DEAR DR. GOTT: My son, age 24, got bitten by a black widow spider on his thigh about five months ago and received the anti-venom. About one week later and ever since, he has been experiencing severe stomach pains, diarrhea and loss of appetite. The doctors have run all kinds of tests, scopes and scans and everything comes back negative. Could these pains be from the bite and is there any remedy? Thank you.
DEAR READER: There are about 30,000 different types of spiders but the black widow is probably most feared because its venom has been reported to be 15 times more powerful than that of a rattlesnake; yet oddly enough, this species rarely ever bites a human. They are nocturnal and bite in self-defense if someone pokes or frightens them. They avoid houses where humans reside, preferring instead garages, wood piles, low webs, out buildings, and other dark areas. The unusual name is because of the belief that the female kills the male following mating. In any event, it has a body size of about ½ inch with some females being as large as 1 ½ inches. The average lifespan is one to three years and the weight is a paltry 0.35 ounces. Most bites occur between the months of April and October.
There are five common species in our country, with two being most prevalent. They are known as northern and southern spiders. The northern black widow has red, yellow or white markings down the middle of the upper abdomen and two crosswise stripes on the under-surface. Its legs can be red or brown in color. The female southern black widow has a shiny black abdomen with a distinctive red hourglass on its underside.
The severity of a bite depends on the amount of venom injected. A person’s age and physical condition can play a role in how the body reacts with children and the elderly being more seriously affected than others. A black widow produces a protein venom that affects a recipient’s nervous system. Some individuals will not experience any side effects at all when bitten, while others can have pain at the bite site, tremor, severe cramping, fainting, dizziness, abdominal and chest pain, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, headache, respiratory difficulties, and a high fever. In cases of severe envenomation, the intestines may slow, lung swelling, bloody urine, muscle breakdown and heart problems may occur. Keep in mind that the average healthy adult usually does not have complications, nor should he or she experience any life-threatening issues.
Treatment for anyone with a severe reaction cannot generally be handled in a physician’s office, since narcotics and antitoxins to counteract the effects of the bite must be given in an emergency room setting. The antitoxin (known as antivenin) is most often provided if the patient has difficulty breathing, has high blood pressure, or is pregnant. The antitoxin given is derived from horse serum. This remedy carries a rather large of risk of anaphylaxis, (a severe allergic reaction), so prior skin testing is recommended. While serum sickness is uncommon, it can occur for up to 14 days after exposure, so follow-up with a health care professional is vital. Symptoms of serum sickness is swollen lymph glands, fever and joint pain. As a continuation, antihistamines and steroids might be prescribed. Injectable muscle relaxants may prove helpful. For those individuals with minimal reactions, the use of hot and cold compresses or over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen might provide relief of symptoms. Home remedies other than those listed have not been proven to be effective.
You don’t mention if your son is on any other drug or herb that could have a side effect of diarrhea, abdominal pain or loss of appetite. He may also be on a supplement or has modified his diet that could be a contributing factor. If he were to bring this fact to the attention of his physician, you might have an answer to his prolonged medical problems. Then too, he could coincidentally have irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, or a host of other unrelated issues.
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