after spending about an hour digging the spines out of my feet with a needle and tweezers today, i was hoping someone might know a better way of getting them out? someone must know grandmas secret technique involving goat piss and battery acid or something similar.

they give you something to do when there is no wind or swell, but i am over the little bastards

sprinkle a dash of chlorine on it then rub in brake fulid... works a treat

i think thats the way to make a letter box disappear echostorm

Really Hot water (as hot as you can handle without scalding yourself)

Put a dozen Mentos in 2l of diet Coke.
A similar recipe to echo's granny's.

or you could ask dr google....

Therapy varies with the injury. If a spine is able to be removed, do so gently and meticulously, as spines are fragile and break readily. Treat pain with analgesics; treat infection with antibiotics.

There are numerous anecdotal treatments that range from washing the site with urine, ammonia or hot mud to applying poultices and skin softeners. No scientific data supports any of these treatments.

Common sense should prevail. Avoid punctures by being aware of sea urchins and wearing protective footwear when wading in shallow waters.
www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/articles/

Smash your other foot with a hammer repeatedly for ten minutes, hey presto the pain and suffering from the urchin has miraculously disppeared.

OK, serious remedy after doing likewise in Hawaii, the day before my wedding.
1) Soak the foot in hot water with epsom salts - this will a) assist with removing any spines by opening the pores etc b) ease the pain
2) Go to the chemist and get some "Icthamol" cream - it is a thick black ointment in a tube. This actually draws out the spine / splinter and helps to prevent infection.

Be prepared to feel the little buggers still stuck in there for a couple of weeks..... and don't get married tomorrow.

Good luck. Let me know if you can't find the Icthamol and I'll find my tube for a brand name.

yep... saw it on tellie, what a bunch of tossers ey? but I rekon they stole my grandmas fame she looks really good when she dances in the laundrea I brought her.

quote:

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Originally posted by jayoox

OK, serious remedy after doing likewise in Hawaii, the day before my wedding.
1) Soak the foot in hot water with epsom salts - this will a) assist with removing any spines by opening the pores etc b) ease the pain
2) Go to the chemist and get some "Icthamol" cream - it is a thick black ointment in a tube. This actually draws out the spine / splinter and helps to prevent infection.

Be prepared to feel the little buggers still stuck in there for a couple of weeks..... and don't get married tomorrow.

Good luck. Let me know if you can't find the Icthamol and I'll find my tube for a brand name.

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If you can,t find "Icthamol" go to chemist and ask for Magnoplasm. About $15 for a 100ml jar and work a charm

This is how they do it in Africa , get a glass coke bottle or similar and tap the foot around the area where the spines are in, this hurts , but breaks up the spines.
Also anyone that has had em knows you can't pull 'em out intact as it is a waste of time!
Then after about 2 or 3 minutes of beating your foot get a fresh paw paw and rub it on the area anyway it works.

Or

Remove the spines that you receive from the urchin. This will hurt, but it is necessary in order for it to start the healing process. It is imperative that you take them out fast in order to reduce the pain and get most of the spine out.
Cover the affected area with vinegar once you get out of the water. Soak a lint-free towel in vinegar and hold it on there as long as possible.
Soak it in hot water for as hot as you can tolerate. It will ease the pain and help to relieve soreness on the following day. Put vinegar on it again.
When you go to bed, wrap the area that was stung with a lint-free towel, soaked in vinegar. Wrap the towel in plastic wrap and tape it so it stays on through the night.



You will not get the entire spine out, no matter how much you try. Do not dig into the skin with a pin or any type of needle.

The sting will hurt, but in the majority of cases, it is not necessary to seek medical attention! In some cases you may not even be able to bend your joint, if you were stung in that area. However, if you feel as though it is necessary, then do seek attention.
Sea urchins inject a small amount of venom when stinging, but the amount is negligible to cause any serious injury if you are only stung by one urchin.
The more you keep vinegar on the area that was stung the better off you will be.
The spines in your skin will dissolve on their own. Do not dig at them to get them out. It is completely normal to have them in your skin.

But it hurts like a bugger so wear booties.

Attempt the needle and hot water technique first. If you can't get them out, leave them in until they blister/puss up...when you squeeze the infected area, they pop out! I had 15 in my right foot after a trip, my old lady got 12 of them out and the rest were popped out a week later.

Never heard of the bashing technique but if the locals were doing it, there must be some merit in it.

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Originally posted by kiterepublic

..... only thing missing was the leaches

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Come to North Queensland, I can put you onto plenty of leaches
A friend had one get in behind his eyelid while climbing Mount Bartle Frere. He could not get it out and had to wait for it to get its fill of blood and drop off of its own accord