If you’ve been bitten by a snake, the first question that probably jumps to mind is – was it venomous? Nonvenomous snake bites generally aren’t serious, but it’s still important to take care of the wound properly.
Here’s a quick answer: Nonvenomous snakebites look like small puncture wounds that may lightly bleed or ooze plasma. They become red, swollen, and painful around the bite. Sometimes bruising spreads from the punctures a few hours later.
Appearance of Bite Wounds
Puncture Wounds
Nonvenomous snakes have teeth designed for grasping and swallowing prey, not injecting venom. So their bites typically leave small puncture wounds from the teeth. These are similar to punctures from a rose thorn or splinter.
The wounds may bleed a little and could get infected if not cleaned properly, but they are generally harmless.
Bleeding and Plasma Oozing
In some cases, nonvenomous snake bites can cause minor bleeding or plasma oozing from the puncture wounds. This is because the teeth may lacerate small blood vessels under the skin when the snake bites down.
But significant bleeding is uncommon unless the bite is on a highly vascular area like the face.
Swelling and Redness
Some degree of swelling and redness often develops around the bite site within 30 minutes to a few hours. This inflammatory response is the body’s natural reaction to tissue injury. But the swelling is generally localized around the bite and subsides within a day or two.
Bruising
Bruising may appear as the swelling spreads under the skin. This is simply burst capillaries from the pressure of the bite and inflammation. The bruise often turns shades of blue, purple, and yellow as it resolves over days to weeks.
Large spreading bruises are more common with bites to the extremities like fingers and toes.
Severity of Pain and Discomfort
The severity of pain and discomfort from a nonvenomous snake bite can vary greatly depending on the species of snake, the location of the bite, the depth of the bite, and the individual’s sensitivity to pain. Here is an overview of what to expect:
Mild to Moderate Discomfort
Many nonvenomous snake bites result in only mild to moderate pain, similar to a pin prick or papercut. The bite may sting or throb for a few minutes as the teeth puncture the skin, but significant swelling, bruising, and ongoing pain is uncommon.
For example, corn snake bites typically cause temporary mild pain at the bite site lasting 5-10 minutes. The small teeth usually do not penetrate deeply or leave noticeable marks. The same is true for bites from hognose snakes, garter snakes, and other small or medium-sized colubrids.
More Significant Pain
Larger nonvenomous snakes can inflict deeper wounds that are more painful. Bites from large constrictors like ball pythons, boa constrictors, and reticulated pythons can lead to bleeding, bruising, and moderate to significant pain that may last hours or days.
The larger rear teeth can puncture more deeply, similar to a dog or cat bite. There may be ongoing soreness, tenderness, and minor tissue damage at the wound site as it heals. Pain levels are generally comparable to a moderate dog bite or a significant puncture wound.
Location Matters
Bites on the fingers or other sensitive areas often hurt more than bites on the arms or legs. Hands and feet have more nerve endings close to the surface, so snake bites in these locations provoke more pain signals.
Facial bites are also quite painful due to the abundance of nerves in the face. Some major nerves run close to the skin, so a snake bite on the face can damage and inflame these nerves, leading to severe pain.
Individual Factors
Each person’s sensitivity to pain is unique, so two people could experience very different levels of discomfort from the same type of nonvenomous snake bite.
Those with a high pain tolerance may only experience mild transient discomfort, while more pain-sensitive individuals may find the bite significantly painful. Psychological factors like fear and anxiety can also intensify the perceived pain.
Signs of Infection
While nonvenomous snake bites are not poisonous, they do pose a risk of infection. Signs of an infected bite include:
- Increasing swelling, redness, warmth at the bite site
- Pus or foul-smelling discharge from the wound
- Fever and chills
- Fatigue and flu-like symptoms
- Red streaks extending from the wound
Infected bites require medical treatment with antibiotics and wound care. Left untreated, dangerous complications like tissue damage, abscesses, and sepsis can occur.
When to Seek Help
Most mild nonvenomous snake bites can be treated at home with first aid and over-the-counter pain medication. However, it’s important to monitor for signs of infection and seek medical care if:
- The pain becomes severe and intolerable
- Swelling spreads extensively up the limb
- Symptoms of infection develop
- The bite is on the face or neck area
- There are multiple bite wounds
- The victim has a compromised immune system
With prompt first aid and monitoring for complications, most nonvenomous snake bites resolve without issue. Being aware of the potential severity and staying alert for problems can help ensure a good outcome.
Risk of Infection
Causes of Infection
Though nonvenomous snake bites are not directly poisonous, they do carry risks of infection. Snakes have bacteria like Clostridium and Pasteurella in their mouths that can be transmitted through a bite.
