‘My hand was on fire!’ warns tourist over rare spider bite that turned hand blue then black as fingers ‘died off’
A TOURIST has told how he lost three fingers after a rare spider bite turned his hand blue.
Tom Bush, 19, was on a lads’ holiday on party island Ibiza when horror struck.
The Merthyr Tydfil man was watching the sun set near Cafe Mambo when he felt a sharp sudden pain in his hand, which was resting on rocks.
The Welshman thought little of the incident and continued to party with his pals before heading off to bed.
But Tom’s world changed during the early hours of the morning when he woke up in agony.
Chatting to the Mirror he told how his hand was “on fire” and he headed straight to the nearest pharmacy after the spider bite.
Staff told him to go straight to hospital after his hand turned blue.
Tom told how over the next couple of months the tops of three fingers started “dying away.”
He then explained how the tops of one of his fingers just dropped off.
Doctors then removed the top of another finger, leaving him with two stumps.
Tom said he did not want his experience to put people off Ibiza, but warned tourists to get a decent healthcare insurance policy before travelling.
He said: “God knows, I might have lost more of my hand. If anything is not right at all, get it seen to.”
Allan Bossel, Operations Expert at www.bedbugexterminator.org, said: “As you travel to new places it’s impossible to be completely aware of all the natural hazards and critters there are to worry about.
“Spiders follow prey so if you see small bugs and insects in your space, expect that spiders could be anywhere.
“An elevated bed reduces the risks of getting bitten by a spider. You should also check your shoes before you put them on, since spiders can be drawn to some of the smaller insects that might be drawn to your shoes and the smells that come from them.”
God knows, I might have lost more of my hand. If anything is not right at all, get it seen to
Tom Bush
The UK has more than 650 different spider species spread all over the country and while some are extremely venomous, most of them are harmless.
The venomous false widow spider is Britain’s most feared spider and is normally found in the south but it’s feared it may be spreading all across the UK.
These spiders are medium-sized with orange legs and cream-coloured markings on their brown bodies.
Despite being only 1cm long, false widows have a serious bite which can feel similar to a bee or wasp sting.
Their bite can result in severe reactions and complications but has never caused any deaths in the UK.
If a false widow bites you, you should wash the area with soap and water straight away.
If your condition deteriorates, you should go to a doctor immediately.
How do I treat a spider bite?
Thankfully, the majority of spiders that are native to the UK are not harmful to humans.
But there are still regular cases of venomous spiders leaving people with nasty nips.
The false widow spider is the most common of these creepy crawlies to pose a bite threat to Brits.
Victims will be bitten if the spider becomes trapped in their clothes or is roughly handled.
You can tell you have been bitten if you feel an itchy and sometimes painful red lump develop on your skin beneath two tiny puncture marks.
If you have been bitten by a false widow, the NHS advises that you wash the wound with soap and water and apply a cold cloth or ice to the area for at least ten minutes to help reduce the swelling.
Raise the affected area above your head if possible and avoid scratching as this could cause infection.
If you’re worried, have been stung in the mouth or throat, or the symptoms are very painful, call NHS Direct on 111.
If you feel nauseous, are vomiting, wheezing, or feel dizzy, or your face has swollen, heart rate quickened or are passing out of consciousness, call 999.