How long does a spider bite hurt

Key takeaways:

• Most spider bites are mild and do not cause any significant health problems. But they may cause skin itchiness, irritation, or redness.

• The most common complications of a spider bite are infections of the skin. It’s also easy to mistake some skin infections for spider bites.

• A few spiders cause serious symptoms when they bite. These include black widow spiders, hobo spiders, and brown recluse spiders.

Spiders — and their bites — can be alarming. It’s common for people to worry that a spider bite might be poisonous. Fortunately, spider bites usually aren’t serious. Most spiders can’t even bite through human skin. When they do, the bites usually cause mild irritation and redness. 

But the concerns people have about spider bites aren’t unreasonable. Spider bites can get infected. And there are some spiders that have venom in their bites, which can lead to more serious symptoms. We’ll explain how to know when a spider bite may need medical attention.

What are the common symptoms of spider bites? 

Most spider bites are not serious. This is because very few spiders can bite through human skin. And even when they can, they are not significantly poisonous to humans. The symptoms they cause are usually mild and go away in 1 to 2 days. 

Some symptoms at the site of the bite may include:

• Irritation

• Itchiness

• A red rash surrounding the bite

In many cases, putting a cold compress on the bite helps. And if the itching is really bothersome, over-the-counter medications, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), may help. 

Which spider bites are dangerous? 

There are a few spiders that have a serious bite. Bites from these spiders aren’t common. Unless they’re defending themselves, these spiders don’t try to bite humans. But these bites may need prompt medical care when they happen. The most common spiders with serious bites are brown recluse spiders, hobo spiders, and black widow spiders. 

Brown recluse spiders

Brown recluse spiders are one of the few spiders that have a nasty bite. They can hide in dark places — like closets, attics, or crawl spaces. They live in the Southern regions of the U.S. and parts of the Midwest. 

When a brown recluse spider bites the skin, it injects a toxin into the area that can kill the surrounding skin tissue. The wound, which results from the dead skin tissue, can spread outward from the immediate area of the bite. It may cause blistering, an open sore, or darkening of the skin as it dies.

This can be a problem for two main reasons:

1. It can cause an open wound that doesn’t heal well. 

2. A lingering wound leaves the skin more vulnerable to skin infections, like cellulitis.

This means that brown recluse bites may need care from a wound specialist to help them heal. They may also need treatment with antibiotics if they get infected.

Hobo spiders

Hobo spiders make funnel-shaped webs and can hide in basements or woodpiles. They live in many areas of the U.S., including the Northwest, Southern areas, and parts of the Midwest. 

They can cause a wound similar to a brown recluse spider. Their toxin may cause a few more symptoms as well, including headaches, nausea, and fatigue. The wounds hobo spiders cause need similar treatment to a brown recluse bite (described above). If the symptoms are affecting the rest of the body, there isn’t any specific treatment. People might need intravenous (IV) fluids along with medication for headache and nausea to help with symptoms. 

Black widow spiders

Black widow spiders are well known for the red hourglass mark on their body. They also have a toxin in their bite that can be painful. These spiders usually live outside, but you can also find them in barns, woodpiles, and basements throughout the U.S. 

The toxin in their bite can lead to the following symptoms:

• Redness and swelling at the site of the bite

• Abdominal pain

• Nausea and vomiting

• Muscle spasms

• Tingling and numbness in the arms or legs

These symptoms can be severe, but they usually aren’t life-threatening. Most people get through a black widow bite with supportive treatments. These include medications to treat their pain and nausea. There’s an antivenom for severe cases. People might need antivenom if the symptoms are serious, involve the whole body, or if there are significant symptoms at the site of the bite.

What are the most common complications from a spider bite?

A regular, non-toxic spider bite can still cause some complications. Run-of-the-mill spider bites can get infected. This may mean a cellulitis skin infection. Sometimes an abscess, a pocket of pus, can form. 

It’s also worth noting that many people develop cellulitis or an abscess for other reasons but assume the original cause was a spider bite. This is especially true for abscesses, which can start off looking like an insect bite.

No matter what type of infection you have — or why it happened in the first place — these infections typically need antibiotics for treatment. And abscesses may need a small procedure to drain the pocket of pus.

When should you see a healthcare provider about a spider bite?

While most spider bites will get better on their own in a couple days, there are some situations when you should seek medical attention. 

Below are some symptoms to watch for:

• Worsening redness around the bite: Most spider bites cause a little irritation at first. But this should rapidly improve in 1 to 2 days. If you notice that the area of redness slowly expands over this time or feels really warm to the touch, these could be the early signs of cellulitis. 

• Skin changes: This can look like dark or blackening skin, blistering, or ulceration. This is a sign of dying skin tissue that a provider should check. 

• Abscesses: These are commonly referred to as “boils.” They can look and feel like a large pimple. You may be able to see the white-colored pus, or it may even start to drain. Other times, the abscess may be far enough below the skin that you can feel it more than you can see it. 

• Fevers, chills, or body aches: These can be signs of one of the more serious spider bites or a worsening infection from a regular spider bite.

• Extreme pain: Seek attention if you have a significant amount of pain at the site of the bite or somewhere else in your body.

• Nausea and vomiting: This can be a sign of a serious spider bite, an allergic reaction, or even a worsening infection. 

The bottom line

Most spiders don’t bite humans. And when they do, usually the bite is not serious. But there are some more serious spider bites. Some signs of a serious bite are severe pain, blistering, or dark discoloration at the site of the bite. Spider bites can also get infected. This often starts as spreading redness of the skin, warmth to the touch, or even a noticeable pocket of infection. When in doubt, seek medical care to see if you need treatment.

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