Preparing for an appointment

If you've been bitten by a spider that you suspect is dangerous, call your primary care doctor or go to an urgent care center. If your doctor has online services, an option may be to email a photo of the spider to your doctor.

What you can do

To help your doctor understand your symptoms and how they might relate to a spider bite:

• Bring the spider or a photo of the spider with you, if you can do so safely
• List any symptoms you're experiencing
• List questions to ask your doctor

Some basic questions you might want to ask include:

• Is this a dangerous spider bite?
• If this isn't a spider bite, what are possible causes for my symptoms?
• Do I need any tests?
• How long will my symptoms last?
• What is the best course of action?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them might reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor might ask:

• When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
• What were you doing in the hours before your symptoms started?
• Have your symptoms gotten worse?
• Does anything relieve your symptoms or make them worse?