What should I do if I get bit by a centipede

People are usually bitten by centipedes in the summer, especially when the weather is hot. This is the period when centipedes grow and reproduce, so the more toxic the centipede is if it bites someone at this time, the toxin may enter the body directly through the wound, which will cause severe symptoms. The larger the centipede, the more toxic it is.

Centipede is also known as Tianlong and Baijiao. It often appears in the hot and humid weather in summer. It has a pair of gills on its head, which contain venom glands. When biting, venom flows into the wound and causes poisoning. The symptoms are: bruises on the wound, redness and swelling around the wound, severe pain, and in severe cases, headaches, vomiting, fever, and even whole-body convulsions and shock. Generally speaking, the larger the centipede, the more toxic it is and the more severe the symptoms will be.

Treatment method: Rinse the affected area with 5-10% baking soda water or soapy water, or lime water (be careful not to apply iodine) to neutralize the acidic venom, and then use a breast pump, cupping, etc. to remove the poison from the wound. The following prescriptions may also be used:

(1) Take an appropriate amount of Nantong snake medicine, add a little water, mix it into a paste and apply it around the wound.

(2) Apply a small amount of dry tobacco oil to the affected area.

(3) Apply an appropriate amount of rooster comb blood to the affected area.

(4) Apply a small amount of rooster saliva to the affected area.

(5) Take an appropriate amount of Cockscomb leaves, chew them until soft, and apply to the affected area.

(6) Chew bitter melon leaves until soft and apply to the affected area.

(7) Chew purslane until it becomes soft and apply it to the affected area.

(8) Peel and mash 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, add appropriate amount of vinegar, and apply to the affected area.

(9) Take 30g of Houttuynia cordata, 30g of mulberry leaves and 40g of Taraxacum mongolicum, mash them and apply to the affected area.

(10) Grind 20 grams of licorice and 20 grams of realgar into powder, add appropriate amount of vegetable oil, mix into a paste, and apply to the affected area.

To sum up, we have learned what to do if we are bitten by a centipede. So after being bitten, we must remain calm and apply the most common soapy water at home to the affected area in time. This will inhibit the spread of toxins. We can also chop bitter melon leaves and apply them to the injured area.