New snake bite treatment?

[2Ply]

I was reading through the Sherpa Guides for Georgia looking for new places to hike and camp. In their safety in the mountains section they offer this snake bite treatment.

In serious snake-bite cases, consider staying put and calling for evacuation by helicopter or by local search and rescue teams. A high-tech solution is a jolt to the bite from a stun gun; but get acquainted with this technique before attempting it. Electricity appears to destroy most venoms.

Anyone ever hear of this "high-tech" solution? My pack weighs enough as it is without adding a stun gun to the first aid kit.

[canoe]

Never heard of this but it might work. First question one must ask, how many hikers get bit by a poisonous snake?

[Trailweaver]

Better know the state of that person's heart before you stun gun anyone! The heart rhythm can be disrupted by an electrical shock, and you just might not be able to get it back. A snake bite might be preferable to a person's dying of a heart stopping.

[johnnybgood]

Better know the state of that person's heart before you stun gun anyone! The heart rhythm can be disrupted by an electrical shock, and you just might not be able to get it back. A snake bite might be preferable to a person's dying of a heart stopping.

Had the same thought when I read this. Even low voltage still could be enough to alter a rhythm. Statistics also show envenomation doesn't always occur in venomous snake bites, with perhaps one quarter being dry bites.

[Donde]

Worth noting the vast majority of snake bites in the U.S. are bites to the upper extremities. As in if you don't pick up the ****ing snake it won't bite you. Most of those cases also involve alcohol.

[Rain Man]

First question one must ask, how many hikers get bit by a poisonous snake?

Absolutely none. Some snakes might be venomous. None are poisonous.

LOL ... the Devil made me say that!!! :)

[Walkintom]

I've heard of the voltage solution as far back as 20 years ago.

I've also never heard of it actually being proven to work in the field.

If I get bit, work on getting me to a hospital, not popping me with your taser.

[Traveler]

Yes, what could possibly go wrong with shelters and camping areas and some tasers mixed in for fun.

[Fredt4]

Best treatment is no treatment. Most ER physicians will only treat you because it part if the protocol, not that it's actually necessary. A snake bite can be nasty, but it's usually not, as most bites don't inject venom. If venom is injected it's usually minimal. The one's that really need to worry are older and very young that can't get away from the snake, such as a child getting a ball from under a porch and getting tangled up. In such cases the snake will bite repeatedly since you won't go away. Almost all field treatments do more harm than good. Moving away from the snake and resting is your best response.

[4eyedbuzzard]

It's all good fun until someone loses their regular sinus rhythm.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Worth noting the vast majority of snake bites in the U.S. are bites to the upper extremities. As in if you don't pick up the ****ing snake it won't bite you. Most of those cases also involve alcohol.

On second thought, maybe we should should tazer them out of general principal. :D

[iAmKrzys]

Tasers are not as safe as some would like us to believe. A couple of years ago I remember reading a story of a guy who got tasered by police at Vancouver Airport and subsequently died: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident . I'm not including a link to youtube video but it is still out there.

[2Ply]

Pretty much puts stun gun myth to rest. http://www.docsdetecting.com/docspla.../snakbite.html (http://www.docsdetecting.com/docsplace/aoi/snakbite.html)

[dzierzak]

Pretty much puts stun gun myth to rest. http://www.docsdetecting.com/docspla.../snakbite.html (http://www.docsdetecting.com/docsplace/aoi/snakbite.html)

Just an additional word of caution:

Accuracy of internet recommendations for prehospital care of venomous snake bites.

Wilderness Environ Med. 2010 Dec;21(4):298-302.
RESULTS:
Of the 48 Web sites reviewed, 26 (54.1%) contained inappropriate recommendations. The
remaining 22 Web sites were appropriate regarding all modalities addressed. Among the Web
sites reviewed, inappropriate treatment recommendations included: suction (14); ice (6);
incision (4); electric shock (1). Five Web sites that met all 4 JAMA benchmarks and the HON
seal included 3 inappropriate treatment recommendations. Conversely, the 5 Web sites that
met none of the JAMA benchmarks nor included the HON seal included only 2 inappropriate
treatment measures.
CONCLUSION:
This study highlights the variety of misinformation available on the Internet regarding

prehospital care of snake bites, and the unreliability of the HON seal and JAMA benchmarks

as markers of accuracy. As the Internet becomes an increasing source of medical information

for both the public and clinicians, the importance of accurate Web sites becomes imperative.

Clinicians and lay people should be aware of the high variability of Internet information

regarding snake bite prehospital care.



But wait, if it's on the Internet it mu be true, right?

[dzierzak]

Sorry for the formatting...