Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Brown recluse spiders bite when disturbed or cornered. This may occur when a person unknowingly wears an infested piece of clothing or rolls over in his or her sleep. Similarly, brown recluses are known to build their webs in boxes and beneath old furniture; reaching into these areas may result in a bite.

Reactions to the brown recluse spider bite are variable. Depending on the intensity and duration of the bite of the brown recluse spider, reactions run the gamut from mild skin irritation to death. Bites most commonly result in large, slow-healing, open sores.

These bites are not painful at first and often go unnoticed until the first side effects appear. Two to eight hours after the brown recluse spider bite, the site becomes swollen, accompanied by intense pain.

Brown recluse spider bites may result in systematic effects such as nausea, joint pain, abdominal cramps and fever. Necrosis and tissue death are commonly experienced and sores can be extremely large. In extreme cases, underlying muscles may be exposed.

Although dangerous, a brown recluse spider bite rarely proves fatal. Deaths caused by these spiders are most likely in children, the elderly and individuals with compromised immune systems. Regardless, brown recluse spiders should be approached with caution. 

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