Use of stun guns for venomous bites and stings: a review

Abstract

During the past 2 decades, articles suggesting that stun guns be utilized to treat venomous bites and stings have appeared in both the lay and medical press. Although never widely considered to be standard therapy for venomous bites and stings, stun guns are still considered to be a treatment option by some medical practitioners and outdoor enthusiasts. A Medline search was performed using these terms: venomous bites, venomous stings, snake bites, spider bites, electrical, stun gun, high voltage electricity, low amperage electricity, direct current, and shock therapy. Articles selected included laboratory-based isolated venom studies, animal studies, and case reports involving humans in which a stun gun or some other source of high voltage, low amperage direct current electric shocks were used to treat actual or simulated venomous bites or stings. We concluded that the use of stun guns or other sources of high voltage, low amperage direct current electric shocks to treat venomous bites and stings is not supported by the literature.

Snakebite: When the Human Touch Becomes a Bad Touch

“…The suppliers of such electrical devices, similar to the sellers of mechanical suction devices, have made outlandish and evidence-free statements [ 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ]. In contrast to the evidence-free advocation of the method, peer-reviewed and published research on the efficacy of electricity demonstrated a complete failure of the technique [ 99 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ]. In 1990, the US Food and Drug Administration implemented a formal ban of electrical devices being promoted as having any therapeutic usefulness [ 99 ].…”

“…In 1990, the US Food and Drug Administration implemented a formal ban of electrical devices being promoted as having any therapeutic usefulness [ 99 ]. Despite this ban, webpages can still be readily accessed that recklessly promote such devices [ 110 ] despite these methods having been disproven in recent investigations [ 99 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 ] and the subject of a ban by the FDA [ 99 ]. In addition to the lack of efficacy, the method itself is dangerous as it may lead to burns, lethal heart attacks or electrocution [ 109 , 111 , 112 ].…”

Wilderness Medical Society Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Pitviper Envenomations in the United States and Canada

“…At one time, it was theorized that electrical current may denature snake venom, but research demonstrated that electrotherapy is not useful for snakebite treatment and is harmful to the patient. [61][62][63] (Not recommended)…”

A Guide to the Clinical Management of Vipera Snakebite in Italy

“…It is crucial to understand that minimal intervention before reaching a hospital setting generally yields optimal outcomes for the patient. Despite common misconceptions, practices like applying compression, using tourniquets, making incisions, attempting oral suction, applying ice, employing heat or chemical agents, or administering electric shocks locally are not supported by scientific evidence and may in fact increase the risk of clinical complications (see [ 10 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 ]).…”