# got stung by a stingray



## duck chaser (May 11, 2008)

Anyone ever been stung? I don't know what I was thinking but I  went to get the hook out of one on saturday afternoon and got hit in the hand. Holy cow did that hurt. Luckily after soaking in hot water for about an hour all the pain went away. I will never do that again.


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## germag (May 11, 2008)

Those things have my respect. I use a pair of 18" stainless forceps to get the hook out of them. If I can't get it like that by just picking him up by the hook with the forceps and shaking him over the side of the boat, I'm real inclined to just cut the line and let him have the hook.


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## capt stan (May 12, 2008)

Yep very painfull sting....been there done that.

Like you said" I will never do that again"


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## FishingAddict (May 12, 2008)

If you can, you can flip them over and step on (not with your full weight, it will hurt them)  their tail where near the body, then take some plyers and take the hook out.


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## grim (May 12, 2008)

Yes, been stung, they hurt, and can get nasty infected.


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## dawg2 (May 12, 2008)

Yes.  But I was catching them by hand as a kid.  Used to catch them, pull the big stinger off and let them go.  But I grabbed one all wrong and it went into the palm of my hand  It hurt like crazy.

I still have the stinger in my shadow box.


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## jinx0760 (May 12, 2008)

*Vodka!*

I had 2 girls on the beach tell me that pouring vodka over the sting will kill the pain.  I never got to try it...my wife walked up about then.......................


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## cobbstein (May 12, 2008)

jinx0760 said:


> I had 2 girls on the beach tell me that pouring vodka over the sting will kill the pain.  I never got to try it...my wife walked up about then.......................



Pour the vodka in your mouth untill the pain goes away...


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## hevishot (May 12, 2008)

cobbstein said:


> Pour the vodka in your mouth untill the pain goes away...



yep.............


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## jav (May 12, 2008)

if push comes to shove, use urine, it is a great antiseptic


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## germag (May 12, 2008)

jav said:


> if push comes to shove, use urine, it is a great antiseptic



I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, but the idea behind using urine for jellyfish stings, etc. is that the acid in the urine will neutralize the venom. However, that is not really true, and the urine can actually make a jellyfish sting worse by causing the stinging cells to release more venom. For a stingray sting, I wouldn't think there would be any value at all.

Urine is normally relatively sterile as it comes from the kidneys (in healthy individuals), because the bladder and kidneys are relatively sterile environments as long as there are no kidney infections or bladder infections present. However, the urine itself doesn't have any appreciable antibacterial properties, and usually will actually pick up bacteria in the urethra during urination. That's why many times a doctor will request "mid-stream" urine for urinalysis.


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## dawg2 (May 12, 2008)

germag said:


> I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, but the idea behind using urine for jellyfish stings, etc. is that the acid in the urine will neutralize the venom. However, that is not really true, and the urine can actually make a jellyfish sting worse by causing the stinging cells to release more venom. For a stingray sting, I wouldn't think there would be any value at all.
> 
> Urine is normally relatively sterile as it comes from the kidneys (in healthy individuals), because the bladder and kidneys are relatively sterile environments as long as there are no kidney infections or bladder infections present. However, the urine itself doesn't have any appreciable antibacterial properties, and usually will actually pick up bacteria in the urethra during urination. That's why many times a doctor will request "mid-stream" urine for urinalysis.



We always carried an ammonia mixture for fire coral or jellyfish stings when diving.  Vinegar works good as well.  Never peed on myself though.  And I agree, I have not heard of any anti-microbial properties in urine.


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## germag (May 12, 2008)

dawg2 said:


> We always carried an ammonia mixture for fire coral or jellyfish stings when diving.  Vinegar works good as well.  Never peed on myself though.  And I agree, I have not heard of any anti-microbial properties in urine.



Yep..ammonia does seem to help some and vinegar is an accepted first-aid treatment. Both of them actually do have anti-microbial properties.


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## cobbstein (May 12, 2008)

dawg2 said:


> Never peed on myself though.  .




LIAR!!!


I've heard that meat tenderizer works on jelly fish as well.


