Fire coral remedies

[Laurence Stein DDS]

DocVikingo,

You are right and I wasn't trying to minimize the potential seriousness of a person who is severely allergic or gets a lingering infection.

From reading this and other threads, I get the feeling that divers--especially those new to possibilities of envenomations are perhaps overly concerned with what will happen to them.

My response was simply to point out that, at least for fire coral, the vast majority who are stung, rub it and curse for a second and then they get on with their dive.

The same can be said for one's first shark encounter, heavy current dive, seasickness, and any of the miriad of unknowns to which they have not been exposed.

These experiences are to be appreciated and respected but as most of us find out, they don't change the outcome of the dive one bit. We enjoy the dive even with the fire coral sting. To be unduly worried about such and event simply increases the anxiety of the diver.

On the otherhand, mixing it up with a box jellyfish or a man of war will truely be memorable and potentially dangerous. These perils should be know, appreciated and treatment already available and though out.

If they scream loud enough, they might get that mediastinal emphysema!

Your point, though, is well taken.

Regards,

Larry Stein

 

[clive francis]

i caught my leg in the red sea, and it stung like hell (open cut with petrol rubbed in!)for about 10 minutes then started to die down.

2 days later i did it again in the dsame place, this time though it hurt like *&%£ and i had to get out of the water.

I didn't have any vinegar, nor did the boat, so i had to pee on my leg, which helped a little but not a lot.

this was 2 weeks ago and i still have red blotches on my leg

 

[BrendaLGA]

I found these posts while searching for info on fire coral stings. I was in a group doing snuba actually, first time, in st thomas, and was stung by fire coral. The instructor told me to put meat tenderizer on it, but I was on a cruise, so that wasn't available, when I was first stung, on the forearm it was incredibly painful, followed by days of raised red rash like bumps that were ichy. It has now been over a week and although the rash had almost gone away, it has reaccured much worse. I am online looking for solutions. my forearm is slightly swollen & the red rash is more raised, has spread almost double the area and is really ichy. This stuff is wierd & not just a nusiuance. I have applied cortisone cream without relief. This isn't something a Minnesota girl expects to deal with! Any ideas?

 

[DocVikingo]

Yes, see a dermatologist. There are medications that will get you much faster & more complete relief than anything you can do at home.

BTW, recurrences such as you mention are known to happen, and are not cause for excessive alarm.

Please me know how you are treated & the results.

Best of luck.

DocVikingo

 

[alohanole]

i think i have an allergic reaction to fire coral. it is a come and go rash for 6 months.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi alohanole,

The last post in this thread prior to yours is now over 6 years old.

In any event, fire coral and similar envenomations can be bothersome for an extended period of time, and occasionally resolve and then return due to delayed or cyclical hypersensitivity reactions. Do observe for signs of infection and if such arise, or the lesion alters for the worse in any other manner, seeing a dermatologist in a timely fashion would be prudent.

Helpful?

Regards,

DocVikingo

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

 

[muzicgirl]

Brushing against fire coral and skin is painful but it's more irritating than anything else and a nuisance as it takes a while go go away. We wear rash guards while diving and have never had a problem. Fire Coral is everywhere in the ABC islands- where we frequent, but have never been "stung"