Stings

[SkipperJohn]

I posted this:

While in Cozumel last week a few of us came back with some nasty stings. All but one of us had little clue we even got stung. For myself, I felt a little pain at the time it happened, like a scrape but it passed in seconds and did not bother me a all. But 3 days later I began to show a rash. It's been 9 days now and the rash continues to get worse with each passing day. It's bumpy and red. And itchy.
The one guy who showed an immediate reaction came up all red and 5 days later was really ugly. He saw a doctor who put him on antibiotics and warned he would most likely scar (not good, it's a long story but he blames me). Fortunately for everyone the stings are on our hands.
Anyway, for a sting that I believe came from a hydroid, is there anything I should be doing now, 9 days later? Anything I should be concerned about?I read about the warm water and vinegar, but this seems to be to remove unfired cells and prevent more stings. I think I am beyond that now.

Here (dive medicine):
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/diving-medicine/311857-stings.html

But got no response. I was hoping you guys could help. My wrist seems to be about as bad as ever. Looks like a rash. Blisters. Raised and the areas where the stings are concentrated seems swollen as well. I'm perfectly ok with waiting and just letting it go away on it's own. But it's been almost 2 weeks and while finally not getting worse it shows no signs of improvement.
Thoughts?

 

[jlyle]

Hydroids. The small, black, feathery fans that grow nearly everywhere in Cozumel, are hydroids and come equipped with some powerful stinging cells. All you have to do is brush against them and you are going to get stung. Different people have different reactions - some minor, some not so minor. Lesson learned, don't get close to the reef and don't touch anything.

See here for good info on treatment: http://www.dtmag.com/Stories/Dive Medicine/02-96-dive_medicine.htm

In my case [yes, accidents happen] the rash lasts for a couple of weeks, eventually heals and the dead skin peels off.

 

[morecowbells]

Sounds like you are suffering from what I encoutered while diving in Cozumel. My wrist accidently brushed against one of the black hydroid plants and I immediately felt a stinging sensation-not unbearable but definitely noticable. My blisters lasted about two weeks and the area is starting to heal up nicely. I did not take oral antibiotics, but I did wash the area with Hibiclens and applied antibiotic cream twice a day. Good luck. These stings are a mojor PITA.

 

[deborahdelamar]

It takes a couple of weeks for the blisters to go down once you have finished playing in the ocean. (The saltwater slows healing a lot.) May take a month or more for the rash to disappear completely depending on how quickly your skin usually heals.

If you touch the area and have the sensation that there are still particles in your skin (little splinters), it's not too late to douse with vinegar and that will help. Apply heat -- as hot as you can stand, use allergy tabs to stop the histamine reaction if you have any new blisters, hydrocortisone cream for the rash if it's itchy. When it stops itching, you can apply anti-scar cream if you want to use it.

 

[SkipperJohn]

I have not put anything on them. And shortly after posting this I noticed a new patch on my index finger. I think I'll start taking care of it tonight.
How this happened is interesting. I am a fairly new diver. I was in a large group and on this day the weather was horrific. Thunder, lightning. I was apprehensive. The DM's said to drop to 30 feet and below and the lightning would not affect you. I was gearing up and my group splashed. (why I was late gearing up is another story but it has to do with 24 divers on a boat). I was rushed to the transom and told to go... I was at this time a good distance form my group and by the time I hit the water they were gone. I decided I would sit this one out but the boat motored away (back to the reef as the wind was pushing him off at a good clip).
I tried to swim back to the boat but only succeeded in tiring myself out. The boat came over to me and another group splashed & I was encouraged to dive with them. I learned why a diver isn't supposed to get winded while diving. Already winded I was having issues trying to catch my breath through the reg at 60'. My buddy grabbed my arm and pulled me to a rock to hold on. While this worked for me catching my breath, I got stung.
My buddy, who blames me, is in much worse shape. He seems to have had an allergic reaction. His rash developed that evening and looks severely blistered. He is on antibiotics and is using multiple creams. But he is healing now. Mine isn't yet.

Thanks for the link jlyle

 

[BrewingDiver]

Ouch!!! Not sure there are any "rocks" down there, at least without coral/sponge covering.

A couple years ago, I very lightly brushed against one of those black hydroids that looks like a fern when I was moving in close for a photo of an eel. I felt a little burn at the time, and a few days later it did become red bumps. I think it took about 3 weeks or so but healed completely without scarring. But again, I barely touched it.

Hopefully you and your buddy will be fine soon. Keep us posted if you feel up to it.

 

[d_aviddiver]

Hydroids are a PITA, but your dive experience on the dive (as a "very", not "fairly, new diver on a large boat) is what I find a more serious issue.

IMHO, you might consider a smaller boat with more attentive dms until you have become more self sufficient.

 

[RubberDucky]

Jumping on the hydroid train...

Earlier this year while in Cozumel I made a very ungraceful exit from a swim-through, brushing my completely exposed leg up against a hydroid in the process. I remember having the rash for what seemed like a really long time, 2 - 3 weeks perhaps. I also had something of a mystery rash on my wrist and chest for a while, possibly attributed to the neoprene from the shorty I bought while I was there, or perhaps it was just a heat rash. That one also took some time to disappear, but wasn't itchy like the one caused by the hydroids. They were both red, raised, bumpy, and lingered for what seemed like quite a long time.

Anything I should be concerned about?

I showed off the battle wound on my leg to a few people (DMs and other folks with many years of diving experience) and no one mentioned anything about a need for concern. It seems to me to just be one of those annoying, but non-threatening things that takes a while to clear up. I am not a doctor, however. It would be interesting if you posted again when it cleared up, just to see how long it took in your case.

 

[Prop Joe]

Hydroids!
Yup, Even the DM's get them.

I've seen pieces floating throught the water unattached. I feel your pain. I think I have a bit of an allergic reaction to them. Seems I get stung every trip. Last trip I had a fellow diver blow some hydroids on my hand via an inadvertant fin kick while I was close to the reef for a pic...
What works for me is Hydrocortisone Cream. Stops itching, swelling/redness goes down, seems to lessen duration. I also make sure I do not have clothing rubbing on the rash as it just makes it worse. Should feel better in a few days. You can get 2.5% Hydrocortisone Cream in Mexico without a doctors script. Here in the states you can only get 1% unless you got a script.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/hydrocortisone-cream.html

 

[MMM]

Out of curiosity, what were you wearing for thermal protection? A full suit limits the hydroid stings to hands and face.