What Are the Symptoms of a Scorpion Sting?

NIOSH lists symptoms of a scorpion sting that may include stinging or burning at the sting site with very little swelling or inflammation, a positive tap test in which tapping the site with a finger causes extreme pain, restlessness, convulsions, roving eyes, a staggering gait, a thick tongue sensation or slurred speech, drooling, muscle twitches, abdominal pain and cramps, and trouble breathing. It says these symptoms usually subside within 48 hours, although stings from a bark scorpion can be life-threatening.

The Arizona Department of Health Services said in 2011 that of more than 56 scorpion species in Arizona, only the bark scorpion is of any public health significance, and that it is the most common scorpion found in Arizona homes. It said the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center and the Banner Good Samaritan Poison and Drug Information Center answer thousands of calls every year about scorpion stings, and had recorded more than 10,000 scorpion stings in Arizona the previous year.

For a worker who is stung, NIOSH advises contacting a qualified health care provider or poison control center, applying ice without submerging the affected area in ice water, remaining calm, not taking any sedatives, and capturing the scorpion for identification if it is safe to do so. The Arizona Department of Health Services says scorpion stings are very painful but usually do not require special medical treatment, that washing the sting area and using a cool compress with over-the-counter pain medication handles the injury, and that pain and numbness can last several days. It says severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, uncontrolled jerking, drooling and wild eye movements require fast and expert medical care.

Arizona health officials reported in 2011 that the FDA had approved Anascorp, an antivenom produced in Mexico and tested in clinical trials conducted through the University of Arizona, for treating patients suffering the effects of scorpion stings. Its prescribing information says to start treatment as soon as possible in patients who develop clinically important signs of scorpion envenomation, including loss of muscle control, roving or abnormal eye movements, slurred speech, respiratory distress, excessive salivation, frothing at the mouth and vomiting.