There are at least 1,500 species of scorpions, and only 25 of them produce a venom that causes severe damage to adult humans. However, any scorpion sting can potentially cause an allergic reaction, which can be dangerous in itself. Even if you have recognized the species and know it is harmless, you need to treat the wound and be prepared to call emergency services if you experience any symptoms other than pain and slight swelling.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Seeking Medical Assistance
Step 1. Call emergency services if necessary
If the victim shows other symptoms in addition to pain and slight swelling, you must ask for an ambulance. Call especially if it seems to you that it is a potentially dangerous scorpion, if the victim is a child, an elderly person or someone with heart or lung difficulties.
Find an online list of emergency numbers and also find out about those active abroad
Step 2. Call the Poison Control Center for advice
If you don't need immediate medical attention, contact a poison control center to report your symptoms and seek expert advice. If the poison control center in your region is not listed below, search the internet by entering the region and "poison control center". If you can't find one, call one of the numbers in the link below, choosing the one closest to you.
- In Italy the main poison control centers are in some cities and you can read this link to find the one closest to your city.
- If you want to do a broader search, access the database of the World Health Organization.
Step 3. Describe the victim on the phone
It is important to communicate to the medical staff the approximate age and weight of the subject, to better assess the risk and find the most suitable treatment. If the victim suffers from particular medical conditions or allergies, especially to insect bites or drugs, inform the emergency service or poison control center.
If possible, also communicate the exact moment when the victim was stung. If you are not sure, also report your uncertainty and say when you noticed the sting
Step 4. Describe the scorpion to the assistant on the phone
The emergency service may not be able to give you specific advice, but the poison control center may ask you for a detailed description of the scorpion. Read the section about spotting scorpions for more details on warning signs and how to catch the scorpion if it's still around.
Step 5. Find someone to monitor the victim and take them to the hospital if necessary
Since scorpion venom can cause involuntary muscle movements, the victim may not be able to drive or walk if symptoms become dangerous. Find a helper who has a car or other means of transport that can take the victim to the hospital, in case you are unable to contact an emergency ambulance. The victim should not be left alone for at least 24 hours and preferably should be monitored throughout the following week in case the symptoms worsen.
Part 2 of 3: Treating the Sting at Home
Step 1. Pay attention to severe symptoms
Regardless of who the victim is, whether it is a child, a newborn, an elderly person or a person with a slightly compromised heart or lungs, you should always consult a doctor. To be sure, most scorpion stings can be treated at home, even if a more dangerous poison requires the intervention of a qualified professional. See your doctor right away if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Vomiting, sweating, salivation or drooling in the mouth.
- Involuntary urination or excretion (pee or feces).
- Muscle spasms or twitches, including involuntary movements of the head, neck or eyes, or difficulty walking.
- Fast or irregular heartbeat.
- Difficulty breathing, swallowing, speaking or seeing.
- Severe swelling due to an allergic reaction.
Step 2. Identify the puncture area
It does not always swell a lot and therefore it can be more difficult to locate the area. Each scorpion sting, however, causes severe pain or a burning sensation at the time of injury, followed by tingling or numbness.
Step 3. Wash the area with soap and water
Gently remove clothing from the sting area and clean carefully. This will remove any poison residue around the area and keep the wound clean to reduce the risk of infection.
Step 4. Keep the injured area still and below heart level
Unlike other injuries, the scorpion sting should never be raised to a higher level of the heart, as it could cause the venom to spread more rapidly throughout the body. Keep the wound at heart level or lower and minimize the victim's movements to prevent the heart rate from speeding up by spreading the venom faster.
Step 5. Calm the victim
If she is agitated or anxious, the heartbeat becomes faster and consequently the absorption of the poison increases. Reassure the injured person, if you can, and prevent them from moving. Remind him that most scorpion stings do not cause permanent damage.
Step 6. Apply a cold pack or ice to the sting area
The cold helps slow the spread of poison, reduces swelling, and makes the area numb to pain. Keep the pack or ice pack on the puncture for 10-15 minutes at a time, waiting the same amount of time between applications. This treatment is most effective if performed within two hours of the accident.
If the victim has circulatory problems, apply ice for only 5 minutes at a time to avoid damage
Step 7. Have the victim take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce pain
You can take ibuprofen, aspirin or paracetamol to relieve discomfort and pain. Make sure he always follows the instructions on the leaflet. You should not take opiate (narcotic-type) painkillers, as they can suppress breathing. If the pain is intense, you need to contact a doctor.
Step 8. Provide first aid if needed
Severe episodes of unconscious spasms are rare but, if they occur, call an ambulance immediately. Learn the basics of CPR and apply them immediately to the patient if you are concerned that their heart has stopped.
Step 9. Get the victim for a medical check-up
Even if it seems to you that she has recovered with self-medication, it is highly advisable to consult a doctor or a qualified professional. To reduce the risk of infections and other complications, a tetanus vaccine, muscle relaxants, or antibiotics may be helpful. However, do not administer these drugs without medical advice.
Part 3 of 3: Identify the Scorpio
Step 1. See a doctor if symptoms are severe
Although most scorpion stings are not dangerous to adults, learn about the symptoms that indicate serious health risks. If any of the signs listed below match those experienced by the victim, consult a doctor before trying to recognize the scorpion species:
- If the victim is a child, a newborn, an elderly person, a person with heart disease or with weak lungs, it is always necessary to see a doctor for a scorpion sting.
