Stingray Stings – Injuries and Poisoning

By

Robert A. Barish

, MD, MBA, University of Illinois at Chicago;

Thomas Arnold

, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport

Reviewed/Revised Jun 2022 | Modified Sep 2022

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Topic Resources

Stingrays contain venom in spines located on the back of their tail. Injuries usually occur when a person steps on a stingray (which is often buried in sand) while wading in shallow ocean surf. The stingray thrusts its tail spine into the person’s foot or leg, releasing venom. Fragments of the spine’s covering may remain in the wound, increasing the risk of infection.

The wound from a stingray’s spine is usually jagged and bleeds freely. Pain is immediate and severe, gradually diminishing over 6 to 48 hours. Many people with these wounds experience fainting spells, weakness, nausea, and anxiety. Vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, generalized cramps, breathing difficulties, and death are less common.

(See also Introduction to Bites and Stings Introduction to Bites and Stings Many creatures, including humans, bite when frightened or provoked. Others include Alligators and crocodiles Iguanas Mites Ticks read more .)

First aid treatment for stingray injuries to an arm or leg begins by gently rinsing with saltwater in an attempt to remove fragments of the tail spine. The spine should be removed only if it is at the skin surface and is not penetrating the neck, chest, or abdomen. Significant bleeding should be slowed by applying direct pressure.

In the emergency department, doctors examine the wound and remove fragments of the spine. A tetanus shot Vaccination Tetanus results from a toxin produced by the anaerobic bacteria Clostridium tetani. The toxin makes muscles contract involuntarily and become rigid. Tetanus usually develops after a wound… read more may be needed. The injured arm or leg should be elevated for several days. Some injured people are given antibiotics and may need surgery to close the wound.

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Stingray Stings – Injuries; Poisoning

By

Robert A. Barish

, MD, MBA, University of Illinois at Chicago;

Thomas Arnold

, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport

Reviewed/Revised Jan 2022 | Modified Sep 2022

View Patient Education

Topic Resources

Stingrays once caused about 750 stings/year along North American coasts; the present incidence is unknown, and most cases are not reported. Venom is contained in one or more spines on the dorsum of the animal’s tail. Injuries usually occur when an unwary swimmer wading in ocean surf, bay, or backwater steps on a stingray buried in the sand and provokes it to thrust its tail upward and forward, driving the dorsal spine (or spines) into the patient’s foot or leg. The integumentary sheath surrounding the spine ruptures, and the venom escapes into the patient’s tissues.

The main symptom of a stingray sting is immediate severe pain. Although often limited to the injured area, the pain may spread rapidly, reaching its greatest intensity in &lt 90 minutes; in most cases, pain gradually diminishes over 6 to 48 hours but occasionally lasts days or weeks. Syncope, weakness, nausea, and anxiety are common and may be due, in part, to peripheral vasodilation. Lymphangitis, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, generalized cramps, inguinal or axillary pain, respiratory distress, and death have been reported.

The wound is usually jagged, bleeds freely, and is often contaminated with parts of the integumentary sheath. The edges of the wound are often discolored, and some localized tissue destruction may occur. Generally, some swelling is present. Open wounds are subject to infection.

Stingray stings to an extremity should be gently irrigated with salt water in an attempt to remove fragments of spine, glandular tissue, and integument. The spine should be removed in the field only if it is superficially embedded and is not penetrating the neck, thorax, or abdomen or creating a through-and-through injury of a limb. Significant bleeding should be staunched with local pressure. Warm water immersion, although recommended by some experts, has not been verified as an effective early treatment for stingray injuries.

In the emergency department, the wound should be reexamined for remnants of the sheath and debrided; a local anesthetic may be given as needed. Embedded spines are treated similarly to other foreign bodies. Patients stung on the trunk should be evaluated closely for puncture of viscera. Treatment of systemic manifestations is supportive. Tetanus prophylaxis should be given (see table ), and an injured extremity should be elevated for several days. Use of antibiotics and surgical wound closure may be necessary.

