Scorpions prey on smaller insects and use their sting to paralyze the victims. Hence, most scorpion stings are commonly harmless to humans and do not cause life-threatening symptoms.

The most dangerous scorpions, however, whose venoms you should not ignore if get bitten are those living in Arizona and central-south America and native to African stranded forests, swamps, and rivers. Home-scorpion bites, therefore, can be taken care at home with proper treatments focusing on minimizing the resulted pain and bringing down the inflammation.

What to do after scorpion sting?

Scorpion bite symptoms are visible and thus, can be easily observed, even if you do not spot the culprit directly. By observing the occurring symptoms, you will be able to tell how severe the scorpion sting effects are. Knowing and observing the symptoms, and performing necessary treatments or medications properly will make sure that home care is sufficient for alleviating the effects of scorpion bites. So, if you are stung by a scorpion, here are what you need to do:

• Get out of the harm’s way. Do not attempt to catch or kill the scorpion, the as this may lead to another sting. If the scorpion bites you while you are trying to put your shoe on, for instance, try to give the culprit a way out of the object.

Leaving the scorpion inside the shoe will put you in a risk of having another bite in the future. However, do not use your bare hands to get the culprit out of the object, as this may result in second bite. If possible, try to remember what the scorpion looks like, in case you need an anti-venom.

• Pay attention to your developed symptoms. Most home scorpions are harmless, but may cause some visible inflammation and other disturbing symptoms, such as numbness on the affected area, inflammation and redness, and tingling or burning sensation. As long as you do not experience any severe symptoms of scorpion bite, you can take care of the stung area at home.

Severe scorpion symptoms usually include an inflammation of the pancreas—as the organ tries to dispose of the venom out of the body—that appears as severe abdominal pain, chills, fever, intermittent nausea, and vomiting. Pay a close attention to these symptoms within 24 to 48 hours after the incident, as they commonly occur rapidly.

• Clean the stung area from any dirt and any left stings. Wash the area with water and mild soap, focusing on the bitten area and the area around it. Rub the area gently to remove any dirt particles, but avoid pressing it, as it may cause the venom to spread.
• To alleviate caused pain and bring the inflammation down, you can give cold compress to the area. Apply the compress on the stung area for 10 minutes several times by giving each session a ten-minute interval.
• If you are experiencing aggravating pain, taking some pills containing acetaminophen may help, but avoid taking any aspirin or ibuprofen pills as they may induce the venom to spread all over the bloodstream more quickly. Some antihistamine can also be taken to reduce inflammation and itching.
• Limit movements on the wound site in order to inhibit the venom to spread quickly. If you are stung on the foot, thus, you will need to sit immediately.
• Do not attempt to cut into the wound to get the venom out. Do not do any suction, as well, especially using your mouth directly to perform this useless treatment. This will not get the venom out, instead it may lead to increasing risk of infection, as the bacteria from the cutting instruments or the mouth may contaminate the wound site.
• If you are experiencing severe symptoms of scorpion sting, such as nausea, blurred vision, confusedness, and other internal organ-related symptoms, do not attempt to treat the sting at home.

Instead, call the doctor or go to the ER immediately to get the site observed. Although scorpion bites rarely cause death, it may cause an excruciating pain that can be fatal especially in children so that immediate treatments are required. When in the ER, explain the scorpion characteristics and the cased symptoms as clear as you can.