Treatments for Spider Bites: Best Home Remedies for Spider Bites

Treatments for spider bites can range from applying creams to the affected area to following certain at-home remedies. However, it all depends on whether the bite is from a venomous or non-venomous spider.

Spider bites are mostly harmless but can cause pain, redness, and swelling. Bites from certain spiders such as brown recluse or black widow, though, can be serious, as they have strong venom that can be deadly to humans. They can cause severe headaches and trouble breathing that require immediate medical attention.

In this article, we’ve rounded up some important points that you must know about a spider bite - its symptoms, bite identification, treatments, and at-home remedies.

---

Spider bite symptoms

The symptoms of spider bites vary depending on the type of spider.

Recluse spider bite

Symptoms of recluse spider bite include:

• severe pain over the first five to six hours after the bite
• severe body aches and chills
• fever
• A bite wound with a red ring around it. The wound can be of purple or dark blue color.
• A wound that grows and becomes an open sore

Widow spider bite

Excessive sweating is a symptom of widow spider bite. (Photo via Pexels/cottonbro studio)

Symptoms of a widow spider bite include:

• abdominal cramp
• pain, swelling, and redness
• sweating and tremors
• vomiting and nausea

Hobo spider bite

Symptoms of hobo spider bites include:

• a purple or red blister in the affected area
• joint pain
• excessive weakness
• aural or visual disruption
• sweating and nausea
• headaches

---

Spider bug bite identification

Spider bug bite (Photo via Pexels/Jimmy Chan)

While identifying a spider bite is easy if you see the spider bite you, in other cases, it's difficult, as there's a chance that you might not even notice the symptoms for a few hours. However, you must look for symptoms like:

• skin damage
• swelling and redness
• skin rash or itching
• muscle cramps
• difficulty breathing
• restlessness or anxiety
• vomiting and nausea
• red or purple color blister
• excessive sweating
• fever and chills
• any other problematic changes or symptoms in your body or skin

Treatments for spider bites

Healing spider bites may often take longer compared to other insect bites, but certain home remedies might speed up the recovery.

Home remedies for spider bites

First of all, it's very important to keep the affected area clean to prevent the building of bacteria and infections. Other effective at-home treatments for spider bites can include the following:

Applying aloe vera gel on the bite

Aloe vera gel can potentially calm the skin and help the bite to heal faster. The natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of aloe make it a great treatment for a spider bite. Applying the gel to the affected area alleviates pain and reduces swelling.

Using essential oils

Using an essential oil is amomg the best treatments for spider bites. (Photo via Pexels/Alesia Kozik)

Using essential oils on a spider bite may also help with swelling and pain. Some of the best essential oils to use on a spider bite are:

• rose oil: it helps alleviate pain
• lavender oil: it soothes the skin and reduces pain
• chamomile: it reduces itching and inflammation

Using turmeric

Using turmeric is among the most important treatments for spider bites. Just apply a paste of turmeric and any carrier oil on the bite and do this multiple times a day to see improvements.

Natural treatments for spider bites

If the aforementioned home remedies don’t provide you with relief, there are some natural remedies that might surely work. This includes:

• cleaning the area nicely with water and disinfectant soap to prevent infection
• applying an ice pack on the affected area for a few seconds
• elevating the bite area to reduce further swelling
• taking an antihistamine to help reduce itching
• applying an antibiotic cream on the affected area to reduce blisters and pain

Some common ointments and creams you can try for treatments for spider bites include analgesic cream, hydrocortisone cream, antihistamine cream, triple antibiotic cream, etc. This may help ease the pain caused by spider bites and reduce inflammation too.

---

When to consult a doctor?

Applying ice pack on the bite is one of the best natural treatments for spider bites. (Photo via Pexels/Vidal Balielo Jr.)

You must seek immediate medical attention if the symptoms persist for a longer time or if the aforementioned treatments for spider bites don't provide you relief.

You may also contact a doctor if you suspect that you’ve been bitten by certain spiders, including hobo spider, Brazilian wandering spider, brown recluse, black widow and tarantula, or if you experience severe abdominal pain, problems swallowing or breathing, or have a wound from the bite that’s growing bigger over time.