After a snake bite, stay still, remove rings and watches, and rush to a hospital offering antivenom — no cutting, no suction, no tight binding

29. After a snake bite, stay still, remove rings and watches, and rush to a hospital offering antivenom — no cutting, no suction, no tight binding

Cost: No cost involved. The key is knowing in advance which nearby hospitals stock antivenom; the real challenge is resisting the urge to treat the wound yourself.

In plain terms: Sit down and stay motionless; immobilize the bitten limb. Remove any rings or watches right away, as swelling will set in quickly. Get to a hospital with antivenom as fast as possible — this is the only treatment capable of reversing most toxic effects. Do not cut the wound, do not suck out venom with your mouth, do not apply ice, and do not tie anything so tightly that the skin turns purple. Avoid alcohol and physical exertion. If possible, take a photo of the snake from a safe distance — do not try to catch it.

Benefit: The WHO lists three key recommendations: “Immediately immobilize the affected body part and transport the victim to the nearest medical facility,” “Avoid using tourniquets and do not cut the wound,” and “Administer appropriate antivenom specific to local snake species.” High‑quality antivenom is the most effective treatment for preventing or reversing most toxic effects of snake bites. Globally, 81,000–138,000 people die from snake bites each year, and the number of amputations and permanent disabilities is roughly three times that figure. China’s 2024 guidelines estimate 250,000–280,000 venomous snake bites annually, with victims most often aged 50 or older. Between 2017 and 2021, hospitals in 11 southern provinces along the Yangtze River treated 40,817 snake‑bite patients; 23 of them (0.06%) died during hospitalization.

Evidence grade: B

Sources: WHO. Animal bites fact sheets. <https://www.who.int/zh/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/animal-bites>; WHO (2023). Snake bite poisoning fact sheets. <https://www.who.int/zh/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/snakebite-envenoming>; Lai R et al. (2024). The Chinese guideline for management of snakebites. World Journal of Emergency Medicine 15(5):333-355: "An estimated 250,000–280,000 cases of venomous snakebites occur in China each year, affecting mainly aged patients ≥50 years". <https://doi.org/10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2024.076>; Yan S et al. (2026). Clinical epidemiology of snakebite envenoming in hospitals 11 provinces of Yangtze River Basin and southern regions of China. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases: "withdrawal (4346, 10.65%), and death (23, 0.06%)". <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013247>

Notes: Take a photo of the snake if you can — do not attempt to capture it. Avoid alcohol, running, suction of venom, ice packs, and overly tight bindings. China does not publish official nationwide statistics on snake‑bite mortality. Although the reported hospitalization mortality rate in those 11 provinces appears low, over 10% of patients leave the hospital before completing treatment; their subsequent outcomes are not reflected in these figures.