Schmidt sting pain index

The Schmidt Sting Pain Index was developed by chemist and entomologist Jason O. Schmidt. It was first theorized while he was researching insects during graduate school. Schmidt noted that a significant amount of research had been conducted on the actual damage caused by insect stings, very little research was available regarding the sensations that such stings cause in humans. Schmidt began carrying out that research himself, exposing himself to stings from various insects and recording the results.

The Schmidt Sting Pain Index categorizes stings from zero through four. Stings rated at zero are not at all painful, while stings rated at four are incredibly painful. In order to further differentiate between sensations in the same level, each sting is accompanied by a description of the sensation caused by the injury. For example, Schmidt describes the sting of the bullet ant as “pure, intense, brilliant pain.”

Background

Jason O. Schmidt was born on March 23, 1947. He grew up in Appalachian Pennsylvania, where he developed a love of nature and the insects that inhabit it. As a child, Schmidt spent much of his free time studying insects. He attended college, advancing his education to pursue a career as a chemist.

Schmidt quickly found work as a chemist but discovered that he was unhappy in his new career. He did not like the work itself and disliked many of his coworkers. When Schmidt was still in his early twenties, his first wife, Debbie, gave him a copy of the book Wasp Farm. Schmidt quickly realized that he wanted to spend his life working to pursue his childhood interest of understanding the lives of insects.

While still in graduate school, Schmidt was stung while collecting specimens of a type of harvester ant. At the time, he was working to understand the chemistry that made their venom painful. Schmidt noted that the painful sensations associated with the bite were unlike anything he had ever experienced. They lasted for hours, producing deep pain. The researcher was intrigued by the unique experience and resolved to work to better understand the mechanisms and sensations associated with insect stings.

Schmidt traveled across the United States, working to collect specimens of native species of harvester ants from across the country. During this time, Schmidt was repeatedly stung by the different varieties of ants. He decided to begin taking notes about the sensations caused by the stings.

Overview

The insect researcher noted that a substantial amount of information was available about the toxicity of insect stings. That medical research had been conducted about the short-term and long-term damage caused by specific insect stings. However, he noted that very little research had been conducted on the physical sensation caused by each sting. For example, Schmidt found that while the sting of the tarantula hawk caused very little long-term damage, it was exceptionally painful. He came to the conclusion that such a sting was not evolved to cause injury but instead acts as a deterrent.

Schmidt knew that this topic would be difficult to study. However, he also knew that the data might prove useful for other researchers. He began formally recording his experiences, rating the pain from various stings on a scale of zero to four. On his scale, zero was the least painful a sting could be, while a four was the most painful. The scale was centered around the sting of the common honeybee, which was rated at two. In some cases, Schmidt used the testimony of other experts in the field to flesh out his guide. However, in most circumstances, he made sure to experience the stings himself.

The Schmidt Pain Index contains clearly defined descriptions for each pain category. Level zero includes stings that are not painful at all, including ones that may not even be noticeable to humans. Pain level one includes stings with a pain duration of one minute or less and pain that is slight and easily bearable by most people. Pain level two includes stings that cause pain lasting from two to five minutes. This pain should be immediately noticeable and cause significant discomfort. Many wasps and bees, including yellow jackets, are placed in category two.

Pain level three is reserved for pain that lasts for up to half an hour after the initial sting. Stings rated at pain level three are extremely painful, causing sudden and strong discomfort in victims. Certain types of wasps and ants with especially painful stings are found in this category.

Pain level four includes only the most painful insect stings. The pain from these injuries may last for up to two hours and may be described as torturous. Notable examples of insects from pain level four include the bullet ant and the tarantula hawk.

While conducting research for his index, Schmidt came to the conclusion that many insect stings are associated with unique sensations. Some stings from within the same level tend to produce very different levels of pain. For this reason, he began accompanying entries in his index with vivid descriptors of the injury itself. For example, Schmidt describes the sting of the red fire ant, which is placed at pain level one, as “sharp, sudden, mildly alarming.” However, he describes the sting of the bullet ant, which is sorted into level four, as “pure, intense, brilliant pain.”

Many scientists criticized Schmidt’s work, arguing that the small sample of the pain index size was unscientific. However, Schmidt argued that his work provided other scientists with useful information that would otherwise be impossible to collect. Additionally, he noted that finding a large enough pool of volunteers to create a scientifically significant sample size would be unlikely.

Bibliography

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Schmidt, Justin. “Ouch! King of Sting Dr. Justin Schmidt Rates the World’s Most Painful Insect Stings.” Interview by Adam Milward. Guinness World Records, 2019, www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2019/2/king-of-sting-rates-most-painful-insects-558529. Accessed 10 Feb. 2022.

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“Stung by 83 Different Insects, Biologist Rates His Pain on a Scale of 1 to — OW!” Weekend Edition Sunday, NPR, 2016, www.npr.org/2016/05/15/477852486/stung-by-83-different-insects-biologist-rates-his-pain-on-a-scale-of-1-to-ow. Accessed 10 Feb. 2022.

“The Schmidt Pain Index and the Most Painful Insect Stings.” Pestco, 2020, www.pestco.com/most-painful-insect-stings/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2022.

“The Schmidt Sting Pain Index.” Natural History Museum, 2022, www.nhm.ac.uk/scroller-schmidt-painscale/#intro/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2022.