Facts You Should Know About Scorpion Stings

 

What Are Scorpions?

Scorpions are a member of the Arachnida class and are closely related to spiders, ticks, and mites.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Scoripion Sting?

Scorpion stings are painful, and they can be fatal, especially children. Scorpions may sting more than once. The stinger, located at the end of the tail segment is usually not lost or left in the person's tissue after a sting.

Where Do Scorpions Hide?

Scorpions hunt at night and hide along rocks or trees during the days. Homes built in arid or desert regions commonly have scorpions in them. In 2015, there were reports of airline passenger(s) being stung in flight. The planes were landed before reaching their destinations to rid the aircraft of the scorpion(s).

Are Scorpion Stings Serious? Can You Die from One (Are they Fatal)?

Most scorpions are harmless and accidental. Although about 2000 species exist, only about 25-40 species can deliver enough venom to cause serious or lethal damage to humans. One of the more venomous or potentially dangerous species, especially for infants, young children, and the elderly in the United States is Centruroides exilicauda or bark scorpion.

What Do Scorpions Look Like (Pictures)? How Big and What Color Are They?

Scorpions have two pincers, 8 legs and an elongated body with a tail composed of segments; they range in length from about 9 to 21 cm. Some scorpions are smaller and more translucent and difficult to see. They may appear as a thin string on the ground. The last tail segment contains the stinger (also termed a telson) that transmits a toxin to the person who has been stung.

Scorpions come in a variety of colors - from tan to light brown to black.

Centruroides exilicauda Scorpion.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Scorpion Sting? Can You Die From It?

What Does It Feel Like to Be Stung by a Scorpion?

Usually, the pain from a scorpion sting is moderate to severe that slowly decreases over time. Symptoms of a scorpion sting are pain, tingling, burning, or a numbing sensation at the site of the sting. The reaction to the sting may be mild.

Can You Die from a Scorpion Sting?

Rarely, a person experiencing a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis may develop severe symptoms throughout the body. Severe signs and symptoms of a sting from a scorpion include numbness throughout the body, difficulty swallowing, a thick tongue, blurred vision, roving eye movements, seizures, salivation, and difficulty breathing.

These symptoms constitute a medical emergency. Death may occur.

What Causes the Symptoms Associated With a Scorpion Sting?

The cause of the scorpion's sting symptoms is a barb or stinger that contains a protein toxin (also termed venom). The toxin is responsible for the symptoms listed above. The toxin is not pure; it contains a mixture of proteins (neurotoxin, protein inhibitors, and other substances). The types differ from species to species and likely have evolved to target the specific prey and predators of the particular scorpion species. Depending on the literature source, only about 25 to 40 of the approximate 2000 species of scorpions have toxins or venoms that are dangerous to humans. Chlorotoxin and Maurotoxin are two scorpion toxins that have been isolated and are currently being studied as potential treatments for diseases such as cancer.

6 First Aid Treatments and Home Remedies for a Scorpion Sting

The treatment for scorpion stings are home remedies and rest.

1. Wash the sting with soap and water and remove all jewelry because swelling of tissue may impede the circulation if it not allowed to expand (for example, a sting on a finger that has a ring surrounding it).
2. Apply cool compresses, usually 10 minutes on and ten minutes off of the site of the sting.
3. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) 1-2 tablets every 4 hours may be given to relieve pain (usually not to exceed 3g per 24 hours). Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) because they may contribute to other problems.
4. Antibiotics are not helpful unless the sting area become secondarily infected.
5. Do not cut into the wound or apply suction.
6. If a child is 5 years or younger is stung, seek evaluation by a medical caregiver.