How Long Does a Scorpion Sting Last & what To Do If You Get Stung By a Scorpion

Despite the bad reputation, not all the scorpions and their stings are life-threatening. In about 1500 different species of scorpions, only about 25 to 30 scorpions have venom that can be fatal. However, even if you get stung by these 25 to 30 highly venomous scorpions, it is not likely that you will die instantly. In fact, healthy adults do not die of scorpion sting, unless they are allergic to any bites and stings or if they have any underlying health condition which gets complicated on account of scorpion bite.

The threat is more for the kids, elderly people and people with health problems, such as a weak immunity or heart problem. However, if they are treated properly, they too can usually survive the scorpion sting. It is only in the remote areas, where there is not enough medical facility available that there is serious threat for people to die from a scorpion sting.

How Long Does a Scorpion Sting Last?

Usually, a scorpion sting lasts for about 7 to 10 days with its local symptoms. You will feel the pain, swelling and numbness in the area around the sting. However, these symptoms are minor and not too complicated. They can go away on their own without the need for treatment.

Here it needs to be mentioned that scorpions do not sting if they do not feel threatened. Depending on how threatened they feel, the stings become venomous. Not all the stings are venomous. Sometimes, they just sting to keep the attacker away. Sometimes, the stings are extremely venomous.

What to Do If You Get Stung by a Scorpion?

If you live in an area close to the woods or forest or even in the country side of village, there are high chances that you will find scorpions here and there sometime or the other. Being stung by one is also not impossible. However, most people think that they have been stung by the most dangerous Arizona Bark Scorpion, which is not always the case.

Even if you are stung by the most venomous scorpions, there are high chances that you will survive the venom. You should call the doctor as soon as possible as the doctor will be able to guide you about the right treatment. If it is possible, try to kill the scorpion and put the carcass in a tight container, so that the doctor is aware of exactly what type of scorpion has stung you.

If you get stung by a scorpion, following are the things that you need to do:

Stay Calm

The first thing that you need to do is not panic and stay as calm as possible. This is because, if you panic, you will have an increased blood flow and that will help the venom to spread faster. In order to make it slower, you must stay calm.

Clean the Area and your Hands

It is quite likely that you will feel extreme pain in the area that has been stung by the scorpion. Clean the area with mild soap and water to avoid further infection. Clean the area twice a day.

Also, you need to clean your hands for at least 15 seconds with mild soap and water before you touch the area that is stung. This will ensure that there is no secondary infection.

Cold Compress the Area Stung by the Scorpion

Once you have cleaned the area, you need to start putting cold compress on the sting. You should put the cold compress for 10 minutes and then remove it for 10 minutes and thus, repeat the procedure. This will reduce the swelling.

Pain Killers To Take When You Get Stung By A Scorpion

The major problem with a scorpion sting is the pain. The pain is quite severe at times. Hence, to relieve the pain, the doctor will prescribe some pain killers such as acetaminophen or Tylenol. The dose should not exceed 3 g per 24 hours. Usually, 1 or 2 tablets are given in an interval of 4 hours. However, over the counter pain killers such as aspirin or ibuprofen are not prescribed and should not be taken as they can lead to other health hazards in this situation.

Within 24 hours, the pain should reduce and swelling should also reduce. However, if there is other symptoms like breathlessness, feeling like vomiting, blurry vision or convulsions, see the doctor at once. In most cases, the children and aged people, or people with low immunity or heart problems are more vulnerable and have a chance of fatality. Therefore, if the scorpion stings any one of these, see a doctor at once. The doctor would usually give anti-venom.

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How Long Does a Scorpion Sting Last & what To Do If You Get Stung By a Scorpion