Brief overview
- What to do in case of a sea urchin sting? Remove stinger completely, disinfect wound, watch for signs of inflammation (swelling, hyperthermia, etc.); if stinger is poisonous, keep affected body part below heart level and call emergency physician
- Sea urchin sting risks: Infection, blood poisoning (sepsis), chronic inflammation, joint stiffness, possible symptoms of poisoning (paralysis, difficulty breathing and even death).
Attention
- Sea urchin spines must always be removed completely, otherwise there is a risk of infection!
- Wounds from sea urchin spines easily become infected even after the spines have been removed. Therefore, disinfect them and observe the healing process.
- If the affected person shows symptoms of poisoning (e.g. paralysis), you should call the emergency services immediately!
Sea urchin sting: What to do?
The animals stay on the seabed, especially in small rocky caves and niches. A sea urchin sting can therefore be contracted mainly on rocky coasts. First aid in such a case is as follows:
Also, bathing the wound in vinegar or applying a compress soaked in vinegar before removing the spines can help. The vinegar will dissolve most sea urchin spines that have not penetrated deeply.
Sometimes it is also recommended to tie half a papaya or mango with the cut surface on the wound for a few hours. The fruit contains enzymes that soften the skin. The spines can then be pulled out more easily.
2. hot water: in case of severe pain, it may help to immerse the injured part of the body in hot water. Experts recommend a water temperature of around 43 degrees Celsius for half an hour to an hour and a half (or until the pain has subsided). Be careful not to get too hot or you will scald yourself!
3. disinfection: Once the sea urchin spines are removed, disinfect the wound thoroughly (e.g. with iodine ointment) so that it does not become infected.
Observe: If the skin area around the wound swells, becomes hot, hurts a lot, and/or circulation problems occur, you or the patient should go to the doctor or call emergency services immediately!
Sea urchin sting: Risks
- Infections: They can come not only from spine remnants in the skin. Even if you have completely removed the spines, the wound can become infected. One sign of this is fever. If left untreated, an infection can cause blood poisoning (sepsis) in rare cases.
- Joint stiffness: If a sea urchin spine has penetrated a joint capsule, an inflammatory reaction also results. As a late consequence, the joint may become stiff.
- Poisoning: Poisonous sea urchins can cause various symptoms in humans. For example, the puncture site may turn red and swell. Very rare, more serious symptoms include paralysis of motor nerves, numbness and breathing difficulties – in the worst case with fatal consequences.
Only very few of the more than 900 species of sea urchins are poisonous and can be dangerous to humans. If one comes into contact with the calcareous carapace of a poisonous sea urchin (for example, by touching or stepping into it), the spines on it bore easily and deeply into the human skin and break off quickly. In addition, their barbs adhere well to the tissue.
Sea urchin sting: When to see a doctor?
In most cases, sea urchin stings are harmless. So it is usually enough to remove the sting completely and disinfect the wound. However, you should see a doctor in the following cases:
- if sea urchin spines have penetrated deep into the skin (they may then need to be surgically removed)
- in case of severe pain, swelling, overheating and/or redness of the sting site
- in case of discomfort, fever
- In case of uncertainty whether the sea urchin you stepped on was poisonous
Sea urchin sting: examinations by the doctor
The doctor will first ask the patient or any accompanying persons for important information (medical history). Possible questions include:
- When and where did the sea urchin sting occur?
- What complaints do you or the patient have?
- What first aid measures were taken?
Sea urchin sting: treatment by the doctor
Treatment for a sea urchin sting consists primarily of removing all spines and spiny debris, as well as any pedicellaria, from the skin as quickly as possible. Sometimes the doctor may need to surgically remove the sea urchin spines, especially if they have bored into deeper layers of the skin. The wound is then carefully disinfected.
If the patient has not been vaccinated against tetanus or their vaccination status is unknown, the physician will administer a vaccine dose (tetanus shot) to be on the safe side.
Preventing a sea urchin sting
A sea urchin sting usually occurs when bathers walk on the beach in shallow water or reach into the water, for example to collect shells.
Another piece of advice to avoid an urchin sting: Don’t go swimming in the sea at night – urchins like the dark and will crawl out of their hiding places.