These bacteria enter the puncture wounds and underlying tissues, causing redness, pain, swelling and pus (the key signs of infection). People with weakened immune systems and other health conditions like diabetes are at a higher risk of developing infections.
According to a 2021 CDC report, around 15-20% of all snake bites result in infections if left untreated. While nonvenomous snakes have less dangerous bacteria than venomous ones, their sharp teeth can still introduce the pathogens deep into skin and muscles.
Other risk factors include failure to clean the wound properly, not getting medical care promptly, or having an underlying skin condition.
Signs of Infection
The common symptoms indicating infection from a nonvenomous snake bite are:
- Increasing redness, swelling and pain around the bite site
- Pus or cloudy discharge from the puncture wounds
- Fever and flu-like symptoms as the infection spreads in the body
- Tender, warm rashes around the bite area
- Swollen lymph nodes closest to the bite
Left unchecked, the infection can spread to the tissues under the skin, muscles, bones and bloodstream. This can result in more severe complications like tissue damage, sepsis or infections in vital organs.
Seeking prompt medical care is crucial for appropriate antibiotic treatment and to prevent the infection from worsening.
When to Seek Medical Care
Most nonvenomous snake bites are harmless and can be treated at home. However, there are some situations when you should seek medical attention right away:
- The bite area shows signs of infection – redness, swelling, pus, red streaks, increased pain or warmth
- You develop an allergic reaction to the snake bite with symptoms like trouble breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, swelling of the lips or tongue
- The bite is on your face, hand, foot, or genitals
- The pain and swelling spreads or gets worse over time
- You have a weakened immune system or chronic health condition like diabetes or cancer
- You were bitten by a snake you can’t identify
- The person who was bitten is a young child
In these situations, it’s important to be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible, even if the bite is from a nonvenomous snake. They can assess the bite, clean the wound, prescribe antibiotics if needed, and monitor you for any signs of infection.
Some other reasons to see a doctor include:
- The bite won’t stop bleeding
- The wound is large or gaping
- You have a fever or flu-like symptoms
- You were bitten more than 6-8 hours ago and haven’t yet received medical care
While most nonvenomous snake bites are not emergencies, it’s better to have a doctor evaluate the bite if you’re uncertain or if your symptoms seem to be getting worse. Some snake bite infections can progress quickly and lead to serious complications if left untreated.
Seeking timely medical care
Here are some general guidelines for seeking medical care after a nonvenomous snake bite:
- Bites on the torso or head – Seek care immediately
- Bites on hands, feet, or joints – Seek care within 4 hours
- Bites anywhere else on the limbs – Seek care within 6-8 hours if wound appears infected
- Any bite in a young child or eldery person – Seek prompt medical care as a precaution
Of course, you don’t need to time it down to the minute. The key is not to wait too long before having the bite evaluated, especially if symptoms seem to be getting worse. It’s better to be safe and have a doctor take a look.
Questions doctors may ask
When you see a doctor for a snake bite, they will ask some important questions to assess the situation, such as:
- When were you bitten and where on your body?
- Do you know what type of snake it was? What did it look like?
- Was the snake wild or a pet? What were you doing when you were bitten?
- What first aid or home treatment have you done so far?
- What symptoms have you experienced since the bite? How severe is the pain?
Being prepared to answer these questions will help the doctor determine the right course of treatment.
Tests that may be done
To fully evaluate a snake bite, the doctor may order some tests, including:
- Blood tests – To check for signs of infection or inflammation
- Wound culture – To identify bacteria from the snake’s mouth that may cause infection
- X-rays or MRI – To look for damage to bones, muscles or joints if the bite is on an extremity
For venomous snake bites, more extensive lab tests may be done to identify venom compounds and monitor blood cells and organ function.
Potential treatments
For nonvenomous snake bites, common medical treatments can include:
- Wound cleaning and bandaging
- Tetanus shot
- Antibiotic prescription, oral or intravenous
- Pain medication
- Antihistamines for allergic reactions
- Surgical repair of severely damaged tissue
Treatment focuses on preventing infection and controlling symptoms until the bite heals. With prompt care, most nonvenomous snake bites have good outcomes.
The key is not to ignore a bite or wait too long before seeking medical evaluation, especially if symptoms are worsening. Early treatment can help prevent complications and support proper healing.
Conclusion
While nonvenomous snakebites aren’t medically serious, they can still damage local tissue and cause infection. Keep the wound clean and watch for signs of infection. Seek medical care promptly if the symptoms seem severe or get worse over the next 24 hours.
