Today was a normal day. Church was great, met up with friends. Then came home to just move a few a few trees around and take it easy today. It was very hot 90 degrees. I wasn't planning on weeding plants but there were a few that just pissed me off. So, as I pulled out my last tree, I just started grabbing and pulling weeds. Those tough ones, I dug in deep with a knife and out popped the weeds. Well, I was about done, had my hands on top of my Black Ischia tree all of a sudden, I felt the most excruciating sharp sticks and pains just above my wrist. The pain was like 20 bee stings all at the same spot! It felt Iike fire was burning all the way down to my bone!

I jumped up, grabbed my left hand, through off my glove and squeezed my wrist as I yelled! I ran over to my shop sink and squirted a lot of hand sanitizer on my wrist and followed with cold water. STILL, the pain was out of this world! It's like my wrist was on fire from the inside! I ran in the kitchen. Jackie asked what happened and I said something got me GOOD!!!! She asked what was it and I said, I didn't see it....it happened without me seeing it!

She said, it was probably a snake! She asked if I wanted to go to the ER. I said no and I wrapped a cold pack on my wound. But the pain just would not leave. Then after about 20 minutes, the pain started to die off a little. I went back out to my Black Ischia and looked around and saw nothing. I tried putting on a thicker glove but it hurt. Looking at my hand, I still did not see anything! I decided to call it a day and go in.

Now, hours later, I see the 2 dark puncher wounds on my hand. It was a snake bite. And now the pain is back. I don't know what kind of snake it was. I didn't see it. So, if my night gets worse and I have to go to the ER, I won't be able to tell them what kind it was! Hoping for a good night sleep......

Jackie needs to take you to er now!

Dennis, I agree with Wayne, I think you should go to the ER even though you don't know what kind of Snake bit you!

We had a small copper head in our cucumber/tomato patch.
Reminds us all to be careful.
I hope you get better quick. If swelling starts, I would go to ER.
Wish you the best.
Doug

edit
copper head bites are very painful

Dennis,

A bite from any of the venomous snakes in your area should not be taken lightly.  Though you can't ID it, if it was a constrictor you would not have the pain you are describing. I highly recommend you seek professional help before irreversible damage is done.

I have never been envenomated thankfully, yet I used to be a federally licensed venomous snakes keeper and you don’t want to risk permanent long term issues.

 These are you like suspects, though it could be an escaped or turned loose exotic.

1. Copperhead (found throughout NC)
2. Canebrake Rattlesnake (found throughout NC)
3. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (found in southeastern NC)
4. Pigmy Rattlesnake (found in southeastern NC)
5. Cottonmouth or Water Moccasin (found in wetland areas in the eastern half of NC)
6. Coral Snake (the rarest, found in the south and southeastern areas of NC)

It would be useful if you could Identify the snake, but what is more important is time. Please reconsider and go to the ER now. There are a lot of nasty things the puncture can introduce into your bloodstream and the whole body, not to mention the venom. The ER has the necessary tools to monitor your health, analyze blood for anti-venom if any venom are present,and treat the condition as necessary. The more you wait, the less time the doctors will have to see what's going on and treat it if it's something that act on your systems.

Then again, it could be harmless, but why risk it?

Could be from a cobra I would go.

Please go to the ER and get treatment. Sometimes it gets much worse hours later. Scott

Better safe then SORRY!!!!!!

If anyone knows Dennis personally, please call him and Jackie. He's offline now and won't see what we've written. Please talk Jackie into takin him to the ER. He's taking the bite too lightly.

If it turns out at a later time that we are worried over a molehill, fine. But my concern is that there are remnant venom, which is affecting the nerves and the flesh, based on his description. The results could be very painful and long lasting if not taken care of in time.

Hopefully he is getting medical help.
Tissue damage can get bad the longer you wait.

Doug

I hope that this snake is not poisonous and you heal fast. 
Checking into the ER would be wise.

At least you would hear a rattlesnake 99% of the time. I didn't realize snakebites were so serious until my son was bitten by a rattler while hiking. Due to tissue damage,they had amputate the first two joints of his middle finger. So go to the ER now just to make sure.

At least you would hear a rattlesnake 99% of the time. I didn't realize snakebites were so serious until my son was bitten by a rattler while hiking. Due to tissue damage,they had amputate the first two joints of his middle finger. So go to the ER now just to make sure.

Pain is there to let us know when something is really wrong.  I hope you get in to the ER.  May the morning find you recovering.

Good morning all!  I survived the night!   No, I did not seek medical attention.  Some swelling is still there but the pain is gone.  All I have now is this crazy itching.  Now I can see the bite marks on my hand whereas yesterday, I could not.

I pray that you change your mind and seek help fast.
Poisonous snake bites are nasty and dangerous and, if it burns like you say, it is not a good sign.
Please don't take it lightly.
Wish you get help and get better fast.

Glad you're O.K., God is good!

I'm glad you are okay. That itching/ swelling is your body releasing histamine due to the damage and/ or foreign matter introduced to your body. Please at least see your Primary and get it looked at.

Voice from a stranger here, from rattlesnake country. See a doctor immediately. Even if not a rattler, the mouths of many different varieties if snakes are filled with very nasty bacteria. I tripped and fell at a pool party years ago, thought I had simply scraped my knee. Ten days later, it was touch and go whether I would lose my leg--a TINY bit of oleander got tucked into my skin and was slowly poisoning. It wasn't even obvious to the eye. Better safe than sorry

Also, for any venom, run it under HOT water, not cold.  As hot as you can stand, for as long as you can stand.  It will neutralize some of the enzymes.  It was a lesson learned the hard way back when I had lionfish in my aquarium.

Update. I went to work and my hand started swelling and itching bad. Went to the doctor and found out I'm having an allergic reaction to the venom. Doctor gave me a shot, antibiotics, Advil , Benadryl and some spray to cool down the wound because it is really hot. So I have to take meds for 10 days and report back to Doctor daily. Thanks for all your concerns.