How To: Treat spider bites

Spider bites can range from harmless to fatal, spiders themselves coming in many varieties. you're bitten by a spider, you should wash that area carefully with soap and water and do this several times per day until the skin is healed. You can also apply an ice pack wrapped in cloth or a cold wet wash cloth to the area that has been bitten. Learn more about spider bites in this medical how-to video.

Take Action
Wash with soap & water
Apply ice-pack to area
Take medications for the pain
See doctor if wheezing, swelling, dizziness, & nausea

About this Author
Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.