Symptoms of a centipede bite

Centipede is a reptile and also belongs to the insect family. Centipede has many legs. Some centipedes contain toxins. Once this poison gets into human meridians and nerves, it can cause poisoning infection and even complications. Therefore, in life, everyone must be careful not to be innocently injured. If you are bitten by a centipede, you will have these symptoms.

Symptoms and signs

After the skin is bitten, two petechiae will appear at the wound, followed by swelling of the surrounding skin, burning, severe pain and itching, and inflammation of the lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels. In mild cases, the rash will subside within a few days. If bitten by a large centipede, due to the large amount of venom injected into the body, in addition to local skin redness, swelling or necrosis, systemic poisoning symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, palpitations, delirium and convulsions may also occur, which can be life-threatening in children.

Medication

1. Immediately after discovering the bite, rinse the affected area with soapy water, and use a breast pump or cupping method to remove as much venom as possible. Apply 5% to 10% dilute ammonia solution (ammonia water) or 5% to 10% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) solution topically. You can also use alkali powder or alcohol to make a thin paste and apply it externally to neutralize the acidic venom released by the centipede. This can relieve pain and alleviate the symptoms of poisoning. However, wet compresses should not be used on the wound, otherwise blisters, erosion or tissue necrosis may easily occur.

2. When redness and swelling are obvious and pain is severe, 3 ml of 1% emetine hydrochloride (ipecacine) aqueous solution can be injected subcutaneously at the bleeding point or proximal end of the bite to quickly relieve pain, or 0.5% to 1% procaine or 2% lidocaine can be injected, which can not only relieve pain but also prevent the spread of venom.

3. Take Nantong Ji Desheng Snake Medicine Tablets or Shanghai Snake Medicine orally, or mix the medicine with water into a paste and apply it to the affected area.

4. Choose Chinese herbal medicine such as fresh purslane or houttuynia cordata, dandelion, and fresh mulberry leaves, mash them and apply them to the affected area. You can also break off fresh cat grass and apply the juice to the affected area. Some people also mash fresh young leaves of the Chinese toon tree, add eggs and mix well, and apply it to the affected area. Both can achieve analgesic effects.

5. If symptoms of systemic poisoning occur, timely rescue is required and antihistamines and corticosteroids are given as soon as possible.