Buzz
Stingrays and sea urchins, along with other marine life, are not naturally aggressive. However, they can cause severe wounds and hidden risks if disturbed or harmed. Learn to identify stings from stingrays and sea urchins, follow first aid steps, and provide information for victims to treat minor wounds at home, particularly on the arms and legs. However, it's always advisable for victims to seek professional care if stung by a sea urchin or stingray, even after initial home treatment. Wounds to the abdomen, chest, neck, or face are considered especially serious and may be life-threatening, requiring immediate medical attention.
Steps
Identifying and Treating Stingray Stings
Observe common symptoms. Stingray stings may come with symptoms (ranging from mild to severe) such as:
- A puncture wound. The stingray's barb is typically large and may be jagged. Stingrays usually do not leave their barb behind, though in rare cases, the barb may break off inside the wound.
- Victims will experience immediate, intense pain at the sting site.
- The affected area will swell.
- The puncture wound will bleed.
- The skin around the wound may turn blue initially, then shift to red.
- Excessive sweating.
- The victim may feel faint, weak, or dizzy.
- Headaches.
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Rapid breathing.
- Seizures, cramps, or paralysis.
Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear severe. The following signs indicate that the victim needs urgent medical help:
- The wound is located on the abdomen, chest, neck, or face.
- Excessive bleeding.
- The victim experiences difficulty breathing, itching, nausea, a tight throat, rapid pulse, dizziness, or loss of consciousness.
Remove the victim from the water and into a safe place. If the incident occurred near the shore, lay the victim on the ground, or if it happened aboard a boat, place them on the deck or seat.
- Quickly and safely getting out of the water is necessary to prevent further injury.
- If the victim is vomiting, lay them on their side to prevent choking.
Control the bleeding. The best way to stop the bleeding is by applying a clean cloth or towel to the sting.
- If you don’t have a clean towel or cloth, you can use a piece of clothing.
- Apply just enough pressure to stop or slow the bleeding. If the victim is conscious, ask if they can tolerate the pressure or if it causes increased pain.
Use tweezers to remove the barb if medical care is not available. If you find a barb lodged in the wound, it must be removed to prevent further venom infiltration. However, the stingray's barb has barbed edges, and removing it may cause further tissue damage, allowing more venom to spread. Additionally, trying to remove it without proper expertise could cause the barb to break off inside the wound, requiring professional help to remove the broken pieces. Moreover, a large barb could actually seal the wound and help prevent excessive bleeding. Therefore, only attempt to remove the barb if medical help is inaccessible, such as when far from land.
- If you don’t have tweezers, you can use small, pointed pliers to extract the barb. Choose a relatively clean tool to avoid infection.
- Be careful with the barb after removal. Do not allow it to prick you or anyone else. Dispose of it by placing it in a bottle with a sealed lid or wrap it in several layers of plastic to prevent accidental contact.
- Avoid using bare hands to remove the barb. If you don’t have the proper tools, it’s best to wait for a medical professional. Even thick gloves may not protect you from being pricked while handling the barb, so exercise extreme caution.
Wash and soothe the stingray sting wound
Handle the wound as you would a regular cut. It should be rinsed with warm fresh water, soap, and/or disinfectant. Cold water can be used if warm water is not available, but it may cause the victim more pain. You can skip this step if the victim is in significant pain.
- If clean water or disinfectant is unavailable, it's best to leave the wound as is until proper cleaning can be done. Washing with unclean water can do more harm than good, as it increases the risk of infection, especially in deep wounds.
Soak the injured area in water. This step should be done when the victim is either at home or at a medical facility. Use warm or hot water to soak the affected area for 30 to 90 minutes.
- Be sure to use a clean basin and fresh water for the soaking. This helps prevent additional infection risks.
- Warm water can alter the protein structure in the venom. Aim for water around 45°C (113°F).
Keep the wound clean. This helps promote healing and prevent infection. Unless directed otherwise by a healthcare professional, you should clean the wound at least once a day and apply over-the-counter antibiotic ointment to the injury.
- A common over-the-counter antibiotic ointment in the U.S. is Neosporin triple-antibiotic. There are many similar products available at pharmacies and convenience stores. This ointment is for external use only.
Take anti-inflammatory medication. These over-the-counter drugs (available without a prescription) help reduce swelling and pain. Skip this step if the victim is vomiting or allergic to anti-inflammatory medications.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs containing ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen are widely available under various brand names (such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve) and can be found at most pharmacies worldwide.
- Note that anti-inflammatory medications won't speed up the healing process but will help alleviate the pain and discomfort caused by the injury.
- Remember that stingray venom is believed to have anticoagulant properties, especially at higher doses. If the wound is bleeding heavily and doesn't seem to stop, or if the sting is particularly severe, do not administer anti-inflammatory drugs. Instead, immediately take the victim to the hospital, where they can be treated with local pain-relieving injections and anesthetic creams.
See a doctor. The victim should receive medical treatment even if the wound is not serious and pain has decreased quickly. This is the best way to manage the wound early to prevent complications and mitigate certain risks.
- A doctor may recommend imaging tests to ensure no stingray barb fragments remain in the wound. This is the only way to ensure no harmful objects are left inside. Even a small fragment can lead to infection.
- A doctor might also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection, particularly if the injury occurred in saltwater. Always complete the prescribed antibiotic course, even if the wound appears healed. Stopping early can result in infection or more severe complications.
- If over-the-counter painkillers are ineffective, a doctor may prescribe stronger pain relief medications. Never exceed the prescribed dosage. For safety, follow any dietary or activity restrictions while on medication.
Identify and treat wounds caused by sea urchin stings
Examine the surroundings of the victim. Discovering a sea urchin at the scene is a clear clue that the injury was caused by a sea urchin. This creature does not have the ability to escape quickly. If a person is stung by a sea urchin, you can easily confirm it by observing the area around.
