CSL Antivenom Handbook

First Aid for Bites and Stings

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Basic Principles

There are several important principles of first aid for bites and stings that should guide decisions on what is, and as importantly, what is not good first aid.

• First aid should do no harm!
• First aid should be practical and achievable.
• First aid should be supported by both clinical and scientific evidence of effectiveness.

Older "first aid" methods for snakebite are classic examples of techniques with the potential to cause the patient harm. Indeed, the use of tourniquets and "cut and suck" have resulted in numerous cases of permanent and severe injury to patients, even deaths.

The Pressure Immobilisation Method

First Aid for Snakebite (in Australia)

First Aid for Spiderbite and other Arthropod Bites and Stings

First Aid for Marine Bites and Stings