Spider bite symptoms vary depending on several interacting factors, and two persons that receive a bite from the same species of spider can develop very dissimilar spider bite symptoms. The spider bite symptoms vary due to individual factors, such as the victims resilience towards that particular venom and the over all health of the bitten person. Generally speaking, children, elderly persons and patients with underlying health problems, e.g. heart conditions, are more likely to develop severe and long lasting spider bite symptoms.

Spider bite symptoms will also be affected by a wide range of other factors. Which spider species that bit you is naturally a key factor since different spiders have different venoms, but factors such as spider size and spider sex can also be of important. The potency of the venom, the amount of injected venom, how deep the venom was injected and into which part of your body the venom was injected can have a large impact on the spider bite symptoms.

Two of the most feared spiders in the United States are the Black widow spider and the Brown recluse spider, since these species are known to sometimes cause severe spider bite symptoms. If you know or suspect that you have been bitten by one of these spiders you should always seek prompt medical attention, since the bites can be lethal or cause severe and long lasting health problems.

It should be noted that deaths from spider bites are extremely rare in the United States; despite the fact that large numbers of people are bitten every year. If you are a healthy adult, you will for instance usually survive a Black widow spider bite without any permanent damage even without medical treatment. The spider bite symptoms will typically begin to vanish within 24 hours, and be completely gone after a few days. Since it is impossible to know for sure how a person will react to a spider bite, it is however still recommended to seek immediate medical attention even if you are a healthy adult.

Black widow spider bite symptoms
The Black widow spider produces venom that attacks and damages the human nervous system. A person that has been bitten by a Black widow spider may develop one or several of the following symptoms. Keep in mind that individual reactions vary and you may experience symptoms not listed below.

- Strong pain or a burning sensation around the bitten area. The bite itself can be painless and therefore remain unnoticed for 30-40 minutes.
- Swelling around the bitten area
- Redness around the bitten area
- Two red spots can be visible. These are puncture marks.
- Pain, cramps and/or muscle rigidity in the shoulders, back, chest and abdominal area
- Headache
- Light-headedness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Salivation
- Sweating
- Swollen eyelids and/or tearing of the eyes
- Rash and itching
- Restlessness and anxiety
- Tremors
- Paralysis, typically in the legs

Brown recluse spider bite symptoms
The Brown recluse spider produces venom that attacks and damages soft tissue. If you have been bitten by a Brown recluse spider, you may experience one or several of the spider bite symptoms listed below. It is important to remember that different persons can react different to a Brown recluse spider bite and develop different symptoms. You may therefore experience spider bite symptoms that are not included in the list.

- Strong pain or a burning sensation around the bitten area. The bite itself can be painless and therefore remain unnoticed for 2-8 hours.
- Itching around the bitten area
- A small white blister
- A so called blue-white-red wound. A blue or purple wound is encircled by white, and the surrounding region turns red.
- Headache
- Body ache
- Rash and itching
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever