom on the formed elements of the blood - red blood cells and platelets. Their destruction is accompanied by a decrease in hemoglobin and an increase in the level of bilirubin in the bloodstream, as well as coagulation disorders. Clinically this is manifested by the following symptoms:

general weakness;
dyspnea;
cardiopalmus;
pale skin;
yellowness of the mucous membranes and sclera;
minor subcutaneous hemorrhages;
tendency to bruise;
bleeding.

Since viper venom has, albeit to a minor extent, a neurotoxic effect, it is possible that neurological symptoms may occur:

headache;
stun;
nausea and vomiting;
convulsive syndrome;
paresthesia in the affected area - burning, tingling, “pins and needles” sensation;
paresis of the limbs.

Severe toxicosis is accompanied by hemodynamic instability, pulmonary edema, and renal failure.

Death from a viper bite usually occurs against the background of anaphylactic shock due to an allergic reaction to snake venom or profuse bleeding due to severe bleeding disorders.

Intoxication is especially difficult in children due to their low body weight and increased sensitivity to toxins. It is possible that hyperthermia, loss of consciousness, development of convulsions, and a drop in blood pressure may occur. Severe toxicosis requires intensive care.

Pregnant women also have an increased susceptibility to viper venom due to decreased immunity during this period. The toxin does not have a direct effect on the fetus, since its composition mainly includes protein substances that do not penetrate the fetoplacental barrier. But local and general symptoms of a viper bite are more pronounced in a woman during pregnancy. A negative effect on the fetus occurs as a result of intoxication, low blood pressure, anemia and blood clotting disorders in the mother’s body.

King Cobra

The largest of all venomous snakes is the king cobra or hamadryad. It belongs to the asp family. On average, its size is 3-4 meters, but rare specimens grow up to 5.6 m. The king cobra lives in the tropical forests of Pakistan, India, Indonesia and the Philippines, and for a long time - over 30 years, without stopping its growth until its death. The hamadryad is characterized by the ability to raise its head vertically and move in this position. They often live near human habitation because they feed on other snakes, and they, in turn, feed on numerous rodents attracted by human crops. This snake seems noble, because, as a rule, upon meeting, the first bite does not inject poison, but to scare away the enemy, and only when biting again does it resort to it. In fact, she's just saving her weapons. By the way, the king cobra does not have very strong poison, but in large quantities. Basically, its venom has a neurotoxic effect. If you really have to bite, then the cobra does not skimp and pours in a gigantic amount of poison (up to 7 ml), which is guaranteed to kill a person in 15 minutes. In such cases, 3 out of 4 people die. But such cases are rare, so only 10% of hamadryad bites are fatal.

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First aid

Emergency measures in case of a viper bite are aimed at preventing further entry of poison into the body, reducing its absorption and the damaging effect of the toxin that has already arrived.

What to do if bitten by a viper? The following algorithm of actions is recommended.

Remove clothing if the bite penetrates through it. Remove poison from the skin, avoiding its contact with the wound. Assess the depth of the bite. Rinse the damaged area with plenty of water.
Suctioning poison from a wound. This first aid measure, taken immediately after a bite, allows you to remove up to half of the toxic substance located at the site of injury. It is effective within 20 minutes after the incident. The expediency of suctioning out the poison is not always justified when bitten by common vipers in Russia - common or steppe. But there is no doubt that the procedure can affect the survival of the victim when bitten by more poisonous snakes of this species. Suctioning the poison takes at least half an hour.
To reduce the likelihood of infection, the wound is treated with any alcohol-based solution. It is completed by applying a sterile bandage or a clean handkerchief, over which the damaged area is loosely bandaged.
If you are bitten in the arm or leg, you must create a motionless position for the limb. The spread of poison throughout the body is primarily ensured by the flow of lymph, the speed of which decreases significantly at rest, in the absence of muscle contractions. To ensure immobility of the limb, any durable means at hand are used that can fix the joint adjacent to the site of injury. The victim should avoid unnecessary movements. Ideally, it should be transported in a supine position.
Cooling the bite site also slows down the absorption of the venom. It is a good option if the liquids used to clean and disinfect the wound are cool or cold. A cold object can be applied to the already treated wound through the applied bandage.
To speed up the removal of poison from the body, frequent heavy drinking is required. It is better that liquids are warm to improve their absorption in the stomach. Suitable drinks include herbal infusions, coffee and tea. Liquids that have a diuretic effect are especially useful. These include lingonberry infusions and coffee. You need to take any diuretic, for example, Veroshpiron or Furosemide, which, by enhancing the diuretic effect, accelerates the elimination of the toxin.
The toxic and allergenic effect of poison on the body is reduced by glucocorticoid hormones, ascorbic acid, and antihistamines. When bitten by a viper, intravenous or intramuscular administration is required. Not everyone has the skills to do this procedure. However, oral administration of Prednisolone or Dexamethasone, Tavegil or Suprastin can significantly reduce the severity of symptoms when bitten by a viper.