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What to do if you get bitten by a stingray

Contents

1. How to protect yourself from contact with a stingray
2. What are the consequences of a stingray
3. What should not be done if a stingray is stung
4. What measures can be taken if a stingray is stung
5. Interesting facts about rays Stingrays

Stingrays are a family of cartilaginous fish that belongs to the order Stingrays. They live in almost all seas and oceans. They feel great in a very wide temperature range, ranging from 1.5 ° C to 30 ° C. Some species are common in shallow water, others are found at depths up to 2500 meters. There are even stingrays that prefer to live in fresh water.

Stingray

Stingrays have a well-defined tail, which looks like a whip. Its length in some species exceeds half the total length of the fish. The tail ends with one or two serrated spikes, along which furrows with poisonous glands often run. The length of the spike can reach up to 37 cm. Thanks to the powerful muscles of the tail and the exceptionally hard spikes, the stingray can easily pierce a wetsuit, a leg, and the bottom of a wooden boat.

It is noteworthy that the stingray uses its tail exclusively for self-defense, since its more than modest teeth are completely unable to cope with such protective functions. When danger arises, the stingray stingray makes sharp lunges up and forward with its tail, and the spike pierces the enemy.

How to avoid contact with the stingray

Stingray spike tip

First, in areas where stingrays spread, enter the water gradually, do not sneak, scuff along the bottom with your feet to scare off the hunter, who might burrow into the sand waiting for a suitable lunch. Be especially careful in shallow bays, river mouths, near beaches, that is, in places that stingrays choose for themselves to hunt.

Secondly, swim in special shoes.

Third, do not enter the water at night.

Fourth, be vigilant while diving, do not tease or pester stingrays.

Fifth, when you find a stingray, make some noise, wave your leg several times under water, try to scare it away.

Sixth, carefully butcher the carcass of the stingray when using it for culinary purposes. The poison of even a dead stingray continues to pose a danger to humans.

What are the consequences of a stingray

Stingray venom has a neurotropic effect, causes instant burning and throbbing pain in the damaged area, the peak of which is observed after 1-1. 5 hours. Painful sensations can persist for several days, gradually fading over the next 6-48 hours. They are so pronounced that the victims begin to scream, rush about. In such cases, even loss of consciousness is possible.

Contact with a stingray, in addition to pain, is also accompanied by the following symptoms:

• pallor and subsequent redness or blueness of the skin around the wound,
• nausea,
• dizziness,
• chills,
• drop in blood pressure,
• sudden increase in heart rate,
• the appearance of a feeling of anxiety.

Skate in the water

Less commonly, lymph nodes may swell, sweating may increase, pain in the groin and armpits, vomiting and diarrhea may occur. In severe cases, there is a high probability of convulsions, respiratory failure, the victim may become delirious, lose consciousness.

The greatest danger is represented by large individuals, which have a large amount of poison and a powerful thorn. The lethal outcome is observed mainly when injured in the chest or abdomen.

Plus, the stingray’s barb usually causes a laceration that bleeds profusely. Fragments of its coating can remain in the wound, thereby increasing the risk of infection. In this case, the color of the edges of the wound often changes, tissues are destroyed, and pronounced edema appears.

What not to do when stinging a stingray

In no case should you pull out fragments of a spike stuck in a wound with a jerk. If removed incorrectly, the teeth on the spike can cause additional injury to the victim.

Do not cut the wounds either. Such actions do not ensure the removal of poison, but only unnecessarily injure the victim.

It is not recommended to cauterize the damaged area, as this is fraught with the same unfortunate consequences that were discussed in the previous paragraphs.

Do not inject a solution of potassium permanganate or any other strong oxidizers into the wound.

It is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, which only aggravate the situation, accelerating the spread and absorption of the poison.

What measures can be taken in case of a stingray

While waiting for a doctor or on the way to the nearest medical facility, the victim can and should be given first aid.

