ALICE ECHO-NEWS JOURNAL (Texas) 19 April 06 Immediate medical attention necessary for snake bites - Snakes serve a purpose, but it's best to avoid them (Mauricio Julian Cuellar)
Snakes may be beneficial to the environment by ridding areas of rodents which spread disease, but most folks don't like them.
And while snakes may serve a purpose, they can be harmful.
"Before you enter any area outside - to clean your yard, or work at the ranch - check the ground around you thoroughly. Because, if you just go in without checking what you're going into, you can get hurt," Jim Wells County Health and Safety Officer Israel Lopez said.
For those who work outside and have snake concerns, leggings can be purchased for $20 to $25, which will protect the lower part of the legs in the event a snake tries to strike.
The hard plastic piece covers the ankle area, which is the most likely spot for a snake to strike. Although the leggings can be hot and bothersome, the benefits can be life-saving, especially if one encounters a rattlesnake.
Nintey-nine percent of venomous bites in the United States are by pit vipers, which include rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths.
The category Elapidae, which are coral snakes, are responsible for the remainder of snake bites and are found also in the southern United States.
Rattlesnakes of course are most commonly associated with their rattle found on the end of their bodies and they also have a brown circular pattern with dark outlines running the length of their body. Coral snakes have distinctive red rings along their bodies, separated by alternating black rings bordered by white and yellow rings. About 8,000 people a year receive venomous bites in the United States, but only five or six die from their bites.
The most important thing to remember is that no matter what type of snake bites you, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Many people mistake venomous snakes for nonvenomonous ones, and delay seeking attention, which will aggravate the symptoms.
Those symptoms include pain in the bite area, dizziness, blurred vision, excessive sweating, fainting, swelling, loss of muscle control, nausea, vomiting and rapid pulse.
Long-term effects of snakebites include loss of limbs, tissue death at the site of the injury and decreased mobility. The most important thing people can do to prevent injury is to stay away from the snake, don't try to kill it, don't get closer for a look and don't poke at it with a stick. If you see a snake in front of you, walk the other way as fast as possible.
If you are bitten, there are several things you can do.
According to the American Red Cross, wash the bite with soap and water, immoblize the area, keep the bitten area lower than the heart, and most importantly seek medical attention immediately.
Things you should not do include trying to capture the offending snake, applying oral suction to the bite, cutting the area to bleed the wound, applying hot or cold packs, performing strenuous activity, applying a constrictive tourniquet or drinking alcohol or taking any medication. The best thing a person can do for themselves or a loved one is to get the injured person to a medical facility as soon as possible.
Immediate medical attention necessary for snake bites