Brown Recluse Spider Bite: Symptoms, Signs & What to Do

Signs and symptoms of a brown recluse or "fiddle back" spider bite may vary from mild to severe as the venom moves throughout the victim's body.

Initial Signs

• The site of a brown recluse spider bite may initially appear red and may even reveal fang marks.

Visual Signs

• Visual signs of a brown recluse spider bite are swelling, blistering and redness in the area of the spider bite on the skin.

Time Frame

• The pain swelling and other symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite will last from 24 to 48 hours.

Pain

• Victims of a brown recluse spider bite are likely to feel itching and pain at the site of the bite. The pain could be severe and last for about four hours.

Physical Symptoms

• Two to eight hours after being bitten by a brown recluse spider, you'd exhibit physical symptoms that might include nausea, vomiting, fever and muscle pain.

Warning

• The National Institutes of Health recommends going to an emergency room immediately if you feel you have been bitten by a brown recluse spider. Be sure to take the spider in a bag to the hospital with you for identification purposes.