Urgent transportation of the victim to the hospital is necessary!

The provision of emergency measures must be accompanied by calling an ambulance or transporting the patient to a medical facility by any available transport. Even if the damage is minor, it has been treated, and there are no visible signs of poisoning, it is still necessary to examine the victim by a doctor.

The introduction of anti-snake serum - a drug that saves you from a viper bite, is possible only in a hospital. It contains animal antibodies and is an allergen for humans, so doctors administer it fractionally, at certain intervals, monitoring the patient’s condition. If an allergic reaction occurs, further administration of the serum is stopped and antihistamines and corticosteroids are prescribed. Therefore, a visit to the hospital is included in the algorithm of necessary measures.

If a viper has bitten a child, first aid is identical to the emergency measures recommended for adults. The time factor is of greater importance, due to the high sensitivity of children to poison and the speed at which they develop symptoms of intoxication.

First aid for a viper bite

Is there an antidote?

The domestic antidote for the bite of this type of reptile is known as “Serum against the venom of the common viper . It is produced using horse serum.

The drug is used intramuscularly and has the appearance of a clear liquid. Contains antibodies that neutralize viper venom. The drug is not the only one of its kind; there are several of its foreign analogues.

The serum should be used only for its intended purpose, as it is not effective against other types of snakes. The administration of the drug is not well tolerated by everyone and can cause anaphylactic shock, so it should only be done under the supervision of a physician.

The dose is divided into several doses. For the first time, 0.1 ml is injected under the skin of the bitten person. If there is no negative reaction within 15 minutes, the next injection (0.25 ml) is given. After the same period of time, the last injection is performed.

The drug should be stored at temperatures up to +8 degrees in the refrigerator. If this condition is not met, a cloudy sediment appears in the ampoule, which makes the serum unsuitable for use.

What not to do after a viper bite

Recommendations for emergency care have changed over time. As new information was acquired about the nature of snake venom, it turned out that some actions are not only useless, but can also be harmful, worsening the condition of the victim.

The following is contraindicated.

Applying a tourniquet to a limb when bitten in the arm or leg. Viper venom has a cytotoxic effect. In case of intoxication, a tourniquet applied causes necrosis of the limb much faster than in 1–2 hours. An attempt to prevent the absorption of poison in this way may result in the amputation of a leg or arm. Therefore, when bitten by a viper, a tourniquet cannot be applied to a limb.
Cauterization of the bite site. The viper's long teeth allow it to inject venom to a sufficient depth. Superficial cauterization will not be able to neutralize it, since the poison is located in the deep layers of tissue.
Incisions in the area of the bite. The result is usually faster absorption of the poison and subsequent secondary infection.
Drinking alcohol to neutralize poison. Ethanol suppresses the immune system, making it more difficult for the body to fight poisoning.
Applying plants, grass, earth and other remedies to the wound, which, according to popular belief, help against a viper bite. All this will only contribute to infection of the injury site.

Knowing these facts will help you avoid taking unjustified actions that are fraught with dangerous consequences when providing first aid.

Dry bites

Perhaps the main role in the seriousness of the consequences of an encounter with a common or steppe viper is played by the amount of poison that it secretes. This is directly related to the hunting habits of the amphibian. Vipers hunt only small prey, doing it quickly, from cover, and then wait for the poison to take effect. It is also worth noting that the poison is used extremely carefully; the snake always tries to have a small amount in reserve. That is why, in some cases, the bite of a steppe viper may have no consequences. It may turn out to be completely harmless.

Treatment in hospital

Hospitalization of the victim is mandatory. In a hospital, a viper bite is treated with specific, detoxification and symptomatic therapy. It is carried out in a traumatology, toxicology or intensive care unit.

