ANSWERS: 1
  • Sea urchins are small creatures that are covered with sharp spines and could be easily confused with plants or even rocks. The spines are often covered with a venom and can give painful wounds if they are stepped on or touched.

    Remove Spines

    The first step in treatment is to remove the spines. You will need to do it carefully to prevent the fragile spines from breaking off in your skin. Use tweezers or tape to remove very small spines.

    Pressure Bandage

    If the spines cause excessive bleeding, you will need to apply a pressure bandage and elevate the wound to stop the bleeding and slow the absorption of venom.

    Hot Vinegar

    To alleviate pain, soak the wound in vinegar that is as hot as you can stand for 60 to 90 minutes. The heat will break down the venom and the vinegar will dissolve any spines you missed. If no vinegar is available, use water.

    Cleansing

    Clean the wound with soap and water and apply topical antibiotics to prevent infection. Do this after soaking the wound.

    Surgery

    Surgery is needed only if large spines can't be removed or if they pierced a vein or artery.

    Source:

    Merck.com: Marine Animal Stings and Bites

    Scubadoc.com: Contact Irritants-Toxins

    TexasA&M.edu: Venomous Marine Animals (PDF)

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