When I headed off to a family reunion last month, I expected to return with an article on a quiet long weekend at a peaceful state park. Instead, I was bitten by a venomous snake, and now I'm here to share with you everything I learned (and you should know) about what to do in case of a copperhead bite.
Need To Know Information About Copperheads
"A copperhead won't kill you," an old-timer told my dad when my family moved to Appalachia, "but it will make you wish it had." Know that copperhead bites can permanently disable, making them real emergencies requiring timely medical attention, but they are not generally considered lethal.
I was my doctor's second snakebite victim that week; the first had picked up a copperhead because it was pretty. What?! Know that copperheads are found in most midwestern and eastern states, and if you live in or visit these areas, sharpen your copperhead identification skills (look for that dark brown hourglass / Hershey's Kiss shape!) so you don't do anything stupid.
What To Do If You’re Bitten By A Copperhead
In a nutshell, elevate the bite above your heart and call poison control. Here's what they might tell you to do.
Take a picture of the snake if you safely can. DO NOT try to kill the snake (you could get bitten again). DO NOT bring the snake to the hospital (snakes can envenomate after death). If you don't get a picture, IT IS OKAY. All copperhead, rattlesnake, and cottonmouth bites in the US respond to the same antivenom, so identification is not strictly necessary.
Assess your bite from a safe place out of range of the snake. Some copperhead bites are dry bites---no venom is injected. A dry bite from a venomous snake feels just like a bite from a nonvenomous snake: no swelling, no significant pain. Instead, it stings (and bleeds) much like a needle puncture after donating blood. A dry bite does not require medical attention (just wash it with soap and water), BUT if at any point the bite begins to swell or ache, it was NOT a dry bite, and medical attention is required. If your bite does continue to hurt or begin to swell, it was a wet bite (venom was injected). Get to the hospital.
If you need medical care, have someone else drive or take an ambulance. Before you go, call your state's poison control center to check which local hospitals have antivenom stocked (if you can't get through, just go to the nearest ER). Remove all rings and other jewelry and any tight clothes (change to a loose t-shirt and shorts with an elastic waist, both for swelling and for a potential hospital stay). Grab your ID, insurance card, phone, and phone charger. Now GO!!
On your way to the emergency room, keep your bite elevated above your heart. DO NOT use ice or compression to minimize swelling (both can further damage fragile body tissue). DO NOT take ibuprofen or aspirin, which can affect bleeding. DO NOT apply a tourniquet or cut or suck the site of the bite.
What To Expect From A Copperhead Bite
Every snake bite is different, so recovery will depend on where you were bitten, how you were treated, how much venom the snake injected, etc. That said, a copperhead bite promptly treated with antivenom and regularly elevated usually recovers in 1-2 weeks. A copperhead bite not treated with antivenom could take months to recover, with a higher chance of permanent damage and disability.
Most bites occur on a leg, foot, hand, or arm. The closer a bite is to an important joint or tendon, the more potential damage and the longer the recovery. Bites can be very painful, compounded by intense pressure from swelling (mine ached like a badly broken ankle that had been stung by hornets). If you are bitten in the Achilles tendon like I was, clear your calendar for ten days to two weeks, accept any and all meals your friends and family offer and procure crutches for early trips between the bed and the bathroom. Speaking of my bite...
My Experience Being Bitten By A Copperhead
At 9:30 p.m. in mid-July at a state park in the Southeastern US, I was struck in the Achilles tendon by a medium-sized copperhead hidden along the shoulder of the road between the lodge and my cabin. I felt the bite instantly: two points of intense pain in my heel similar (but worse) to yellow jacket stings. I leaped out of reach, then turned to make sure it was a copperhead. It was.
I walked quickly to the lodge for help. Throbbing pain shot up my leg, and blood dripped from the fang marks on my heel. I did not have vomiting, diarrhea, blistering, or changes in vital signs (some people do). My husband drove to the nearest hospital; I sat in the back, removed my rings, and propped my foot on the headrest in front of me. My uncle-in-law navigated. He called 911 en route; the dispatcher notified the hospital. By the time we arrived (30 minutes after I was bitten), I could no longer use my ankle. The ER had a bed ready. My vital signs were monitored, blood was drawn (labwork helps assess a venomous bite), and the ER doctor called poison control (snake bites are rare, so physician consultation with poison control is advised). Some hospitals hesitate to give antivenom for copperhead bites; thankfully, mine did not.
After receiving 4 vials of antivenom via IV, I was admitted to the ICU for monitoring. It took two days (for my swelling to begin to resolve) to be released. My pain was controlled by codeine, then Tylenol. During my recovery, I regularly pointed, flexed, and rolled my ankle just to the point of pain. I improved each day, but it was still a full week before I even tried walking again. As I draft this article 2.5 weeks later, I am almost back to normal (coming downstairs requires a deep ankle flex that's still tricky). Some bites require physical therapy to fully restore function; I doubt mine will. I have a high deductible insurance plan that I almost met (four vials of antivenom alone was $41,000 before insurance, plus the actual ER visit and two-night hospital stay).
The One Thing I Wish I Had Known Before I Was Bitten By A Venomous Snake
The bite should be constantly elevated above the heart at a 45-60-degree angle for days (and days!) to minimize swelling and tissue damage. I elevated my foot on the way to the ER, but then I just lay flat in bed without elevation. No one corrected me until the following morning, and I think this contributed to my having to spend an extra night in the hospital.
The Best Resource For Venomous Snake Bites
Several medical experts run a website and Facebook group called National Snakebite Support, a phenomenal resource for all things snakebite-related (for people and pets).
How To Avoid A Snake Bite
Own a good snake field guide and maybe even snake tongs. Watch your step and reach in snake country, especially from April to October. Wear snake chaps and long gloves when walking or working in areas with impaired visibility (long grass, deep leaf litter, etc). Use a flashlight at night. Encouraging your local rat and king snake populations discourages copperheads.
Have you ever been bitten by a copperhead snake? Do you know someone who has been bitten by a copperhead? If you know someone who spends a lot of time outdoors, be sure to send them this article so they know what to expect if they ever encounter a copperhead in the wild.
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