A scorpion sting is nothing to write home about. Though getting stung by a scorpion sounds scary as hell, the reality of it usually isn’t all that bad.
Tay Belgeri recounted the scorpion sting she experienced while visiting Cambodia. Being stung was probably the worst part of the whole ordeal, as she felt a pinch on her finger and saw a scorpion swinging side-to-side on her hand.
After the initial shock, Belgeri experienced swelling in her hand and a “weird sensation” that traveled from her wrist to her elbow.
She compared the feeling to that of her arm falling asleep and “what I imagine it would feel like to stand inside a massive church bell while it’s ringing at full force.”
One thing she didn’t experience in the hours and days that followed? Pain. After some over-the-counter pills and a couple of days’ rest, Belgeri was as good as new.
What Happens If You’re Stung by a Scorpion?
If the image of a scorpion hanging from your hand unlocked a new fear, there’s good news. Belgeri’s experience is typical of people who’ve been stung by a scorpion.
According to Healthline, there are 1,500 species of scorpions in the world. Only 30 of those produce venom toxic enough to be fatal.
The Cleveland Clinic described a scorpion sting as “painful but mostly harmless.”
Chelsea Espinoza, another visitor to Cambodia, agreed in a blog post. She recounted getting stung in the butt by a scorpion as “a quick, sharp sting.”
Unlike Belgeri, Espinoza sought treatment at a local clinic. She was given a shot and some pills to care for her sting. Like Belgeri, she wound up being just fine.
Stings typically get red and swollen within minutes. For many people, like the two Cambodian travelers mentioned above, that’s the extent of the situation.
If more serious symptoms—breathing difficulties, muscle thrashing, or the ilk—are going to develop, that’ll happen within an hour of the sting and are usually treated without complications.
The biggest risk of a sting comes if a person is allergic to the venom. In that case, there’s cause for concern, especially in regards to anaphylaxis.
Despite the unlikelihood of serious complications from a scorpion sting, if you want to avoid the situation altogether, stay out of dark and moist places, especially at night.
And also maybe avoid the baggage claim area at Boston’s Logan Airport, since a woman got stung by a scorpion there earlier this month.
The post What Does It Feel Like to Get Stung by a Scorpion? appeared first on VICE.
