Scorpion Sting : What to do, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment

Table of Contents

Scorpion is a poisonous insect with a crab like body with 8 legs.
It carries:
- a cephalothorax
- an abdomen and a 6 segmented tail which terminates in a bulbous enlargement called telson.
The telson contains the stinger and venom apparatus.
It has 2 claws which help to grasp its prey.
Scorpion feed at night and remain hidden during the day in crevices, burrows or under wood, rocks or loose barks.
Scorpion sting human being only when disturbed.
Around 100 species of scorpions are found in India.

Body Parts of a Scorpion

Sting of a Scorpion

It is a potent autonomic stimulator resulting in the release of massive amounts of catecholamines from the adrenal glands and nerves ending into the circulation.
It also has some direct effect on myocardium .
Due to depletion of catecholamines hypotension, bradycardia occur.

Local irritation is characterised by redness, pain radiating from the site.
The victim may not be able to localise the pain due to its radiation along the dermatomes involves.
There may be headache; nausea, chest discomfort, profuse perspiration , hypersalivation, cold extremities and sometimes priapism.
Hypertension may occur within 6 hours of sting while pulmonary oedema takes longer time.
Neurologic manifestations may persist for upto 1 week or so.
Haemolytic factors can mimic viperine snake bite .
Diagnosis is by locating only one deep punctured wound.
Neurotoxic factor can mimic strychnine poisoning victim present with nausea, vomiting, restlessness, fever followed by convulsion; paraslysis, coma and death.
While mortality in adults is negligible, children may sccumble from pulmonary oedema.

Hottentotta tamulus, the Indian red scorpion.

The limb is immobilized and a pressure bandage is applied near the site of sting.
Local anaesthetics are also useful to reduce the pain.
Stings of non lethal species require at moet ice packs, analgesics or antihistamines.
Intravenous administration of calcium gluconate may reduce swelling.
Hypertension and pulmonary edema respond to nifedipine, nitroprusside, hydralazine or prazosine and bradyarrhythmias can be controlled with atropine.
Giving barbiturates can control the convulsions.
Simultaneously, correction of fluid loss due to sweating, vomiting; needs to be taken care of by administring intravenous fluids.