1. First of all, suck out the poison from small puncture wounds for the first 10 minutes after the injection, spitting it out periodically. This can be done only in the absence of any damage in the oral cavity of the sucker. At the end of the procedure, the mouth must be rinsed with a solution of potassium permanganate or simply clean water.

2. To reduce the concentration of poison and relieve pain, the wound should also be washed with sea water in large quantities.

3. Then carefully remove the remaining pieces of the stud that point backwards. In this case, they should be fed a little forward and slightly rotated to unhook the prong from the fabric, and only then removed.

4. Hot baths are recommended. First, you should apply a pressure bandage above the wound and lower the pricked limb for 30-60 minutes in hot water, the temperature of which is slightly below the burn threshold. 3% magnesium sulfate can be added to the water. Every 10 minutes, the pressure bandage should be loosened and tightened again.

5. Finally, apply an antiseptic dressing and immobilize the limb.

Interesting Stingray Facts

• On the North American coast, about 750 people suffer from stingrays every year.
• Death is recorded in 1% of cases of contact with stingrays.
• Contact with a stingray was fatal to popular Australian naturalist and broadcaster Steve Irwin.
• Indians, Malays, Australian Aborigines, and Pacific Islanders used stingray spikes as points for their spears and arrows. And since a stingray can grow a new thorn several times in its life, the natives even cultivated stingrays.
• Pliny the Elder in his “Natural History” compared the spike of a stingray with a formidable weapon that can kill a tree and pierce armor.

Dangers in the Maldives for tourists

What dangers await tourists in the Maldives and how to avoid them. Dangerous fish, sharks, animals and other factors that can overshadow a relaxing holiday.

Gorgeous white sand beaches, an amazing reef teeming with marine life, superb hotels all make the Maldives the perfect destination for your vacation. To make your vacation go smoothly, you should pay attention to some features of the island vacation.

Dangers under water

Being on an island in the middle of the ocean, it is logical to assume that most of the potential threats to vacationers lie under water. Follow the basic rules of your own safety, and many problems can be avoided.

Basic Safety Rules:

• Stay at least 2 meters away from any unfamiliar fish in the ocean.
• Do not touch corals and marine life. Look, shoot with the camera, but do not touch anything with your hands.
• When swimming, wear special coral shoes.
• Do not swim alone. Currents and waves can change instantly.
• If you are unsure of your abilities, use a life jacket, which can be rented at the water sports centre.

Corals

Corals have sharp edges and most varieties contain poison.

The reefs in the Maldives are made up of corals of all kinds and colors. The edges of the corals are sharp and most varieties contain poison. Tiny pieces of coral can also get into the wound. If you get cut by coral in the water, even a small cut can take a long time to heal. Coral cuts should be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water and treated with an antiseptic.

On the beaches, there are often fragments of coral, which can be accidentally stepped on and injured. When entering the water, carefully look under your feet and wear special shoes.

Anemones

Contact with anemone may cause painful burns.

Anemones or sea anemones hunt with stinging cells. Contact with them can cause painful burns. If this happens, first treat the burn with vinegar or lemon juice (available at the bar) and see a doctor.

Sea urchins

The spines of the sea urchin are very brittle, break easily and are difficult to remove from a wound.

Sea urchins have long and sharp spines that easily penetrate the foot if stepped on. The spine of a sea urchin is very fragile, breaks easily and is difficult to remove from a wound. Look carefully under your feet, as a rule, the water is clear and easy to spot.

Are sharks dangerous in the Maldives

Sharks living in coastal waters do not pose a great danger to humans.

Sharks living in the waters of the Maldives do not pose a great danger to humans. If you do not try to disturb them, sharks prefer to swim away rather than attack.

There are 26 shark species in the Maldives, including the tiger shark and the hammerhead shark, which can be dangerous to humans. These sharks live in the open ocean and do not come close to the islands, so the chance of encountering them is minimal.

