Snakebites: What You Need to Know

Rare, But Serious
Snakebites aren’t very common in the Cambodia, even for people who spend a lot of time outdoors. And most snakes in Cambodia are venomous, meaning you don’t get poison from them if they do bite. You’re much more likely to get struck by lightning than die from one. Still, it’s best to avoid them and to treat any bite as a medical emergency.

 Treatment: First Aid If you’ve been bitten by a snake, get medical help right away. To help someone with a snakebite:
 -Take off all jewelry and tight clothing to avoid problems with swelling.
-Keep the area of the bite below the heart to keep venom from spreading.
-Keep the person as still as possible to keep venom from spreading.
-Cover the bite loosely with a clean, dry bandage.
-Help the person stay calm to prevent shock.




 What Not to Do
 When treating a snakebite:
 -Don’t try to pick up or kill the snake. Even dead snakes have been known to bite.
-Don’t tightly wrap the bite area. Use only a loose bandage.
-Don’t cut across the area of the bite or try to suck the venom out.
-Don’t drink alcohol or anything with caffeine. They make your body take in the venom faster.
-Don’t use any ointments, chemicals, heat, cold, or ice.
-Don’t take aspirin. it can make bleeding worse.

Treatment: Antivenom This is the only way to treat venomous snakebites. It’s best to get antivenom within 4 hours of the bite, but it can still help if you get it within 24 hours. You get it through an IV  the medicine goes into a vein through a needle. It drips in slowly to make sure you don’t have a reaction.

Why Snakes Bite Usually, they only attack when it’s dinnertime or when they need to defend themselves. They’re typically more interested in getting away from people than attacking them. The danger is when the snake is startled or threatened. Venomous snakes can control how much venom they give you. Sometimes, they bite but don’t put out any venom at all.

 How to Prevent Snakebites You can do things to try to avoid them:
 -Wear shoes outside.
 -Don’t camp near swamps, streams, or other places snakes live.
 -Don’t stick your hands into places you can’t see, like in between rocks.
 -If you see a snake, slowly back away.
 -Keep the grass around your house cut low.
 -Never try to catch or pick up a snake.
 -Keep piles of wood, rocks, or other debris away from your house  snakes, and the animals they eat, can hide there.












BenHyatt