SNAKE BITE!

A new take on first treatment

The very first article I wrote for SA4x4 was way back in a distant time, and it covered the subject of snake bites. In that article I detailed the technique universally endorsed as the first-aid treatment for snake bikes: the Pressure Immobilisation Technique.

I’d like to bring that article up to date, as there have been advances regarding the first aid treatment of snake bites.

It has to be done properly

The problem with using the Pressure Immobilisation Technique is not only carrying enough compression bandages to apply to the bite but, more importantly, applying them properly.

I was taught how they should be applied by a first-aid responder, and a medical doctor, but it took me about six or seven attempts before I could apply them at a pressure where they would actually have worked. And there lies the overriding problem with this technique.

There is a huge gap between reading about how the bandages should be applied, and actually applying them properly. And the time not to start practising is when you are dealing with a bite.

This is a fundamental problem with a lot of things we may read about, as it can lead us into a false sense of security. Because you may be carrying a snake bite kit, or compression bandages, this could lead you to thinking that if a bite should occur, you have the resources to deal with it. Herein lies the dilemma.