If you've been bitten by a snake that you suspect is poisonous, hightail it to the nearest emergency room. Some snakebites, most notably those from rattlesnakes such as the Eastern diamondback, can be fatal. However, hospital emergency units stock very effective antivenoms to combat them.

Stay Away from SnakesYou can reduce your chances of being bitten by a snake by following these guidelines from the American Academy of Family Physicians:

Keep your lawn mowed, your hedges trimmed, and brush removed from your yard and any nearby vacant lots. This will reduce the number of places for snakes to live and hide.

Warn children not to play in vacant, weed-infested lots.

Use tongs when moving firewood, brush, or lumber; they're hideaways for snakes.

When walking through grassy, weedy areas where snakes may live, poke at the ground ahead of you with a long stick or pole to scare any snakes away.

Wear boots and loose, long pants when working or walking in areas where snakes like to be.

Never handle snakes, even if they're dead.

Sleep on a cot when camping in snake-infested areas.

One fortunate fact is that snakes only envenomate, or inject their venom, between 25 percent and 75 percent of the time.

The rest of the time they leave nothing more than fang holes and a frightened victim.

If you are far from medical attention, take the following steps while help is being sought or while you are on the way to the hospital or emergency room:

Have someone catch the snake and kill it, if the capture can be accomplished without excessive danger. Put the corpse in a bag, and take it to the hospital with you. This way, hospital staff can accurately identify the snake and administer the correct antivenom.
Stay quiet, still, and warm. Do your best not to panic. Getting upset stimulates the heart to pump more blood, which will only speed the spread of venom through your system. Taking long, slow, deep breaths may help you stay calm.
If you have been bitten on a limb, remove any rings, bracelets, shoes, or socks, since the extremity may swell. If possible, immobilize the limb and elevate it above the level of the heart.
You may tie a scarf, tie, belt, or piece of fabric above the level of the fang mark, but do not make it tight enough to cut off circulation: Make sure that you can slide at least one finger underneath the band.
If you have a venom-extractor kit with you, apply the suction device for 30 to 40 minutes, or until you get to the hospital.
DO NOT apply ice, cut the snakebite with a knife, or attempt to suck venom from the wound. These are outdated methods of treatment that may actually cause more harm than good.
Ask for help. If you have been envenomated, you may begin to feel dizzy or ill. Do not attempt to drive yourself to the hospital.

Venomous snakebites require immediate medical attention.

Bites from all different types of animals and insects can be scary to deal with, but keeping a cool head and following the advice in this article will help you obtain the proper medical treatment.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.