- Vomiting, sweating, salivation or drooling in the mouth.
- Involuntary urination or excretion (pee or feces).
- Muscle spasms or twitches, including involuntary movements of the head, neck or eyes, or difficulty walking.
- Fast or irregular heartbeat.
- Difficulty breathing, swallowing, speaking or seeing.
- Severe swelling due to an allergic reaction.
Step 2. Only catch the scorpion if it is safe to do so
Identifying the species allows us to establish whether medical treatment is necessary and, in the case of a poisonous species, allows doctors to arrange adequate treatment. If you have a glass jar that is much larger than the scorpion (a liter container is fine), you can try to catch the insect and give it to an expert who can easily identify it. However, if you can't see it or don't have a suitable container, Not try to implement this operation.
- Find a large glass jar, large enough to hold the scorpion and tall enough to keep it from stinging you when you grab it by the tail or hold it upside down. If you can get hold of the container, also take a pair of pliers that are at least 25 cm long.
- With these tools you can catch the scorpion. Hold the pot upside down and place it completely on top of the insect. If you have long enough tongs that you can use for this purpose, take them to grab the scorpion firmly and put it inside the jar.
- Close the lid tightly. If the vase is upside down, slide a large sheet of sturdy cardboard or cardboard under the opening and hold it tightly against the vase when you turn it to straighten it. Apply an airtight lid or place a large heavy book over the opening.
Step 3. Photograph the scorpion, if you cannot capture it
If you don't have the tools to capture it, you can photograph it. Take several photographs from different angles if you can. Having reference images will help you find the details you can't remember, and if you need to go to the experts, it will help you identify the species.
Step 4. Androctonus australis is believed to be dangerous
Scorpions with a thick sting and a large tail are more dangerous than those with a thin sting. While it is always useful to try to capture or photograph the scorpion to be able to recognize its species, you should still contact a doctor, even if you have not yet presented serious symptoms, especially if you are in Africa, India or the Americas.
If you can only see the pincers well, you can estimate the risk from them: if they are large and powerful it often means that the scorpion relies on those to defend itself, rather than on poison. It is not a foolproof method, but it can be valuable information for the doctor
Step 5. Identify dangerous scorpions in the United States and northern Mexico
If you are in the southwestern United States or northern Mexico, look online for pictures of the "Centruroides sculpturatus", or Arizona bark scorpion, and compare them to the scorpion that stung the victim. Keep in mind that this species at high altitudes takes on a striped color, while the one that lives in the desert usually has a uniform dark or light brown armor. This scorpion's sting can be fatal and immediate medical attention is required.
If you are in other locations in the United States, the risk of serious scorpion sting injuries is very low. In any case, it is important to dress the site of the injury, as described below, and to be prepared to visit the doctor if allergic reactions or other severe symptoms occur
Step 6. Identify dangerous scorpions in the Middle East and Africa
Leiurus quinquestriatus, also known as the yellow scorpion, grows to a maximum of 11.5cm and can change a lot in the color and size of the claws. Due to the risk of heart or lung failure that can arise from a sting, any injury caused by any scorpion you encounter in these areas that is smaller than an adult's hand must be treated by medical professionals as soon as possible.
- As noted earlier, Arizona bark scorpions are extremely dangerous and many species are also found in this geographic area.
- Unidentifiable thin-tailed species are generally not particularly dangerous, but due to the vast amount of species found in Africa, many of which have not yet been thoroughly studied, you need to be prepared to seek medical attention if any symptoms develop beyond pain and mild swelling.
Step 7. Identify dangerous scorpions in Central and South America
Most of these insects in this specific geographic area are not dangerous to adults, but there are exceptions. One of the most dangerous is the "Tityus serrulatus", or Brazilian yellow scorpion; like many other dangerous scorpions, it tends to have a thick, large tail.
Step 8. Identify dangerous species in other areas of the planet
There are few other scorpion species that can cause fatal or serious injuries in adult humans, but not all of them have been identified so far, so it's always a good idea to seek medical attention if the victim has symptoms other than pain and mild swelling around them. to the wound area.
- Stings from small, red or orange scorpions in India, Nepal and Pakistan should be treated immediately by a doctor. These may be the Indian red scorpions.
- The risk of death or serious injury to an adult from scorpion venom in Europe, Australia or New Zealand is minimal. However, it is always a good idea to identify the insect if severe symptoms occur and medical intervention is required.
Advice
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Reduce the risk of getting stung by a scorpion by avoiding dark, cool, and damp places, such as woodpiles and basement corners. If you want to check their presence in the house, do the following:
- Buy a black light flashlight or put a black bulb in a lamp.
- Use this light to illuminate any room in the house that you fear a scorpion may have entered.
- Look for a light blue-green glow. This is the color of scorpions under the ultraviolet rays of black light.
Warnings
- Do not cut the wound area, because you can cause bleeding or dangerous infections and it is useless to remove the poison from the bloodstream.
- Do not try to suck the poison with your mouth. Qualified doctors may attempt to extract it with a suction device, but it is not yet certain how effective this method is.
