One day you might be really glad you read this.
Stood on a spine at the end of an awesome session yesterday at Woodies flatside. Not even a red spot to see but pain just kept building to an agonising burn as I packed down.
Luckily Damo & Evi told me about the "hot water cure''. Apparently pain would have kept building for up to 1 & 1/2 hrs - unimaginable as I was only minutes into it and it was already out of control.
Raced home & ran burning hot water - as much as possible till water burn hurt.
Pain backed off almost straight away - eased to nearly nothing in 15 mins.
So glad I was told - I probably would have gone stingose & cold packs !

Put both feet in the bucket to test the temp ,its so you dont cook your foot. The theory is the venom of the cobler cooks like an egg white and does not spread to your pain receptors. Or so they say!

Yep works well doesn't it, I stepped on something at Pinnaroo a couple of years ago, could see a small puncture mark but it wasn't too sore so headed back out. Didn't get very far before the pain started kicking in so came in.
I was on my own and by the time I had packed up and driven back home it was really starting to hurt big time. I was fairly sure it was a cobbler so filled up an esky with hot water, as hot as you can handle (testing with the good foot) and the pain reduced heaps almost straight away.

BTW Reli I think I would pass on that idea, it's better to be pissed off than pissed on , well thats my opinion, but hey each to their own

More here www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33981

When I was a young fella we had a beach shack just North of the kite spot at Pinnaroo and we would walk along the shallows on clear still nights with a spotlight and gidgie (and a good pair of shoes/boots) when there was a bit of weed around and would nearly always get a few.
I wonder how many there are around these days.

I was stung on the ankle by a stingray at Sandgate, QLD earlier this year. Probably one of the most physically painful experiences of my life. Unfortunately for me, there was nowhere to source hot water and a container big enough for my foot and ankle. The little hot water that was applied came with such relief. I had to cope until ambos came and hit me with some Morphine which didn't stop the pain, it just stopped me caring about it so much. After I got stung, I did a little research.

A stingray's venom is composed of the enzymes 5-nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin causes smooth muscles to severely contract, and it is this component that makes the venom so painful. The enzymes cause tissue and cell death.

The general rule for most marine stings is to apply hot water. The hot water doesn't cook the venom, but rather denatures the enzymes (protein catalyst) that makes up the venom, stopping the process.

The only time you would use vinegar is if there are tentacles involved. I think the vinegar neutralise's the alkaline components of the stinger and stops the parts of the tentacles from firing, thus stop more venom being injected.

Cal said...

rloemker said...


The only time you would use vinegar is if there are tentacles involved. I think the vinegar neutralise's the alkaline components of the stinger and stops the parts of the tentacles from firing, thus stop more venom being injected.

Is that true? I recall reading an article on stingers that said vinegar actually causes the firing. I could easily be wrong about that though. Seems heat is gaining favoratism but there still seems to be a few articles around saying for some stings, heat could make things worse. I would love a set of clear instructions as I have no idea what the different stingers look like etc.

You're right, there are arguments that go both ways in relation to the use of vinegar. For a while they stopped using it altogether and started using stingoes, but I think with pretty poor results. Vinegar can be applied to most stingers but has been found to cause further stinging in some species. Like you said, it would be good to know which stingers it is effective against and which ones it isn't.

There is a growing body of research into the treatment of marine envenomations and the effectiveness of hot water. Hot water was the initially the preferred treatment for fish spine injuries, but is now used more commonly for other marine creatures.

I think it is safe to say that most of us in the kiting community are going to come up against the blue bottle, the stingray, sea urchins, stone fish and the "Swan River Cobbler" (bloody WA pansies!). For blue bottles the priority is getting the stingers and application of vinegar.

Hot water for other penetrating wounds and a trip the hospital to ensure all foreign bodies are removed!

If you are up against box jellies or Irukandji, be prepared to administer CPR or have CPR administered to save a/your life!

rloemker said...

The other thing you need to watch out for is breathing difficulties and swelling of the throat.

I was just about at that swelling throat stage when - luckily - I came across a bottle of scotch
I kept treating the throat with that while the hot water was spraying over my foot. Both problems solved

A stingray doesn't "sting" inasmuch as it really inserts a serrated chemical-coated barb into you and causes massive tissue damage. There will be evidence such as bleeding and an obvious hole. While a stingray's venom can do serious damage, the most destructive part of the sting mechanism can actually be the barbs on the spine.






Do not confuse a stingray injury with a jelly-fish or bluebottle sting and only treat it with hot water. Get to a hospital and get the wound cleaned thoroughly as the infections caused by introducing sea water into a wound are far more dangerous than any chemicals or toxins on a stingray barb.

Bigwavedave said...

A stingray doesn't "sting" inasmuch as it really inserts a serrated chemical-coated barb into you and causes massive tissue damage. There will be evidence such as bleeding and an obvious hole. While a stingray's venom can do serious damage, the most destructive part of the sting mechanism can actually be the barbs on the spine.






Do not confuse a stingray injury with a jelly-fish or bluebottle sting and only treat it with hot water. Get to a hospital and get the wound cleaned thoroughly as the infections caused by introducing sea water into a wound are far more dangerous than any chemicals or toxins on a stingray barb.

My little brother copped one to the foot about 10 years ago. The hospital didn't get all the barbs out the first time and he ended up with septecemia(spelling?).
Anyways spent another two weeks in hospital, lots of drips and a few operations to make sure it all came out. Lucky to keep the foot.

I havent seen to many catfish around Whyalla Walshy, but man have we got some problems with stingrays at the moment. wonder how long untill some one gets stung? I would have ridden over atleast 100 yesterday all fairly small, even near the sand bar. But the razor fish are the biggest problem and the cuts take forever to heal.

Bigwavedave said...

A stingray doesn't "sting" inasmuch as it really inserts a serrated chemical-coated barb into you and causes massive tissue damage. There will be evidence such as bleeding and an obvious hole. While a stingray's venom can do serious damage, the most destructive part of the sting mechanism can actually be the barbs on the spine.






Do not confuse a stingray injury with a jelly-fish or bluebottle sting and only treat it with hot water. Get to a hospital and get the wound cleaned thoroughly as the infections caused by introducing sea water into a wound are far more dangerous than any chemicals or toxins on a stingray barb.

Yeah, you are right. It's not a sting. If you can imagine getting stabbed, thats what it initially feels like from a ray. Almost instantly after that the pain starts. Mine started in my ankle and in no time was as high up as my groin. It comes in waves also. I was in so much pain, I completely ditched my kite. Lucky someone saw my kite and grabbed it before it went down the beach.

Going to hospital is a must, especially if septicemia is a potential complication.

THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU TO EVERYONE!!!! I got hit by a cattie in the Brissy River last night. Was gonna put ice on, but THANKGOD for google, I found this site. Continuosly emersed my finger in REALLY hot water for about 40 mins. PAIN GONE!!! I got hit once before by a Cattie, about 20 years ago, HURT LIKE HELL FOR HOURS!! I was getting prepared for a long sleepless night again, instead i was asleep 2 hours later. I CANT BELIEVE IT WORKED SO WELL!! I WAS IN FREAKIN' AGONY. Thanks again to EVERYONE!!! PUPPETSONASTRING YOU RULE MATE!!!