Spider Bites

[Fae Oonagh]

Herbal Home Remedies For Spider Bites
There are four types of spiders that have bites that can be serious. . .

The black widow spider has a black shiny body and a red or orange hourglass marking on the underside of its abdomen.
The brown recluse spider is also called the fiddle-back spider because of the violin-shaped marking on its back. It's found mainly in Southern and Midwestern states.
The hobo spider is brown with a herringbone-like pattern on the top of its abdomen. It's found in the Pacific Northwest.
The yellow sac spider is light yellow with a slightly darker stripe on the upper middle of its abdomen.
If you think the spider that bit you is any one of these four, try to remain as calm as possible. Call your doctor, a hospital and/or the local Poison Control Center. If you can collect the spider, or any part of it, do so for identification purposes.

Until you get professional help, apply ice to the bite to help prevent swelling. A poultice of raw, grated potato on the bite is also good.
Take nutrients that have anti-inflammatory action-vitamin C with bioflavonoids, 500 to 1,000 mg every six to eight hours for several days (cut back on the dosage if you get diarrhea). . . bromelain, 500 mg three or four times a day on an empty stomach and/or quercetin, 250 to 300 mg one to three times a day.
Apply an ice pack to a bite or sting for 15 to 20 minutes once an hour for the first 6 hours. When not using ice, keep a cool, wet cloth on the bite or sting for up to 6 hours.
Do not put ice directly on the skin.
Use a thin barrier such as a towel to prevent "burn."