Question

Why do we not allow a victim of snakbite to sleep

Answer 1

A common early symptom of systemic envenoming is vomiting. Patients who become defibrinogenated or thrombocytopenic may begin to bleed from old, partially-healed wounds as well as bleeding persistently from the fang marks. The patient should be asked how much urine has been passed since the bite and whether it was of a normal colour. Patients who complain of sleepiness, drooping eyelids or blurred or double vision may have neurotoxic envenoming. An important early symptom of sea snake envenoming that may develop as soon as 30 minutes after the bite is generalized pain, tenderness and stiffness of muscles and trismus.