Stung by a Bark Scorpion in Arizona? What to Do Now
Short answer: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, wash the sting, and use a cool compress. Most stings are painful but minor. Call 911 for trouble breathing.
What to Do After a Bark Scorpion Sting
- Call Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours, free). The poison experts tell you whether you need the hospital and follow up on the call (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center; Banner).
- Call 911 if the person has trouble breathing (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center brochure).
- Wash the sting with soap and water and put a cool compress on it.
- Keep the arm or leg in a comfortable position. For mild pain, University of Arizona Health Sciences lists ice and over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Don't treat it like an allergy. UA Health Sciences says to avoid Benadryl, other antihistamines and epinephrine, which can make the heart rate and blood pressure worse.
- If it's a small child, call right away. Children are at the highest risk of a severe reaction.
This page is general information from Arizona's poison centers, not medical advice. When in doubt, call 1-800-222-1222.
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Arizona Bark Scorpion Sting Symptoms
Arizona has about 30 kinds of scorpions, and the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center says only the bark scorpion is considered life-threatening. What a sting usually looks like:
- Common: immediate burning pain at the sting with little or no swelling or redness, then numbness and tingling that can spread. The area can get very sensitive to touch, pressure, heat and cold.
- Severe, get medical care: trouble breathing, drooling, double vision, trouble swallowing or slurred speech, muscle twitching or poor coordination, nausea, fever or a fast heart rate (UA Health Sciences; Banner).
- In children: rubbing the face or nose, and rapid, jittery eye movements or jerky body movements (Banner; Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center).
More than 95% of stings cause only minor effects, and Arizona emergency departments carry an effective antivenom for severe cases (University of Arizona Health Sciences). Arizona poison centers get around 20,000 scorpion calls a year.
A Sting at Home Means Bark Scorpions Are Getting In
Bark scorpions are the scorpion most often found inside Phoenix-area homes. They are 1 to 1.5 inches long, climb almost anything except clean glass and smooth plastic, and are active at night (Banner). Most stings happen at night in the warm months. Where one was found, there are usually more in the walls, attic, garage or block wall outside. What the poison centers suggest in bark scorpion areas:
- Move beds and cribs away from walls, keep bedding and crib skirts off the floor, and set crib or bed legs in glass jars.
- Pull back the sheets before getting in bed, and shake out shoes, clothes and damp towels.
- Wear shoes outside at night, especially around the pool.
- Check rooms with a UV black light after dark: bark scorpions glow green.
Scorpion Control in Phoenix After a Sting: What It Costs
Scorpion control goes after where they live and how they get in: a perimeter and harborage treatment, weep screeds, block walls, door thresholds and the garage, plus the gaps to seal. A one-time diagnostic visit with treatment is $149. The plan is $50/month with treatment every 60 days and free callbacks if they come back between visits. Start a plan the same day and your visit fee covers your first 3 months of the plan. Full-yard Power Spray starts at $125. See pest control cost.
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Bark Scorpion Sting Questions
What happens if you get stung by an Arizona bark scorpion?
Most people feel immediate burning pain with little swelling, and numbness or tingling that can spread (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center). University of Arizona Health Sciences says more than 95% of stings cause only minor effects. Severe signs such as trouble breathing, drooling, double vision, poor muscle control or a fast heart rate need medical care.
Should I take Benadryl for a scorpion sting?
No. University of Arizona Health Sciences says not to treat a scorpion sting as an allergic reaction and to avoid diphenhydramine (Benadryl), other antihistamines and epinephrine, which can make symptoms like heart rate and blood pressure worse. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for advice.
Do I need to go to the hospital for a scorpion sting?
Most stings in healthy adults can be handled at home, according to the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center. Call 1-800-222-1222 and the poison experts will tell you whether to go in. Young children and older adults are most at risk of a severe reaction, and Arizona emergency departments have an effective antivenom for severe cases (University of Arizona Health Sciences).
Are bark scorpions deadly?
Rarely. University of Arizona Health Sciences says people have died from scorpion stings, but it is extremely rare and unlikely, and severe stings are typically survivable with medical care. The Arizona bark scorpion is the only one of Arizona's roughly 30 scorpion species regarded as life-threatening (Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center). Small children and older adults are most at risk, so call 1-800-222-1222 right away, or 911 for trouble breathing.
How many scorpion stings happen in Arizona?
Arizona poison centers get around 20,000 calls a year about scorpion stings, and University of Arizona Health Sciences says that likely undercounts them. The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center says most stings happen at night in the warm months.
How do I know if a child was stung by a scorpion?
Banner Poison and Drug Information Center says to watch for a child rubbing the face or nose, which can be a sign of numbness and tingling. Children are more likely to have severe symptoms, including rapid, jittery eye movements and drooling. Call 1-800-222-1222 right away if a small child may have been stung.
Can pest control stop scorpion stings at home?
Treatment and sealing cut down how many bark scorpions get inside, but no service can promise zero. That is why the poison centers also recommend shaking out shoes and bedding and keeping beds and cribs off the walls in bark scorpion areas.