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“The Young and the Restless” star Eileen Davidson says she was bitten by a brown recluse spider in bed in late September. (Getty/iStock)
“The Young and the Restless” star Eileen Davidson suffered a — literal — nightmare last week when she was bitten by a brown recluse spider in bed. The soap opera star showed off her red, inflamed skin as a result of the venomous bite on Instagram.
“Brown recluse got me! #creepy #spiderbite#someonessleepinginmybed,” the 59-year-old captioned an Instagram post.
Thousands of people responded to the post, many voicing their concerns for the actress and begging her to seek medical attention.
“Those things are no joke!! Hope you heal really soon without a scar!!” one fan wrote.
“Brown recluse, I hope not. You’ll get very sick and the tissue will start dying around the bite. Get it checked,” another suggested.
“Ahhh worst fear having a spider in my bed and it bites me !! Hope you’re ok!” a user added.
Brown recluse spiders — mainly found in the Midwest or South — are golden brown with a distinct “dark violin-shaped (or fiddle-shaped) marking on [their heads],” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They’re known to be shy, but they can inject when they bite, which typically happens when they feel threatened.
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Symptoms vary, but the bite mark tends to redden within the span of a few hours.
“There is often a systemic reaction within 24-36 hours characterized by restlessness, fever, chills, nausea, weakness and joint pain,” the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says in a fact sheet about the spiders.
Experts recommend spider bite victims clean the wound thoroughly, ice the area, elevate the bitten extremity and — if possible — capture the spider to show to medical professionals who may be better equipped to identify the arachnid and treat the bite.
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“Although brown recluse spider bites are rare, the venom can sometimes cause serious wounds and infestations should be taken seriously,” the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, explains on its website. “Persons bitten by a brown recluse spider should apply ice, elevate the affected area, and seek medical attention immediately.”
It’s unclear if Davidson sought further treatment. But the veteran soap star, who announced she was exiting “The Young and the Restless” in September after more than 30 years of playing Ashley Abbott, appears to be enjoying her time off so far.
“Yes I am leaving my second home @YandR_CBS in September. I’ve been so blessed to be able to play Ashley Abbott and work with the amazing people on the show and have nothing but gratitude and love for all!!! Time for a little more control over my day to day,” she tweeted in late June.
Fox News’ Madeline Farber and James Rogers contributed to this report.