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Rooster · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 2:00 pm Post subject: First Aid for stingrays

I've started putting together a first aid kit for fishing and have got all the usual stuff and i've noticed everyone says heat is the best way to lessen the pain from a stingray hit. Do you think one of those heating patches people use for backaches would work for relieving the pain?
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Big John · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2647

I'm not sure if it will get hot enough. The key is that the hot water can get into the wound and the heat tears down the molecules that make up the toxin. The water should be as hot as one can stand without scalding the person.

I would suggest maybe a few gallons of water, a large pan, a five gallon bucket, and a bag of charcoal, if one is going very far down the beach, where it may take a couple hours or longer with bad driving conditions for a return trip. In that case, heat the water over the coals, and pour into the five gallon bucket and adjust so it is not scalding, and soak the wound on the way to the ER if it is severe enough.

I would also suggest a large bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and while the water is heating up (which over hot coals shouldn't take long), pour the bottle on the wound to clean and disinfect it.

The bottle of hydrogen peroxide is a good idea any way, for there are lots of things that can happen way down the sand - just ask OZ about his hand.....
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cckayaker · Horse Mullet Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 192

I got hit in the surf 2 yrs ago and ended up at Doctor's Regional, only thing that relieved the pain (temporarily) was my wife running water over towels and placing in microwave then wrapping around my ankle. When they cooled the pain would come shooting back. Icy Hot Patches will NOT produce enough heat. Before making the desicion to go to the hospital we went home first and I used water so hot it was scolding my foot. When I drained the hot water heater of everything it had we made the choice to get it inspected. Glad we did, Dr. said everyone that gets hit should have an x-ray done to make sure none of the barb has broken off inside to cause infection. I understand it's typical for particals of the barb to lodge under the skin. I was shuffling but forget that rays will come behind you and eat what you're shuffling up and I stepped backwards right on it's head. Someone steps on my head I'll stab em too. haha

cckayaker · Horse Mullet Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 192

My wife just reminded me that we later put a heating pad on my ankle that DID produce enough heat to slow the pain. I would suggest an inverter in your truck with a good quality heating pad and maybe an ace bandage to hold the heating pad tight to the skin. BE CAREFUL & SHUFFLE , SHUFFLE, SHUFFLE. (or just yak like i do now) haha

Yakmon · Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:00 pm Post subject: Yeowch

The heating pad sounds like a good idea. Pain killers help tremendously, and remember, if you go to the ER, scream, cry, whatever you have to do to get them to relieve the pain. I sat for 6 hours using deep breathing, meditation and flat out denial to manage my pain (along with extremely hot water), and when I finally asked for relief, I got it. I won't say OM>>>>OM>>>> again if I get stuck. Give me the Demerol shot....

I now have chem hot packs, sterno, sterile water, pain killers and many other items in my first aid kit.

I don't wish that on anyone.

Yakmon

Rooster · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:26 am Post subject:

Do yall think it would be possible to get a doctor to perscribe a really powerful pain killer to keep in your first aid kit , just like a few pills beacuase im guessing tylenol wont even help with pain that bad.
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Archer · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 3:58 am Post subject:

There are unscrupulous doctors out there that will do just about anything for money. Just remember that most of the really strong painkillers are Narcotics, read CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. Having the prescription bottle will probably help with a casual police inspection but it will also help Johnny Low Life have another reason to keep going through your stuff to find more. You also don't want to try driving with any of that stuff in your system.

Besides which it takes an average of 30-60 min for any swallowed substance to be metabolized. Use the hot water, wrap it with a hot meat tenderizer compress and get to the ER. It's worth the trip for the heavy duty drugs (ask anyone who's ever had Demerol) and it's definitely worth it for the antibiotics you need to ensure you don't get a killer infection (pun intended).

Archer (RN)

Big Ed · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:39 am Post subject:

Won't help in the surf, but a friend of mine had a stingray hit his son down at Baffin. Said the heat from the stream on the outboard was a great relief to his son.
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lagunaflyoutfitters · Horse Mullet Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 127

hi guys. i operate the medical center on padre island. we treat over 100 stingrays per year often 3 or more a day. some of the advice here is good. i would tell you taking a hot water immersion with antiseptic soap or betadine reheating as needed for 45 minutes followed by an xray to rule out retained barb then doxycycline to cover vibrio and most methicillin resistant staph is the standard of care in my opinion. retained spine occurs only in about 3 to 5% of wounds but is catastrophic if left in. the venom is what causes the pain. we think the heat denatures the protein in the venom but we are not sure. this accounts for variability in pain along with personal tolerances. pain meds are of some help but not for the initial pain if it is treated correctly with hot water. your doctor might be comfortable giving you a supply of the doxy to have on hand but strong narcotics are another matter. hope this helps

Lat22 · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:52 am Post subject:

Here's is what I carried when I was surf fishing. It prevented me from getting hit. I carried an el cheapo coffee maker from Wal-Mart. If I got hit way down the beach, I would have plugged it in to my little converter and made twelve cups of hot, hot water.

kiyu · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:29 am Post subject:

Anyone ever heard of Ray Guards? Not a bad Idea.

Rooster · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:11 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone for the help, the coffee pot idea is really smart Very Happy

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Big John · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2647

bullredjim · Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 4:32 pm Post subject: STINGRAY

MY WIFE GOT STUNG A BHP JUST 2 MONTHS AGO.. WE SPENT 6 HOURS AT BAY AREA AND $2,000... JUST WITH HER LEG IN A SMALL TRASH CAN AND KEEP ADDING HOT WATER...LATER FOR NEXT 6 WEEKS WE JUST CLEANED DAILY AND APPLIED ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT... SO IF YOU DON;T HAVE INSURANCE OR ALOT OF MONEY... MAKE YOUR OWN HOT WATER AND BUY THAT $1.79 ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT AT WALLGREENS..

sandflea · Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:47 pm Post subject:

My father had one hit him in the arch of the foot years ago on PINS & he did not know what to do. Shortly someone drove by & told him to put a raw egg on it, so he did but he said it magnified the pain by ten fold so he only left it on there for a short time. That was his only treatment and when he woke up the next morning on the beach he had only a little soreness at the puncture hole. He later found out about the hot water & said he would rather try that if it happens again althought the egg result worked great. Anyone else ever heard of this, the egg treatment came from someone on PINS.