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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIf a scorpion stings you or your child, follow the suggestions below. Healthy adults may not need further treatment, and these tips can help keep children safe until they see a doctor:
- Wash the wound with soap and water.
- Apply cold compresses to the affected area to ease the pain and slow the venom's spread. This is most effective in the first two hours after a sting occurs.
- Try to stay calm and quiet so that the poison spreads more slowly.
- Don't consume food or liquids — stings can cause throat swelling and difficulty swallowing.
- Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Motrin, others), can help ease discomfort. But avoid using narcotic pain medications, which can suppress breathing.
References
- American Association of Poison Control Centers. 2008 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' national poison data system (NPDS). Clinical Toxicology. 2009;47:911. http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/2008annualreport.pdf. Accessed Sept. 21, 2010.
- Suchard JR. Scorpion envenomation. In: Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/219470238-2/1055986458/1483/419.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03228-5..50052-5_2506. Accessed Sept. 20, 2010.
- Gouge DH, et al. Scorpions. The University of Arizona. http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1223. Accessed Sept. 20, 2010.
- Scorpion stings. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec21/ch325/ch325h.html. Accessed Sept. 20, 2010.
- Chippaux JP, et al. Epidemiology of scorpionism: A global appraisal. Acta Tropica. 2008;107:71.
- Animal-associated hazards. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/animal-associated-hazards.aspx. Accessed Sept. 20, 2010.
- Boyer LV, et al. Antivenom for critically ill children with neurotoxicity from scorpion stings. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:2090.
- What to do in a medical emergency: Bites and stings. American College of Emergency Physicians Foundation. http://www.emergencycareforyou.org/EmergencyManual/WhatToDoInMedicalEmergency/Default.aspx?id=210#spider_bites_and_scorpion_stings. Accessed Sept. 20, 2010.
- FDA approves the first specific treatment for scorpion stings. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm266611.htm. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
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