Loxosceles reclusus.  The word is unknown by most and seems quite innocent....until you call it by it's more common name; the Brown Recluse spider.  It is a fairly non-threatening looking compact little spider, brownish in color, with a distinct yellow "fiddle" shape on it's back that packs an awfully mean bite.

The initial bite of the spider may cause only mild itching with little pain.  Later however, the pain will increase as the wound grows.  The reason is due to the spider venom.  The spider venom is composed of 9 different enzymes that cause vasoconstriction around the bite leading to loss of localized blood flow and eventually to necrosis (tissue death), much like rattlesnake venom.   The venom can remain active for months or even years.  The necrotized tissue can become gangrenous and slough away, leaving deep scars.

Standard treatments involve the use of drugs that act as vaso-dilators to increase blood flow to minimize necrosis.  While alternative therapies including anti-venom, nitroglycerine patches, and dapsone have been used, none of these are considered more than marginally successful.  The common opinion, however, is that the venom has to simply run it's course.

Believe it or not, acupuncture has been found to be very effective in the treatment of wounds caused by brown recluse spider bites.  By using a combination of the "surround the dragon" acupuncture technique along with electrical stimulation, wound healing is reduced from several months and years to a few weeks.  A study describing this procedure and its results can be found HERE.   Once again, acupuncture is shown to be an incredible and diverse healing modality!  Interestingly, similar acupuncture procedures have also proven effective  to treat difficult-to-heal wounds including bed-sores and diabetic ulcers.

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