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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffScorpions tend to avoid contact. To prevent chance meetings:
- Remove trash, logs, boards, stones, bricks and other objects that would make good hiding places for scorpions from around your home.
- Keep grass closely mowed, and prune bushes and overhanging tree branches, which can provide a path to your roof for scorpions.
- Store garbage containers in a frame that allows them to rest above ground level.
- Caulk cracks, install weatherstripping around doors and windows, and repair torn screens.
- Avoid storing firewood inside your house.
- Always wear shoes outdoors, especially around water sources, such as swimming pools and fountains.
- Shake out your shoes and clothing before wearing them in areas where scorpions are common.
- When hiking or camping, wear long sleeves and pants and check your sleeping bag and clothing for scorpions every evening.
- When traveling in other countries — especially if you're camping or staying in rustic accommodations — shake out your clothing and bedding often and sleep under a mosquito net. If you have a known allergy to insect stings, carry an epinephrine injector, such as EpiPen.
- Carefully move a scorpion. If you find a scorpion near your home or campsite, don't panic. Use tongs to gently remove the scorpion to a safer location.
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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