What To Do If You Have Been Stung By A Sea Urchin?
You can find them on beaches when you walk through the water near the shore or deeper on the sea floor. The round and prickly creatures can cause severe pain and burning sensation even with light contact if you have been stung by a sea urchin.
Therefore, in this post we will inform you about what to do if you have been stung by a sea urchin .
What to do if you have been stung by a sea urchin
Whether in the deepest ocean, near the beach or between rocks: sea urchins know how to defend themselves very well against attacks, even against unintentional attacks.
Your body is eventually covered in thick spikes that expel toxic substances and cause pain, itching, inflammation, and even muscle paralysis.
Know the best way to react if you’ve been stung by a sea urchin, because until the spines are completely removed, poison is continuously released, making the injury worse. The risk of infection is quite high.
If you’ve been stung by a sea urchin, do the following:
1. Remove the stinger
This is the most important thing so that the poison does not penetrate further into the body. You can z. B. use tweezers. You need to be careful not to break the spines: try to pull them out completely.
Warming them up can help. In principle, all utensils used should be disinfected.
If the spines are very small or too deep to be removed with tweezers, wax can also be used.
Apply a layer of liquid wax and wait for it to cool. Then you can quickly peel the wax off the skin so that the spikes stick and are pulled out.
2. Clean the wound well
Once you are absolutely sure that there are no more spines stuck in the skin, you need to clean the area with warm water and neutral or antibacterial soap. This prevents infection and removes poison from the wound.
3. Do not cover the wound
Now carefully dry the wound and apply a few drops of antiseptic. It is very important that the wound is not closed with a bandage or plaster. This allows the skin and pores to “breathe” and the poison can be expelled more easily.
If a stinger is not removed properly, it will also be less likely to ignite.
4. Soak the wound
If the burning sensation or pain persists, it may be because the sea urchin stung deeper than expected, or there are still traces of poison or sting.
Symptoms can be relieved well by treating the area – such as: B. the foot – in a bucket with the hot water possible.
Hold the wound upside down to make the heat easier to loosen. Many people also add a few tablespoons of vinegar or baking soda to the water.
5. Observe skin changes
To avoid infections, it is advisable to take an antibiotic and pain relievers for pain. It is important to watch the wound for signs of redness, pus, or sharp pain.
In this case, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
