ORAC ICE

Things to Spoil Your Day

First of all ICE is a convenional tag for “In Case of Emergency”

A range of fairly rare but nasty animals are out there just waiting to spoil your offroading experience. I say rare because in over 20 years offroading i’ve only seen maybe 5 snakes but to be fair, the last one was a potentially dangerous horned viper. ive seen a dozen scorpions, but these were on only three trips in 20+ years. Same with spiders, camel spiders, wasps etc etc.

This section includes a bit of advice and published “what to do if….” information. I stress it’s published because even some “medical authorities” contradict each other as to the “best course of action”. But more important I am not an expert although expert advice is being sought and when received will be reported accordingly.

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Scorpions

Google suggests there were 33 recognised species of scorpion in Oman in 2018 and approx 6500 insect and reptile bites/ stings were recorded. Reptile bites numbered around 300, so lets say around 6000 stings or bites from scorpions and spiders. The published good news is that none of theses were “serious or resulted in a fatality” but many still caused some extreme pain.

Oman considers itself fortunate in that its rural population is self aware of the problems with (for example) scorpions and self limits the risk. in contrast the offroading community likes nothing better than to run around in the sand barefoot.

Scorpions may appear at night when its cooler and still be around early in the morning. as well as the obvious suggestions to shake out shoes and any clothing left on the ground, please also be aware that scorpions will seek shade under tents and sand mats and in fact anything left on the sand.

From published information it seems that self treatment of scorpion stings is universal so here we will focus on th worst species affectionately known as “the death stalker”, a relatively tiny yellow species.

What to do? / First Aid

The photo here gives an idea of scale.

First Aid:

so the death stalker is ranked as one of the worst scorions to be stung by and it will result in severe/ very severe pain.
be calm and keep the patient calm
do not apply a tournequet.
the sting may result in swelling so first step is to wash with soap and water to clean the area and remove any constrictions such as rings bands and bracelets in case of subsequent swelling. An antiobiotic soap is excellent.
immediate relief may be found using ice/ a cold compress as this will slow the spread of the venom.
lower the sting location below the heart.
quick partial relief may be gained from non steroidal antiflammatory painkillers such as Ibuprofen (warning some sources reject this)
- some recommend antihistamine creams
- some recomend hydrocortisone cream or even calamine lotion to reduce inflammation and itching
some sources say do not try and cut to bleed venom and also warn against use of pumps to suck out venom as it is in tissue and will not respond.
monitor for shock and be aware of increased heart rate or difficulty in breathing, throat restrictions etc as these may suggest an allergy to the venom.
symptoms may also include nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps, as well as visible swelling at the sting site.
for utmost safety in an offroad environment where hospitals and medical help my be some distnace away, begin to prepare / plan immediately to evacuate to a hospital.

Snakes

Horned Viper: The bite of a Horned Viper with subsequent certain envenomation should be considered a medical emergency and can be fatal if the patient is not treated appropriately.

Horned vipers have been photographed during a Wahiba Challenge hiding within camel grass. They are also noted to bury themselves in sand often with just the horns +/- eyes above the sand. I have also seen a horned viper sunning itself at the exit to Wadi Bani Awf Snale Gorge.

Saw Scaled Vipers:

Saw scaled vipers are considered to be highly irritable, aggressive and may bite more redaily than others. It it unlikley that you can recognise individual snake species althought the horns on a horned viper are often distinctive. I have only seen saw scaled vipers on gravel plains in the interior and never in sand.

After a saw scaled viper bite it is reported that “within minutes of the bite, localised swelling and pain which later spread can be felt. Haemorrhage and coagulation defects follow closely, which may lead to hypovolemic shock. The most dangerous symptoms of envenomation are blood-clotting trouble and internal bleeding, which can lead to acute kidney failure”

Without further professona advice it is recommended that viper snake bites are treated as an emergency as outlined below

First Aid:

Some claim that the horned viper venom is not very toxic and a bite while not usually fatal, can still have some serious consequences.This may vary with species and consequently a fail-safe position is to assume it is a medcal emergency.
the affected limb should be badaged and splinted and rested below the level of the heart. This is to minimise movement and circulation of the venom.
- splinting is to immobilise the limb to reduce circulation
- bandaging ( as tight as if a sprained joint is being supported – but not a tournequet) reduces the spread of venom.
Dry bites or bites where only a very small amount of venom is injected may cause slight bleeding, pain, and swelling at the bite injury.
If a moderate amount of venom was injected, you are more likely to have severe pain, swelling of the whole limb, and general ill feelings, such as nausea, vomiting, and weakness. This isn’t deadly right away unless it happens to go directly into a vein. But it will start to break down tissue and blood vessels, and that can lead to fluid buildup, bleeding inside your body, and serious problems like kidney failure.
do NOT cut and try to suck out venom, this is for cowboy movies. Equally do not try suction devices to suck out venom.
Do not apply ice or cold compresses.

Camel Spiders

Camel spiders are not, to my knowledge venomous but they are notorious for their bite which through powerful jaws is painful., They are described as vicious predators that can visit death upon insects, rodents, lizards, and small birds. While they are not spiders, they are also knows as sun spiders and will appear to chase you, not as potential prey, but to hide in your shade. The do not eat people or camels and their bite is not an anaesthetic as hinted by folklaw. You are advised not to mess with them and certainly dont get fingers in their jaws.

First Aid:

No cure for stupidy Im afraid!

Huntsman/ Wolf Spiders

I find the distinction between Huntsman and Wolf Spiders difficult. This is largely due to suffering from arachnophobia which makes it difficult to identify spiders while running away.

‌Wolf spiders don’t pose a significant threat even though they are venemous. you may be allergic to a wolf spider’s venom, but they are not dangerously venemous. Since wolf spiders are large and i mean seriously large, their bite may be painful. You may experience mild pain, swelling, or itchiness around the bite, it shouldn’t last long.

Huntsman Spiders are venomous and their bites can be painful to humans, they do not cause anything more serious than mild nausea or headaches. Usually localized swelling and pain are the only symptoms of a huntsman spider bite.

First Aid:

Nothing reported except keep the bite clean.

For sufferers of arachnophobia these are very big spiders and clean underwear may be essential!

Things to Spoil Your Day

First of all ICE is a convenional tag for “In Case of Emergency”

Scorpions

What to do? / First Aid

How much does a deathstalker scorpion weigh?

Snakes

Camel Spiders

First Aid:

Huntsman/ Wolf Spiders

First Aid:

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