Stung by a long spine urchin

akabilly · #1 10/20/2006, 05:41 PM

Trying move this little buger and he got me through my gloved a hand in the thumb. Any recommendations on how to treat it? Stings like a wasp but I assume I still have a chunk of the spine inside. The thing that sucks is I still haven't got him out...s o b!

Freed · #2 10/20/2006, 05:44 PM

Get it out and if you can't go to the ER. If you can get it out, run your thumb under as hot of water as you can stand to neutralize the venom/toxin.

Sk8r · #3 10/20/2006, 06:08 PM

Freed's advice is spot on. I'd add: you may have to go to have the spine extracted---they'll shoot your finger full of lidocaine to kill the pain, go after the bit, and bandage you up, probably with a tetanus shot for good measure, and maybe some antibiotics, considering the tank water you were in and the bacteria that may adhere to the spine. The alternative, having the spine fragment fester in the wound, is still no guarantee you can get it out, because many such things have directional barbs that make extraction something for professionals...not to mention the fact that these spines have been poking about under the sand in regions of the tank with processes we'd rather not think about.

iamwhatiam52 · #4 10/21/2006, 02:50 AM

NONSENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like many other divers, snorelers and beachcombers I have been stuck countless times by these urchins. The pain subsides quickly and the spines disolves in a week or two.

The spines are covered with tiny barbs that make it all but impossible to pull out, so just grin and bear it. Removing the spine will cause more damage than the spine will.

JoeyK@OCMD · #5 10/21/2006, 06:15 AM

Iamwhatiam52 is right. What does not kill you makes you stronger. I have pieces of urchin still in my hands from 3 years ago. If you are a normal healthy human, your body will fight off any foriegn objects in your body. It does help to put your hand in hot running water. The venom from these urchans can be very toxic though in high quantities. I believe it attacks your nervous system, but the real danger would be getting into a bed of them while snorkling. Many novice snorklers swim out over shallow reef heads and don't realize how much the water surges up and down.

Paul B · #6 10/21/2006, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Like many other divers, snorelers and beachcombers I have been stuck countless times by these urchins. The pain subsides quickly and the spines disolves in a week or two.

Ditto

Mr. Guitar · #7 10/21/2006, 03:55 PM

I agree with iamwhatiam52 and JoeyK@OCMD. Don't worry 'bout it. It's not as bad gettin stung by a stingray. About 7 years ago my friend got stung by a sting ray near the shore of the bay. We were about 3 or 4 hours away from a hospital. We got back in our boat, went to where we rented it, and asked the owner what to do. He told us to put her foot in a bucket of luke warm water and salt.

So, I suggest puttin your hand in a small container with luke warm water and salt. That makes the pain go away.

akabilly · #8 10/21/2006, 04:06 PM

Well I'm glad to say I got most of the spine out with tweezers, the pain lasted @ 30 minutes or so. Similar to being stung by a hornet or wasp.

When I pulled my glove off it really freaked me out cause the venom in the spine is like a purple dye and it left a huge nasty looking purple splotch with the spine hanging out of my finger, it definately looked worse than it actually was.

The hot water really seemed to do the trick.

Thanks again for the replies.

Cheers!

teena · #9 10/21/2006, 06:44 PM

do all urchins sting or just that kind? i just go two the other day 7 picked it up to put in another tank like i would a snail, i didnt know they stung,

Meisen · #10 10/21/2006, 08:26 PM

OK most of the advice above is pretty solid IME.....one caveat though, as with any kind of envenomation, you want to watch for signs of anaphlaxsis (shock symptoms, extreme swelling, persistant pain, nausea, rash/hives etc). I have been speared a few times here and there and the pain never lasted more than 20-30s so the 30' quoted would concern me a bit. As with other types of stings, I suspect can get sensitized to the venom as well. Probably not a bad idea to consult with a medical professional if the symptoms are severe or persistant.

Teena, There are a few species of urchins like the longspines that sting and some others actually have smaller, pincer-like spines close to the body that are extremely toxic ( ie the fire urchins). These have been implicated in human deaths (shock, as above but much worse like in sea wasps and box jellies) so I don't know why you would want one in your tank.

Some of the other common species still have barbed spines that will stick in like the longspines do (without the venom).

teena · #11 10/21/2006, 08:49 PM

well i another post started about them eating all the purple off my LR, ive only had them a week or so, i didnt no a thing about them i just thought they would be something unusual in the tank

FLricordia · #12 10/22/2006, 07:19 AM

Meat tenderizer will dissolve the spine.

chocolateblnt · #13 10/31/2006, 05:25 PM

just rub some 'tussin on it