Diagnosis | Common viper bite in humans

Diagnosis

After a bite from a viper, it is advisable to consult a doctor or call a poison center immediately. A diagnosis without the corresponding snake often turns out to be difficult. A detailed description of the snake can help to find out which snake is responsible for the bite. Since the snakes found in Germany are generally relatively harmless, there is no reason to panic. A 24 hour observation is recommended to be able to react quickly to any symptoms that may occur.

Therapy

After the bite of a viper, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Calling a poison control center can also help to plan the next steps. It is important not to suck out the venom of the snake or to tie up the affected area.

When the poison is sucked out, it enters the circulation even faster via the mucous membranes and can even enter the respiratory tract. A swelling caused by the poison can then lead to serious consequences. The affected area should be cleaned and immobilized.

If there are bites on legs or arms, they should be splinted. A 24-hour observation in hospital is recommended in order to be able to react adequately to suddenly appearing symptoms. Normally no therapy is necessary, as the toxin is broken down by the body.

Treatment with an antidote is not performed to avoid reactions of the body to the antidote. Specific symptoms such as shortness of breath or palpitations as well as a pronounced circulatory weakness can be treated and observed in hospital with the specific medication. Since the poison can be especially dangerous for children and elderly people, these groups of people should be closely and closely observed in hospital after a crossed viper bite.

Is a viper bite deadly?

Deadly consequences of an adder bite are fortunately hardly known. This is due to the fact that the venom of the adder is very strong, but only very small amounts enter the body during a bite. It even happens that an adder does not inject any poison under the skin during a defense bite in order to “save” poison for killing its prey.

The consequences of a snake bite are therefore limited to more or less severe symptoms at the bite site itself and possibly symptoms affecting the whole body.These can sometimes be serious and require hospital care in an intensive care unit. The last documented death after a viper bite occurred in 2004, although it should be noted that due to the other diseases present, it is disputed whether the viper bite alone was responsible for the death of the 82-year-old woman.