In coastal waters, black-finned sharks (Malgash nocturnal sharks), nurse sharks and gray reef sharks are most often found. All these sharks are not dangerous to humans. Aggressive gray reef sharks can show if they are pursued or blocked escape routes.

From May to November, giant whale sharks can be found in the Maldives, which attract many divers and underwater photographers. These sharks feed on plankton and are not dangerous to humans.

Dangerous fish in the Maldives

Since sharks don’t pose much of a threat, let’s see which fish can actually cause harm.

First of all, these are fish of the scorpion family: stone fish and lionfish. These fish are found in almost all tropical waters. The Maldives is no exception. The danger is represented by poisonous spikes through which the victim is injected with a neurotoxin. The first reaction is severe pain, swelling of the limb, intense sweating, cardiorespiratory failure, fever, sometimes paralysis, and death. The poison has a protein base, therefore it decomposes under the influence of heat. First aid is to immediately treat the wound with very hot water. In case of damage, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Stonefish

Stone fish or stone fish is one of the most dangerous fish.

One of the most dangerous fish of the scorpion family is stone fish or stone fish. The fish are hard to spot as they look like dead coral. Usually stone fish just lie on the coral, waiting for their prey. The danger is represented by poisonous spikes that the fish releases if it is stepped on. Depending on the amount, the poison causes severe pain and sometimes death.

Lionfish

When danger approaches, the lionfish defends its territory and may attack.

Many familiar Lionfish (Lion Fish) is one of the most beautiful and dangerous fish. The prick of lionfish thorns is very painful. Sharp pain is followed by a worsening of the condition, which ends with paralysis of muscles and breathing, which can eventually cause death.

Lionfish live in the lagoon and on the reef. When danger approaches, the fish defends its territory. If you get too close, she might attack. The main rule when meeting with a lionfish is to keep a distance of at least 2 meters and not make sudden movements.

Trigger fish

During the breeding season, the trigger guards the nest, and attacks anyone who poses a threat to the clutch.

Apart from obvious threats such as sharks and stone fish, one of the most dangerous fish is considered to be a trigger fish that can often be found while snorkeling. It is believed that beautiful reef fish are not dangerous to humans and cannot cause harm. It’s a delusion. Encountering a trigger underwater will easily dispel that confidence.

An adult trigger fish or blue-finned balisthod has a characteristic coloration and powerful teeth. During the breeding season, the trigger guards the nest, and attacks anyone who poses a potential threat to the clutch. The fish is very aggressive, not afraid of people and attacks them. Remember this fish and stay away when you meet.

Skates

The stingray’s tail ends with a powerful spike – this is its defensive weapon.

The stingray’s tail ends with a powerful spike – this is its defensive weapon. If the stingray is not disturbed, it will not attack. The rays usually lie on the sandy seabed, sometimes under a layer of sand, so they may not be visible to people. If you accidentally step on a stingray, its tail can inflict a nasty wound. Fortunately, stingrays usually swim away as a person approaches. If you are moving through the water on a sandbar, try to make noise and shuffle along.

Other hazards

Not as many dangers lie in wait for tourists on the shore as under water. There are no poisonous and dangerous animals on the islands. With care and common sense, a trip to the Maldives will be unforgettable.

Coconuts are heavy and fall from great heights. This could cause serious injury.

Coconuts

Beware of falling on the head of the coconut. It sounds funny, but coconuts are heavy and fall from great heights. This can cause serious injury and even death. According to statistics, 150 people a year die from falling coconuts in the world. This is 30 times more than from a shark attack. Don’t stand, don’t lie, don’t sit under a coconut tree, no matter how attractive the idea seems.

Sun

The Maldives is located right on the equator, so solar activity is very high here. Be sure to use a sunscreen with a high SPF. At first, sunscreen is not enough if you are in the water. When snorkeling, wear a T-shirt or surf Lycra. This will help prevent serious sunburn.

Being in a hot climate, there is a risk of heat stroke. Heat stroke should not be taken lightly.