On the Coast – Families Issue 99 I April/May 2019 | Page 14

Top 5 things you need to do
if you get bitten by a snake
A
ustralia has some 140 species
of land snake, and around 32
species of sea snakes have been
recorded in Australian waters.
About 100 Australian snakes are
venomous, although only 12 are likely to
inflict a wound that could kill you. These
include Taipans, Brown snakes, Tiger
snakes, Death Adders, Black snakes,
Copperhead snakes, Rough Scaled snakes
as well as some sea snakes.
It’s snake season on the Central Coast,
so it definitely pays to know what to do if
you or someone you are with is bitten by
a snake.
It is important to remember that
snakes usually bite defensively, rather
than actively attacking humans.
If you’re ever bitten by a snake, keeping
these 5 things in mind might save your life.
Call an ambulance immediately
You should treat any snake bite as an
emergency, regardless of whether you
think the snake was venomous or not.
Many snakes look similar, and if you wait
to see if you feel symptoms of venom
poisoning, it might be too late by the time
you get help. Call Triple Zero (000) and
ask for an ambulance
Don’t panic and don’t move
Easier said than done, but by staying
1
2
calm and still after a snake bite
can help slow down the
spread of venom in your
body. If you have been
bitten by a poisonous
snake, not moving might
save your life. If you can
stay still and calm, you
can prevent the venom in
your lymph traveling
further into your body. Take
long, deep breaths to help calm
yourself down. Remember that the
odds are in your favour: it’s rare for
people to die after being bitten by a snake,
especially if they follow first aid steps.
Leave the snake alone
Don’t try to identify, catch, injure or
kill the snake – you are likely to come
off second best. At the hospital, staff
have access to a range of tests that can
help them determine the likely snake
which you have been bitten by, enabling
them to give you the most appropriate
treatment.
Apply a pressure immobilisation
bandage and splint
Most snake bites occur on a limb, so
legs, feet, arms and hands are most
commonly affected. If you are bitten on a
limb, applying a pressure immobilisation
bandage can stop the venom moving
3
4
through your lymphatic
system. Wrap bandage
around bite sight 3-5
times then down to
end of limb and all
the way to the top
of the limb. Apply
the bandage using
the same tightness
as you would use to
strap a strained ankle.
Immobilise the limb using
a splint for the leg or a sling
for the arm. If you don’t have a bandage
handy, any stretchy material will do
(torn up t-shirts, stockings or other fabric
can be used as a bandage).
Don’t wash, suck, cut or tourniquet
the bite
There are a lot of old methods for
treating snake bites that are now known
to cause more harm than good. Washing
the snake bite site can wash off venom
that the hospital staff may be able to use
to identify the type of snake that bit you.
Do not suck or cut the bite area. Do not
apply a tourniquet to the limb – this can
be dangerous.
5
Resources:
www.health.qld.gov.au
www.healthdirect.gov.au/ snake-bites
Caring for you and your family
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14
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