Treatment

To take care of a spider bite:

• Clean the wound at the bite site with mild soap and water.
• Put an antibiotic you can buy without a prescription on the wound three times a day. This helps you keep from getting an infection.
• Hold a cool cloth over the bite for 15 minutes each hour. Use a clean cloth that has been wet with water and squeezed mostly dry, or use a cloth filled with ice. The cool cloth helps lessen pain and swelling.
• If possible, raise the bite site area.
• Take a pain reliever you can buy without a prescription as needed.
• If the wound is itchy, it may help to take an antihistamine. Or try putting calamine lotion or a steroid cream you can buy without a prescription on the skin.

For pain and muscle spasms, your healthcare professional may prescribe pain medicine, muscle relaxants or both. You also may need a tetanus shot.