Specific therapy

It consists of administering an antidote for a viper bite - an antisnake serum that has a neutralizing effect. Tetanus toxoid is also administered. The most effective early use of these drugs is within 4-6 hours after a viper bite.

Anti-snake serum contains antibodies (antitoxins) to snake venom. It serves as an antidote for viper bites. A serum is considered monovalent if its antibodies neutralize the venom of only one snake. This is a species-specific drug. When the venom of several species of snakes is neutralized, the serum is called polyvalent.

Detoxification therapy

To cleanse the body of poison after a viper bite, the following measures are taken:

intravenous infusion;
forced diuresis;
oxygen inhalations.

If the victim has manifestations of acute renal and liver failure, then he undergoes hemodialysis and hemosorption.

Symptomatic therapy

Includes administration of the following viper bite remedies:

glucocorticoid hormones - “Prednisolone”;
antihistamines - “Suprastin”, “Pipolfen”, “Diphenhydramine”;
cholinesterase inhibitors - “Proserin”;
with accelerated blood clotting - anticoagulants;
for bleeding - transfusion of fresh frozen plasma and platelet concentrate;
in case of severe anemia - transfusion of red blood cells;
painkillers;
in case of secondary infection - antibiotics.

Treatment of local lesions

In the area of the viper bite the following is carried out:

immobilization of the affected limb;
cooling the bite site;
application of an aseptic dressing and daily dressing of the wound;
in case of severe swelling of the limb - fasciotomy (longitudinal incisions of the connective membrane covering the muscles);
if foci of necrosis occur, necrectomy (removal of dead tissue) is performed.

Severe intoxications, accompanied by hypotension, coma, pulmonary edema and respiratory failure, require artificial ventilation, inotropic and vasopressor support.

Treatment methods after a snake bite

Serum against viper venom

If the victim remembers the appearance of the snake well, this will simplify the treatment process. A special serum has been developed against viper venom. After administration of the drug, relief from the symptoms that appear occurs within a few hours. Throughout the entire period, medical personnel must monitor the patient’s condition.

In most cases, after the administration of the antidote and signs of improvement, the patient is allowed to go home. In the case of children and elderly people, doctors often insist that victims stay in hospital for several days.

The patient must remain in bed for 3–7 days. The bite site should be periodically treated with an antiseptic to avoid secondary infection.

Full recovery in the absence of complications occurs within 7–10 days.

Consequences

The patient's recovery and discharge from the hospital does not mean a complete absence of residual effects. There may be slight swelling at the site of the bite, pain during active movements, and asthenia in the body. The duration of the rehabilitation period after a viper bite depends on the severity of residual effects and their sensitivity to the therapy. Recovery may take several weeks or even months.

The cause of long-lasting swelling in the bite area may be thrombophlebitis or lymphostasis. To exclude a complication observed after a viper bite—venous thrombosis—an ultrasound of the blood vessels is necessary. Most often, swelling is caused by symptoms of lymphostasis. To reduce its severity, heparin ointment is prescribed locally. In order to remove swelling after a viper bite, lymphatic drainage procedures (special massage and physiotherapy) are performed.

The consequences of a viper bite for a child are no different from those for an adult patient. However, despite the fact that intoxication in children is more severe than in adults, their rehabilitation period is shorter.

Treatment of residual effects is carried out at home, under the supervision of a local therapist.

What you should absolutely not do

The consequences of a viper bite have always frightened people so much that to get rid of their troubles they have come up with many completely useless procedures that are not only unable to alleviate the patient’s condition, but can even cause harm. Therefore, remember what not to do if you are bitten by a snake.

Do not apply a tourniquet under any circumstances! This is useless, and besides, the poison already has a destructive effect on the tissues of the body, and if you add to this a tourniquet that interferes with blood circulation, you can achieve their necrosis within a few minutes. And after removing the tourniquet, the decay products formed as a result of this will aggravate the existing poisoning.
Do not burn the bite site! You will add a burn to an existing wound, and it is absolutely meaningless.
Do not cut the wound - it is useless, but the infection does not sleep.
Do not give the patient alcohol - this will help the poison spread throughout the body even faster.
Do not cover the wound with earth, do not apply cobwebs or grass to it - other than tetanus, you will not get anything from such procedures.