Once you’ve determined you’re not having an allergic reaction, you might want to try soaking the sting in hot water (although The ideal temperature for a soak is 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 46°C).
Seek emergency medical attention immediately.Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can. The Blue-Spotted Stingray (Taeniura lymma), Red Sea., Egypt, Africa. Stingrays sting usually when a swimmer or diver unintentionally steps on one. Call 911. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Their serrated spines can cause lacerations (cuts) and puncture wounds. They may take You might receive an antibiotic via prescription or IV, as well as stitches if the wound is large or deep. Stingrays are flat, disk-shaped creatures with fins that resemble wings. The Stingray Sting: Symptoms and Treatment A stingray sting is rarely fatal, but it usually leaves between one and four barbs/spines on the victim's wound. The site may be infected, and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics (oral or intravenous) to treat it.Because stingrays camouflage themselves under sand to hunt for prey, they can be hard to spot and easy to step on if you don’t know what to look for.Once it’s been threatened, a stingray will whip its tail in defense — which can reach up and over its head — leaving a laceration or puncture wound in your skin.When a stingray whips its tail at you, one or more of its spines may pierce your skin. The hot water may also draw out venom, which resembles jelly.Once you’ve relieved the pain, apply antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound and cover it with gauze.If you’re stung by a stingray, you may experience these symptoms:The following symptoms could be signs of a systemic reaction or respiratory distress and require immediate emergency medical care:It’s possible for the heart to stop or for the body to go into shock after a stingray sting. They will need to remove any debris left in the wound from the spines or the sheath.
They often burrow beneath the sand in the shallows and swim in the open water. You need to begin treating the wound right away if it’s superficial.If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through part of your body, don’t attempt to remove it. Some people have died as a result of stings in their chests and abdomens.If you have a puncture wound and aren’t up to date on your tetanus booster, it’s time to get it renewed.If you’ve had the wound for a while but are slow to recover, you experience redness or additional swelling at the site, or the site begins to ooze pus, get treatment right away. Reheat your water every 10 minutes to keep it continually hot, and soak the wound for 30 to 90 minutes, or as long as it takes for the pain to subside. Stingrays generally aren’t dangerous — in fact, they have a reputation for being gentle. Stingrays have a barb at the base of their tail, not the end, where the tail connects to the body, the barb is a sharp serrated hardened modified dorsal spine that is just after the pivot point of the tail. Individual species have different size, positions, relative to the base of the tail, and numbers of barbs. Expect localized numbness and tingling around the wound site during the healing period.Location of the sting, amount of venom in the tissue, extent of tissue damage, and promptness of treatment will affect healing time. The ray doesn't have direct control over the sting mechanism, only over the tail.
They often burrow beneath the sand in the shallows and swim in the open water. Allow the salt water to clean the wound while applying pressure over it to both slow the bleeding and encourage the venom to come out.Try to clear out any additional debris you might see in the cut or puncture while you’re still in the water.Pay close attention to how you feel in the sting’s aftermath. Stingrays are widely distributed in tropical to temperate waters. See more
Another option is to throw shells or small rocks into the water ahead of you as you wade.If you do seek emergency medical care, your healthcare providers will closely inspect your wound. They’re most often associated with tropical ocean climates, and their sting is a commonly reported beachgoer injury.A stingray’s tail is long, thin, and tapered, much like a whip. Stingrays will usually only sting when disturbed or stepped on by unaware swimmers.Most of the time, you can avoid being stung by a stingray. In most cases, when the sting enters a person's body, the pressure causes the protective sheath to tear.
Expect the area to swell.Hot water kills stingray venom and may relieve the pain associated with the sting. It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emergency medical care. Patients should make their way back to the safety of shore by shuffling their feet (so they won't be stung again).