First Hand Account of a Scorpion Sting

So a friend of mine got stung by a scorpion last night. I had her write up exactly what it felt like. I figured that since she is an editor she would do a great job describing it…

After living in Arizona for four years, my initiation into desert life was completed yesterday when I got stung by a scorpion. You read that right. Stung by a scorpion. Even though it happened to me just writing those words is surreal.

OK so maybe I’m being a little dramatic about this, but with good reason, being stung hurts! A lot actually. First, I felt a burning, tingling sensation on the site of the sting (in my case, my knee). It felt like a million ants were crawling underneath my skin. This feeling then moved throughout my whole leg. Not fun. Next, came the muscle spasms. Luckily for me the spasms only occurred in my legs, with my calves being the main area affected. Then, your throat feels like it’s closing up, but it’s actually just the neurotoxins moving through your system.

The tingling sensation was the most prominent symptom I felt. Even the next day, I still felt like I had ants everywhere. By the end of the day, the tingling subsided to a dull pain in my knee and leg. The nice lady over at Poison Control told me that I may have symptoms from the sting for up to 24 hours. Alas, I lived to tell my tale and warn others about our fellow Arizona residents.

Kasia Marciszewska

Assistant Editor

AZ Big Media