Searches such as “what happens if a scorpion stings” and “what to do after a scorpion sting” rise in the summer months. This article is not a first-aid or treatment guide. It only collects, with their sources, the number and the route that official institutions such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior point to. The decision always rests with health personnel.
In an emergency: 112
The 112 Emergency Call Centre is operated by the Ministry of the Interior. According to the Ministry's announcement dated October 10, 2021, 112 can be reached free of charge from mobile and landline phones, the caller's location is determined automatically, and calls are answered in four languages besides Turkish. Many emergency services, health included, have been brought together under a single number. The page “First Aid After a Scorpion Sting” of Karayazi District State Hospital also says to call the 112 emergency line without losing time.
Applying to a health facility
In its statement dated July 28, 2020, the Denizli Provincial Health Directorate stresses that after scorpion and snake stings the nearest health facility should be contacted without losing time. The page “Snake and Scorpion Sting” of Arsuz State Hospital, dated September 11, 2025, likewise asks for a health facility to be contacted as soon as possible. The same provincial directorate statement also notes that the reaction after a sting can vary from person to person and with the species of the animal; this is why this article does not go into home methods or treatment details.
114: National Poison Information Centre
The National Poison Information Centre (UZEM), part of the Ministry of Health, operates the number 114. In the Ministry's press statement on mushroom poisonings, it is written that citizens who want information can call the National Poison Information Centre on 114 seven days a week, 24 hours a day. That statement concerns mushroom poisonings; it contains no guidance specific to scorpion stings. It is therefore necessary to treat 114 as an information and advice line and 112 as the emergency number.
| Condition | Official guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency help needed | 112 Emergency Call Centre | Ministry of the Interior; Karayazi District State Hospital |
| Going to a health facility | The nearest health facility, without losing time | Denizli Provincial Health Directorate; Arsuz State Hospital |
| Information on poisonings | 114 National Poison Information Centre | Ministry of Health |
Information that may help when you apply
Official sources note that information about the animal that stung is also important. The Denizli Provincial Health Directorate asks that, if possible, a photograph of the animal that stung be taken and shared with the doctor; Arsuz State Hospital asks that the species be reported if known, because the treatment to be given may depend on the species. Our article on scorpion species living in Türkiye is a starting point for recognising species.
In which months do applications rise?
The same Denizli Provincial Health Directorate statement reports that between the start of 2020 and 28 July, 174 scorpion-sting applications were made to the city-centre and district hospitals, concentrated in May (54) and June (72). The directorate also names July and August, when temperatures run very high, as the period when scorpions and snakes are active. This data belongs to a single province and a single year; it cannot be generalised to the whole of Türkiye. The biological background of scorpions' seasonal activity was explained in our article on what scorpions do in winter.
How should official pages be read?
Hospital and provincial health directorate pages were published in different years and their content may be updated. This is why the dates of the quotations in this article are given one by one. In an emergency, rather than searching for a page, one should call 112; when you want information, the most reliable route is the current announcements of your province's health directorate and the Ministry of Health.
Preventing stings
Ministry of Health sources also stress the importance of prevention; the Denizli statement recommends wearing closed shoes and not sleeping on the ground. The places where scorpions hide by day are described in our article on where scorpions live, and the measures that can be taken at home in our article on protection from scorpions.
