Following the poisonous sting, within minutes, the patient collapses suddenly, with grave symptoms and signs of poisoning. If he does not collapse at once, beware, he is likely to collapse any time during the next half an hour, depending on the extent of the poison absorbed. The severity of the various symptoms and signs, described below, may vary with the species of the scorpion.

Since scorpion venom is known to cause an injurious effect on the various vital systems of the body, simultaneously, e.g. on the nervous system, cardiovascular/respiratory system, etc., the patient develops many types of serious problems pertaining to several organs of the body. It appears as if the patient is suffering from various lethal diseases at the same time.

The patient becomes markedly restless and shows signs of drowsiness, and may even become unconscious. He may also complain of marked palpitation and difficulty in breathing, or breathlessness. There may be such profuse sweating that it may look like the patient is bathing in his own sweat. Also, there is excessive salivation or lacrimation - excessive flow of water / tears from the eyes.

Soon the heart may become irregular, and the patient may complain of pain in the chest, as in the case of a heart attack. Lungs too soon become flooded with fluids (pulmonary oedema), and the fluid in the lungs may be so much that a pink-colored froth may start flowing out of the patient's mouth and nostrils.

Blood pressure may be elevated to a very high degree in some cases.

All these fluctuations and multiple system involvement make the condition of the patient not only grave, but also make its management highly difficult and complicated, even in a well-equipped hospital with intensive care unit (ICU) facilities, not to speak of peripheral health centres/hospitals, where facilities are bound to be inadequate.

As time passes, the condition of the patient becomes more serious. Besides these grave deteriorating conditions, other systems may also be involved. Haemorrhage may occur in different parts of the body. The patient may vomit blood, or pass blood in the faeces or in urine. Paralysis of one side of the body (hemiplegia) may occur due to haemorrhage in the brain. Pancreatitis may also occur, causing intense pain in the abdomen. The patient enters into such a deplorable condition, that he even passes urine, stools involuntarily, in a state of delirium.

In such serious cases, death usually occurs instantaneously, or any time within 24 hours. Chances of recovery may brighten when symptoms and signs are not highly fatal from the very beginning, and the patient reaches a suitable hospital at the early stage of the disease. It is all a matter of luck and chance! It is, indeed, a time-bound fatal emergency.

Scorpion-Sting - Does Immediate Local Care of Sting Help?

If the patient is already in a state of shock, and the symptoms and signs of collapse have already appeared, there is no use wasting time on local therapy. Once manifestations of scorpion poisoning have developed, or are developing, local therapy will prove to be of little value.

However, if time permits, local first aid may be given at once, provided someone is available on the spot, and he is aware of the procedure of immediate aid in such cases. All steps of first aid for scorpion-sting must be known by all, as it may be said, particularly in the context of this emergency, that the difference between life and death is so small, that only someone who knows what to do in such a difficult situation can be useful. One can never know where 'someone' will be required to give urgent aid to a case of scorpion-sting, and save the precious life of a patient.

Local symptoms include intense pain at the site of the sting, and the patient feels marked uneasiness in the entire limb. There may be itching and a pricking type of sensation in the area of the sting. The site of the sting may become red and swollen.

Various steps of prompt local aid/treatment to the victim are as given below:

Immediately apply a string or a piece of cloth/ tourniquet on the part of the body just above the site of the sting. However, it should always be kept in mind to release the tourniquet after every half an hour, so that the blood supply below the tourniquet does not suffer.

At the same time, rub pieces of ice on the site of the sting, or pour ice-cold water over the area. The entire affected portion of the limb may be chilled with iced water.

A local incision/cut is not helpful. However, a strong solution of ammonia may be applied the sting site and this may neutralize the acid poison of the scorpion. Since the pain at the sting site may be unbearable, a local anaesthesia may be used immediately, if possible, otherwise, any pain-killer injection may be administered.

Any of the above urgent first-aid measures may not help to save the patient. However, these measures must be tried as far as possible, if the situation requires it.