Experts point out 5 mistakes when first aid for bitten by poisonous snakes

Trying to suck snake venom, causing electric shock or using a "snake curing stone" . is not effective, even delaying the rescue time.

Summer is a favorable weather for snakes to give birth. Along with that, the number of snakebitten people also increased. It is worth mentioning that many emergency cases are in critical condition due to not being treated properly, listening to healers or applying folklore.

Picture 1 of Experts point out 5 mistakes when first aid for bitten by poisonous snakes
Caring for patients bitten by snakes at the Anti-Poison Center.

MSc. Nguyen Trung Nguyen - In charge of the Center for Anti-Poisoning, Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), said that in the past few weeks, the Center has been hospitalized for almost every day. Currently, the Center is treating 6 cases of venomous snake snakes. There are cases where professional snake catching is also inevitable.

Poisoning by poisonous snakebite is the 5th most dangerous level of poisoning brought to the Poison Control Center. Therefore, it is necessary to take timely measures to prevent and treat victims of venomous snake snakes.

Dr. Nguyen recommends that Vietnam currently has many types of poisonous snakes and each has a different mechanism of poisoning, depending on the type of poisonous snake, we have first aid measures as well as different treatment directions.

The purpose of first aid for snakebites is to allow snake venom from the bite to penetrate into the body more slowly and less. Therefore, Dr. Nguyen recommends that people do not use the following first aid measures:

  1. Try to suck snake venom.
  2. Inject, incision, prick and poke at the bite area.
  3. Causing electrocution, applying ice, using "snake healing stone".
  4. Use traditional, traditional, cures with tips.
  5. Try to catch or kill snakes .

All measures above do not bring the desired effect and no scientific basis to prove.

"After being bitten by a venomous snake, family members need to quickly aid in the right way to make the snake's venom from the bite into the body more slowly and less, then quickly bring the patient to muscle. The health department has real treatment conditions (for example, good respiratory, cardiovascular emergency or specific anti-venom-resistant serum) to be treated promptly " - Nguyen said.

Picture 2 of Experts point out 5 mistakes when first aid for bitten by poisonous snakes
The bite of the red-tailed green snake in a patient's hand.

First aid right

  1. Encourage patient peace of mind and anxiety.
  2. Do not let patients go on their own; immobilized legs, snake-bitten hands with a splint (movement makes the venom penetrate into the body faster).
  3. Applying immobile tape measure with some types of cobras (scorpion, scorpion, king tiger, sea snake and some common cobra breeds).
  4. Transporting patients by means of transport to medical facilities while maintaining compression and immobilization.
  5. If the patient has difficulty breathing, give artificial respiration (inhalation vapor or inhaler medical means such as squeezing balls, portable ventilators .).

Measures to reduce the risk of snakebite

  1. Know about the type of snake in the area, know where the snake likes to live or hide.
  2. Especially wary of snakes after rain.
  3. Try to wear boots, high boots and long pants.
  4. Do not sleep directly on the ground.
  5. Do not let children play near solid areas .

How is bitten by poisonous snake, first aid?