please shuffle your feet....

Here is a decent link.

I got one in the hand 20 years ago when doing marine research (gill nets).
It hurts for sure. If hit bad, I personally would go straight to the emergency room for fear of infection if nothing else.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sting...article_em.htm

[ricki]

Proper treatment of the initial symptoms is important but dealing with potential infection may be even more significant. I have heard of a number of these that became chronically infected with complications for some months due to no to poor antibiotic therapy.

A pretty recent medical paper with good information appears at:
http://podiatry.files.wordpress.com/...f-the-foot.pdf

Heal well and fast!

[pebbles]

I've heard hot soapy water.

[WindRyder]

The other important thing is to be sure the wound heals from the inside out. Sometimes, the superficial layers of skin heal first, and bacteria gets closed in to the wound, therefore, creating a horrible infection. Oral antibiotics are usually necessary, and how about a tetanus shot? Have you had one recently?? You really need to watch this!!! Even if it feels better today compared to yesterday, that doesn't mean an infection is not brewing. Pain in the jaw can be a sign of tetanus.

I havent had a tetanus shot since i was in the Coast Guard... so probably 7 years ago...

Although I cant walk on it, it does feel a lot better... but it feels hot, which makes me think it might be infected...

The rangers gave me the hot soapy bucket thing.. but seemed lax on medical care, bascially said if it looks infected it is ... then I should go to the hospital... otherwise I just deal with it... ( they were nice and all )...

They also said the booties might help but probably not... and I said "well that sure sucks"

All I can say is I hope that Never Happens Again...:shock:

Thanks for the informative link Rick.

[ricki]

How many folks remember or have every heard of "pungi sticks?" Back in the day, these sharpened sticks were dipped in aged poop, etc. to increase the virulence and severity of resulting injuries. Ok, in a stingray, the anal pore is situated just forward of the bony process or spike. The spike as a result has a frequently renewed coating of skate gut bacteria and whatever else might happen along to get mixed into the mucous covered elasmobranch "pungi stick." Unlike the bamboo variety the skate version is brittle and prone to fragmenting. So in your undoctored wound you may have embedded fragments liberally coated with skate gut saute.

If you read that article you will see something about "aggressive" antibiotic treatment. This doesn't imply a good dosing with Neosporen or even taking a mild antibiotic orally. They mean something more potent and aggressive. I can recall a lady windsurfer going to the ER in the Melbourne area sometime back. I think she just got some oral antibiotic. She had a lingering infection impacting muscles in her leg for about five months. It was later concluded she didn't receive an appropriate course of antibiotic treatment.

It may not become severely infected after all, some do however. So, trust to a liberally dosing of Lux soap and warm water if you feel optimistic or have it looked at and receive some appropriate medication.

You're welcome Scott. I hadn't seen the article before. It was written after Steve Irwin's accident.

Good luck

[jim]

hot=inflammation which in this case likely means infection. Id think about seeing the doctor. i

[WindRyder]

Go to the doctor, a walk in clinic will do. Don't want to mess with that, especially as it could infect the bone!!