1. First Aid Essentials Slideshow Pictures
2. First Aid Bandaging Injuries Slideshow Pictures
3. First Aid Sprains & Strains Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Many scorpion stings can be prevented by taking precautions such as shaking out clothing and shoes to dislodge any scorpions, wearing clothing that covers the body (for example, wearing gloves and tucking in pant legs into boots may limit exposure). Many pesticides that are commercially used outside on homes may make some scorpions sluggish and easier to kill before they can sting. In addition, pesticides may markedly reduce the food source of scorpions.

Most investigators suggest that if a scorpion is seen or felt on the skin, it is better to brush it off quickly instead of slapping at it because the scorpion will likely sting if the slap does not kill it.

Scorpions glow (fluoresce) under UV light (black light), so if a person is doing tasks in areas where scorpions might reside (dark areas like a closet or underneath a porch), people can use a black light to find them before they sting. This technique can be used in homes at night when scorpions are more active and may be found on the floors or walls.