- This may not be crucial for the victim's immediate safety or health but helps to be reasonably sure the wound is indeed caused by a sea urchin sting.
Observe common symptoms. Sea urchin stings can result in varying levels of severity, but typically cause the following symptoms:
- The wound has small spines embedded in the skin. These spines often appear slightly green under the skin, showing where the small spines punctured.
- The victim immediately experiences sharp pain at the site of the injury.
- The wound becomes swollen.
- The skin around the wound turns red or brownish-purple.
- The victim may feel discomfort in the joints or muscle pain.
- The victim may feel weak or exhausted.
Seek immediate medical care if symptoms worsen. Even a seemingly minor wound from a sea urchin can be life-threatening, especially if the victim is allergic to the sea urchin's venom. The following are signs that the victim needs urgent medical attention:
- Multiple deep puncture wounds.
- The wound is located on the abdomen, chest, neck, or face.
- Exhaustion, muscle pain, weakness, shock, paralysis, or respiratory failure.
Move the victim out of the water and into a safe area. If the incident occurs near the shore, lay the victim on the ground. Most sea urchin stings happen when a person accidentally steps on one with bare feet. Therefore, most incidents happen in shallow waters near the shore or at beaches.
- As with any marine-related accident, quickly and safely removing the victim from the water is essential to prevent further injury.
- Elevate the injured area to prevent dirt or sand from entering the wound, especially if the injury is on the bottom of the foot.
Arrange to move the victim to a safe place indoors. Even if the victim and/or their companions say that emergency services are not needed, someone should still take them home, to a hospital, a hotel, or another nearby location to continue treating the wound.
- Do not allow the victim to drive themselves, as other symptoms may appear after the injury, which could lead to unconsciousness or worsen the pain.
- If there are no means of transportation available, or if no one knows where the hospital or hotel is located, you should call emergency services. Delaying treatment may pose a risk to the victim’s health.
Clean and soothe the wound caused by a sea urchin sting
Soak the affected area in warm water or hot water for 30 to 90 minutes. This helps neutralize the venom, alleviate pain, and soften the skin for easier removal of the spines.
- Use a clean basin filled with fresh water to soak the injury. This helps prevent the risk of infection.
- Soaking the wound does not speed up the healing process, but it can reduce pain and make spine removal easier.
- Do not dry the injured area. It is important to remove the spines while the skin is still moist and soft.
- You may also use vinegar to soak the wound, as it can neutralize the venom and soften the injury.
Use tweezers to remove larger or visible spines. This will help reduce pain and prevent the venom from continuing to enter the wound.
- If tweezers are not available, you can use small pliers or similar tools to remove the larger spines from the wound. Choose clean tools (sterile is even better) to avoid introducing infection-causing agents into the wound.
- Place the sea urchin spines in a bottle and seal it, or wrap them in several layers of plastic before disposing of them in the trash.
- Do not use your bare hands to remove the spines. If tools are unavailable, it is best to wait for medical assistance.
Gently scrape off smaller or less visible spines. Apply shaving cream to the injured area and gently use a razor to scrape off the spines stuck to the skin’s surface. Even the tiniest spines release venom into the skin and can cause severe pain if not removed.
- Do not use shaving cream with menthol, as it cools the skin and may cause more pain or irritate the wound.
- You may soak the wound in vinegar before scraping. Vinegar can break down the smaller spines, making it easier to remove the venom.
Gently rub the affected skin with soap and warm water. This helps clean the wound and remove any remaining spines stuck to the surface of the skin. Thoroughly rinse the affected area with fresh, clean water.
- You can also use cold water to clean the wound, but cold water might increase pain; whereas warm water helps neutralize the venom.
- Antiseptic water can be used as a substitute for soap, but it is generally unnecessary.
Use anti-inflammatory medication. This helps reduce swelling and pain. Skip this step if the victim is vomiting or allergic to the medication.
- Note that anti-inflammatory drugs will not speed up the healing of the wound, but they can alleviate pain and discomfort caused by the injury.
- Never give the victim more than the recommended dose based on their age and weight. Even over-the-counter drugs can be harmful if misused.
See a doctor. Even if the wound is not severe and the pain subsides quickly, the victim should receive medical care to ensure proper treatment and prevent complications.
- The doctor may use imaging tests to ensure that no broken fragments remain in the wound. Sea urchin spines can gradually penetrate deeper into the skin, affecting nerves or surrounding tissues, potentially leading to complications.
- If swelling and pain last longer than five days, it may indicate an infection or that sea urchin spine fragments are still embedded deep in the skin. Only a doctor can address this and may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. Always complete the prescribed antibiotic course, even if the wound seems healed.
- In rare cases, a minor surgical procedure may be required to remove broken sea urchin spines lodged deep in the skin.
- If the victim is in severe pain or requires surgery, the doctor may prescribe pain-relieving medication.
Advice
- Be cautious when wading in shallow coastal waters and avoid areas where you spot stingrays or sea urchins. However, remember that it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of injury from stingrays or sea urchins if you venture into their habitats.
- Call emergency services immediately if you or someone with you is stung by a stingray or sea urchin and you believe the situation may be life-threatening.
Warning
- Even a minor sting can be fatal in certain circumstances.
- It is always advisable to exercise caution and seek medical treatment for injuries caused by stingrays or sea urchins. This guide is intended for situations where immediate medical attention is unavailable or for clearly non-severe injuries.
- The pain from a stingray or sea urchin sting can be intensely excruciating.
- Infections can reoccur or worsen if the victim fails to complete the full course of prescribed antibiotics; always follow the doctor’s instructions when using any medication!
