Snake Bite: What to Do and What Never to Do

Snake bites are frightening, and fear leads people to do things that cause more harm than the bite. The World Health Organization's core message is simple: reassure the person, keep them still, and get them to a health facility as soon as possible. Antivenom, given in hospital, is what treats a venomous bite.

What to do after a snake bite

1. Move away from the snake. Get the bitten person and everyone else out of range. Most repeat bites happen while people try to deal with the snake.
2. Get emergency help immediately. Call Rescue 1122 where available, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. The CDC advises seeking emergency medical attention as soon as possible so antivenom can be started, and warns against waiting at home to see whether symptoms develop.
3. Reassure the person. WHO points out that many snake bites are from non-venomous snakes. Panic raises the heart rate and does not help.
4. Keep them still. WHO advises immobilising the person completely and splinting the bitten limb so it cannot move. Mayo Clinic advises keeping the affected limb still and, if possible, positioned at about heart level.
5. Remove anything tight from the bitten part before swelling starts: rings, watches, bangles, anklets and tight clothing.
6. Wash the bite with soap and water and cover it loosely with a clean, dry dressing.
7. Mark the swelling. Draw a line on the skin at the leading edge of the swelling or tenderness and write the time next to it. This helps the hospital team judge how fast things are changing.
8. If the person becomes unconscious, WHO advises placing them on their left side in the recovery position to protect the airway. Watch their breathing.
9. Identify the snake safely. Take a photo from a safe distance or describe it. Never handle a snake, even one that appears dead.

What NEVER to do

• Never tie a tight tourniquet. WHO specifically warns against tight arterial tourniquets.
• Never cut or slash the bite with a knife or blade.
• Never try to suck out the venom, by mouth or with a suction device.
• Never apply ice or soak the bite in water.
• Never use folk or herbal remedies, including so-called black stones, or electric shock. WHO warns these are unproven and unsafe, and they waste the time that matters most.
• Never give alcohol or caffeine.
• Never give painkillers of the aspirin or ibuprofen type, which the CDC and Mayo Clinic warn can increase bleeding. Ask the hospital team what is safe.
• Never try to catch or kill the snake.

About pressure bandages

WHO notes that the Australian pressure immobilisation bandage technique is recommended only for certain neurotoxic snakes that do not cause local swelling. It is not a general first aid step and should be left to trained people. What applies to everyone is immobilisation and fast transport.

When to get emergency help

Every suspected snake bite needs medical assessment. Call Rescue 1122 where available, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department straight away, and treat it as extremely urgent if there is:

• Severe pain, swelling, bruising or blistering spreading from the bite
• Bleeding from the bite, gums or nose
• Drooping eyelids, blurred or double vision
• Difficulty speaking, swallowing or breathing
• Muscle weakness, numbness, tingling or twitching
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or heavy sweating and drooling
• A fast heartbeat, low blood pressure, drowsiness or collapse

Do not wait for symptoms to appear before travelling. The time saved in getting to a hospital with antivenom and trained staff is the single most useful thing a bystander can provide.