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THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS THREAD!

I live in Texas, and noticed a bite at my wasteline yesterday. It has gotten bigger today, and appears from the pictures to be following a pattern just like a brown recluse.

Three days ago I got a taser because I don't think my wife would be comfortable with a gun for self defense.

The combination of the bite, this thread, my new taser, and subsequent research that says that stun guns are used to neutralize the poison, that the Oklahoma Medical Journal did a big study on this and so forth was too much.

One of the messages in the link you provide details a guy who was bit by a rattlesnake, and used the taser 5 times on the 45-minute ride to the hospital, and by the time he arrived at the hospital the bite had stopped showing ill effects.

I've just hit my bite 4 times with the taser, and now it does seem to be declining a bit.

Don't know if I was bit by a brown recluse, don't know what might have happened anyway, don't know if the taser helped.

But I'll keep you informed.

Bite Symptoms:

Bite begins looking like a fire ant bite
Redness will surrond the bite-sometimes forming rings around a dark center.

Pain
Runners of redness will sometimes shoot out from the bite area

Fever, Nausea, Ahces, Tiredness, and other flu-like symptoms
Necrosis
Seek Medical Attention Immediately if you experience:

Blood in Urine
High Fever
Vomiting
Jaundice (yellow skin)
Siezures
BRS bites rarley lead to death (young children are at greater risk). Many never lead to necrosis.

Medical attention should be sought if you suspect you have been bitten. If possible collect the offending spider and bring it with you for identification. Most bite occur while sleeping so look in the blankets for the squished spider.

BRS are not aggressive. Bites are a result of accidental contact (such as when putting on clothes where the spider has taken up residence.

Do you have a source/link for this stun gun remedy? From all I've read the electro shock is an old wive's tale. No doctor I've talked to recommends the electro for rattlesnake bites.

Some of the old timers I grew up around used a car spark plug. Hard core.

What to do if bitten

Wash the area with soap and water

Apply ice to reduce swelling and redness

Do Not Use Heat

Search for spider- take it with you to the doctor for identification

Call your doctor

Call poison control

Medications

Common medications used to treat BRS bites
Antibiotics (oral and/or IV)
Steroids (usually prednisone)
Dapsone

Shock Treatment

High voltage low amperage shock treatment has been used for years to treat snake bites and has been used to treat BRS bites as well. For more information on how it works please see the link below. Dr. Abrams uses stun gun treatment and has pictures and testimonials on his site.
Stan Abrams,MD

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

HBOT has been used to treat non healing diabetic wounds and is now being used to treat BRS bites. The increase of oxygen in the tissue increases healing. It is also believed that the pressure helps to neutralize poison in the blood stream. For more information on what HBOT is please see the link below.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Herbal Remedies

There are several herbal remedies that people have written in to me about. They include:

Activated Charcoal

Tea Tree Oil

Burrow's solution

You can search the victim email page to see how these were used.

Nitroglycerin Patches

Nitroglycerin patches are being used to treat BRS bites. The patch is applied to the wound and stimulates growth of new tissue and healing. For more information please click on the link below.
The Brown Recluse Spider Finally Stopped in its Tracks

Here is one on a hip

watch the core of it to see if it turns black or dark brown. How fast this happens depends on the person who was bitten and how much venom was injected. It also will blister up with tiny blisters (kinda like the way your taste buds look on your tougue)

You should not use heat on it at all... the best thing to do is use a cold compress and get to the doctor quickly if you start feeling unwell. Not everyone feels bad except for the area that has been bitten. Do seek medical attention at the doctors office on Monday.