5) Scorpion Sting Symptoms

Scorpion venom disrupts the nervous system in various ways and at various levels. Understanding the severity of symptoms is vital for appreciating the urgency of the situation, pre-empting any future symptoms, and challenges that may occur while transporting the patient to medical assistance.

The following classes of symptoms are the foundations for effective first response.

In southern Africa, the vast majority of scorpion stings result in little more than class 1 and 2 symptoms, requiring no professional medical intervention whatsoever. At the other extreme, southern Africa is home to 3 species of scorpion that are collectively responsible for an estimated 8 to 12 deaths per year. 

These classes also relate to bites and stings from other venomous animals, such as spiders, snakes, stingrays, stone fish, centipedes, bees and wasps. These classes do not increase in equal steps nor on a linear scale, but rather infer symptoms, define boundaries, and indicate response. These classes relate to the sum of the patient’s symptoms.

Scorpion sting symptoms can be divided into localised and systemic symptoms. Recognising and understanding how symptoms develop is important for effective first response.

• Localised Symptoms - These develop immediately after the sting and may be intolerable to a point where the urgency of the situation is difficult to ignore. Although localised symptoms are never life threatening, the severity of localised symptoms is often an important and reliable indication as to severity of future systemic symptoms.
• Systemic Symptoms - Develop 15 to 45 minutes after the sting and are more impactful than localised symptoms. Systemic symptoms are an indication of class 3 or 4 symptoms.

Understanding how symptoms develop and the associated time frames, offer insight into the progression of symptoms from localised to systemic (if any).

The risk of bacterial infection is low because the sting site does not develop into an open lesion. The antibacterial properties of scorpion venom may also reduce the risk of bacterial infection. the use of antihistamines is not advised unless the patient is experiencing an allergic reaction. Life threatening allergic reactions to scorpion venom are very rare.

The majority of scorpion stings in humans occur when picking up objects under or in which a scorpion is sheltering, or when someone who is barefoot or is wearing open sandals stands on the scorpion. Animals are stung more often on the face, mouth or front feet.