Spider Bites: Symptoms, Causes, and Essential Treatments

4. Symptoms of a Black Widow Bite

Black widow spiders are easy to recognize thanks to their round, black bodies and red hourglass shape on their abdomens. Widow bites cause immediate, sharp pain, like a poke with a needle. The bite area then radiates a dull or numbing pain.

Due to the nerve-toxic venom, widow bites cause cramping and muscle stiffness in the back, chest, shoulders, and—most commonly—the abdomen. Some people experience nausea, vomiting, itching, breathing issues, headaches, and increased saliva production.