Call 911 if the person has symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as:
1. Bathe Wound in Seawater and Remove Pieces
- While still in water, irrigate wound to remove fragments of spine and tissue.
- Get the person out of the water.
- Gently manually remove obvious pieces of spine. Do not remove pieces of spine from the neck, chest, or abdomen
2. Stop Bleeding
- Apply pressure above the wound if it is bleeding.
3. Soak Wound in Hot Water For Pain Relief
- Hot water inactivates any remaining venom and may relieve pain.
- Do not soak in hot water more than 90 minutes as the skin can burn
4. Scrub Wound
- Clean with soap and water.
- Apply dressing. Do not tape it closed.
5. Go to a Hospital Emergency Room
6. Follow Up
- At the hospital, the barb and remnants of stingray spine will be removed.
- X-rays and CT scans may be done.
- A tetanus shot may be administered, if necessary.
- An antibiotic and pain reliever may be prescribed.
- Closely watch the wound as it heals for the possibility of infection.