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## dawg2 (May 12, 2008)

cobbstein said:


> LIAR!!!



Can't prove it


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## germag (May 12, 2008)

I've heard that, never tried it. 

By the way...what works on some species of jellyfish stings may or may not work on stings of other species.


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## dawg2 (May 12, 2008)

germag said:


> I've heard that, never tried it.
> 
> By the way...what works on some species of jellyfish stings may or may not work on stings of other species.



That's why when I go diving, I wear a full body dive suit (or wetsuit if it's cold) so it reduces your stings.


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## homey (May 12, 2008)

Try not to catch stingrays.When you do just cut the line.


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## charterfish (May 12, 2008)

Man that is one of the worst! Sorry to hear that.


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## bighonkinjeep (May 12, 2008)

Hooks are a lot less than a Drs office visit. Cut the line and let em have the hook. (this goes for any of the more dangerous species of aquatic creatures)


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## jamessig (May 13, 2008)

A piece of the barb will often break off in a wound and unless it's removed it will almost certainly fester. If there's any thought that part of the barb broke off or if the wound becomes infected, a trip to the doctor is in order. Hot water will neutralize a variety of venoms and is good first aid, but any infections that subsequently arise really should be checked by a doctor.


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## FishingAddict (May 13, 2008)

Crickey!


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## duck chaser (May 13, 2008)

Its been doing good. Stopped hurting after soaking and healed up. no sign of infection.


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## Woodscrew (May 14, 2008)

But Sting Rays taste to good not to catch.


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## biggabuck (May 14, 2008)

Hurt Like H---. Ive had alot of injury but that was just about the worst pain ever! Plus mine got infected which made it worse. Still got a small scar of my hand and all this from trying to help a fellow out. I stay far away from those bad boys now.


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## Queegua (May 14, 2008)

From the Cabelas web site:

Symptoms of Stingray venom 


The barbed tail can do considerable physical damage and often significant bleeding occurs. 

Pain at the site of injury is immediate and will intensify over the next 30 to 90 minutes, but it gradually subsides over the next 6 to 48 hours, depending on the amount of venom delivered. 

The venom from the barbed tail affects the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels), causing both peripheral vasoconstriction (blanched white extremities) or dilatation (beefy red extremities). 

The venom may also cause arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) or even a systole reaction (the heart may stop beating altogether). 

The venom can act on respiratory centers in the brain, causing a reduced rate of respiration. 
Convulsion may develop from the venom's effect on other brain centers. 


Treatment of Skin injuries from Stingrays.

SEEK PROMPT MEDICAL ATTENTION! -Since the venom of stingrays can affect both respiration and heart rate, your doctor may resort to a number of medical treatments. The following information is provided to give you a better idea of what course of action you might be asked to consider. 

Intravenous medication may be necessary to maintain heart rate, and if respiration is slow enough, mechanical ventilation may be required! 
The wound should be well irrigated with saline solution. 

Stingray venom is destroyed by heat, and soaking the affected extremity in hot water (120°F) for 30 minutes to 1 hour is a primary form of treatment. 
Intravenous calcium gluconate may be required to prevent muscle spasms.

Local infiltration of the wound with lidocaine may be required for pain relief, as well as meperidine or some other narcotic analgesic.

Surgical debridment (removal of dead tissue) may be necessary if the wound is severe. The patient may be given tetanous toxoid and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection.


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## Craig Knight (May 15, 2008)

FishingAddict said:


> Crickey!



I was going to say the same thing.


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## one_shot (May 20, 2008)

I  was fishing & stepped on a stingray at St. George Island, nailed me in the ankle.
The pain was %#@* terrible!


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## It's Me (May 21, 2008)

one_shot said:


> I  was fishing & stepped on a stingray at St. George Island, nailed me in the ankle.
> The pain was %#@* terrible!




We ended up at the Apalachicola emergency room once. The doc told us that during certain times of the year sting rays account for 20+ patients *per day *from St.George Island.  

Dennis.


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## Tim L (May 23, 2008)

Rub some snuff on it.


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