Venomous bites or stings can be mild or severe depending on the type of bite and the progression of healing. Most people stung by a common bee or house spider will most likely experience mild or no symptoms. Some people are allergic to certain venom and may have a much more severe reaction. Anyone bitten by a rattlesnake or a brown recluse spider will have a severe injury that will require immediate medical attention. Mild bites and stings can cause swelling, pain, and redness around the site of the wound. Moderate to severe bites can cause full-system blood poisoning, paralysis, brain damage, heart damage, and tissue death around the wound, with some venom causing reactions that inhibit the body’s natural ability to heal the damaged tissue, resulting in the surrounding tissues to subsequently die.
Whether a person is experiencing mild swelling or at risk of losing a limb due to a bite, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to help. For mild stings and bites, hyperbarics can decrease inflammation around the wound, reduce pain, and decrease healing time. For allergic reactions, hyperbarics can help decrease swelling in the lungs, making it easier to breathe. Hyperbaric treatments may also help detoxify by pushing inflammatory histamine and residual venom out of the bloodstream and towards the kidneys for excretion. For severe bites and stings that cause tissue damage or death, hyperbarics has been heavily studied for wound healing. Treatments can reduce inflammation and encourage new tissue and blood vessel growth, greatly reducing healing time and potentially preventing amputation.