Living in the desert means you are subject to all sorts of creepy crawling pests. Some bite, some sting and some are just plain gross to look at.
Because this will always be a concern, you should know how to deal with the bites and stings of the insects you are likely to cross paths with in Las Vegas. One of those likely assaults can come from the stinger of a scorpion.
Of the 1,500 species of scorpions, only 25 of them have venom that is dangerous to humans. Even still, a sting from any of the other species can be painful and cause an allergic reaction. You want to make sure you know what to do in the event you are stung by a scorpion.
Chances are, if you get stung, you will be at home or out on a camping trip of some sort. Use these tips to prepare yourself for when you are away from immediate medical help.
1. Know the symptoms. If you are stung by a scorpion, of course you want to know if you are in immediate danger. Any of the symptoms on this list are a sign that you need to seek medical help right away.
- Fast or irregular heart rate
- Breathing, swallowing, speaking or seeing becomes hard
- Severe swelling
- Incontinence
- Moderate to severe muscle spasms in the eyes, head or neck
- Difficulty walking
- Vomiting
- Heavy sweating
- Drooling or foaming at the mouth
2. Find the sting. A sting from a scorpion that isn’t venomous shouldn’t cause much swelling. Instead, you might feel a pinch, a little burning, tingling or numbness.
3. Clean the sting. Wash the sting with soap and water to keep it from getting infected. This will also help wash away any left over venom if it was there to begin with.
4. Keep the sting low. There are resources that say you should raise the sting over your heart. Don’t. This will actually help the venom spread through your body faster. Naturally, you don’t want that. Also keep as still as possible to keep any venom that may be there from spreading with a quickened heart rate.
5. Calm down. If your heart rate is up, the venom spreads.
6. Ice the sting. Put an ice pack wrapped in a towel or washcloth on the sting for about 10 minutes. Remove it for another 10 minutes and repeat until you see the swelling go down. Doing this will also help slow the spread of venom and reduce pain.
7. Safely self-medicate. Over the counter painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can help reduce pain and swelling. Never use opiate painkillers because they can stop your breathing in combination with the venom. If the pain is that bad, get to the hospital as soon as possible.
8. Get professional help. Whether you know for sure if it was a venomous scorpion or not, you should be seen by a doctor. There are experts to help you deal with these things.
Once you’ve taken care of the sting, think back to where you were. If you were camping, avoid that campsite or take the right preventative measure upon arrival. If you were at home, you need to seek the help of an exterminator in Las Vegas right away.
One scorpion usually means that there are others close by. Call a Las Vegas pest control company like R and C Pest Control. They are experts in dealing with the creepiest crawling insects in the desert. For more information about a great exterminator in Las Vegas, contact 702.257.2847.