Know First Aid When Pierced by a Sea Urchin

Stinging a sea urchin should not be taken lightly because it can cause mild to severe symptoms. Therefore, it is important to know first aid when stabbed by a sea urchin to prevent more serious complications.

Sea urchins, also known as sea urchins, are usually easy to find in shallow water, especially in rocky areas and coral reefs. These animals are not aggressive by nature. Most people get stabbed by sea urchins because they accidentally step on or touch them while swimming or diving in the ocean.

Symptoms When Pierced by a Sea Urchin

Sea urchins have 2 defense systems, namely spines that cover their bodies and pedicellariae which becomes a small, delicate organ among the sea urchin's spines. Pedicellariae tends to be more dangerous because it can release toxins when attached to an object, including your skin.

When stabbed by a sea urchin, the spines on its body will break and stick into your skin. This condition is painful and easily infected if not treated immediately. Usually the area of ​​​​the skin pierced by the sea urchin looks bruised and swollen with a blue-black color.

In addition to feeling sore, being pricked by sea urchin spines can also cause some serious symptoms that need to be treated, such as:

  • Great exhaustion
  • Weak and lethargic
  • Muscle pain (myalgia)
  • Paralysed
  • Shock

In severe cases, the above symptoms can lead to serious complications, such as respiratory failure and even death.

First Aid Steps When Pierced by a Sea Urchin

Here are the first aid steps you need to take when pricked by sea urchin spines:

  • Don't panic too much, because this will make you move more actively and risk accelerating the spread of toxins to other parts of the body.
  • Immediately pull over to land or a nearby boat calmly, then soak the affected area in warm water for 30ꟷ90 minutes to reduce pain.
  • Gently remove the sea urchin spines. If possible, use tweezers to facilitate the process of removing the thorns that are stuck in the skin. If there is pedicellaria stuck to the skin, you can use a razor to scrape it off slowly.
  • After successfully removing the thorn stuck in the skin, then you rinse the stung area with soap and clean water to avoid the risk of infection.

It is not enough with the method above, you are advised to visit a doctor to get a prescription for the necessary medicines, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol to relieve pain, or hydrocortisone cream to relieve itching on the skin pierced by the sea urchin.

If the wound from being stabbed by a sea urchin causes an infection, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic that must be spent all doses. This is important so that the bacteria are completely removed.

As a precaution, you may be advised to wear swimming shoes when diving in the ocean or the most effective is not to dive at all in waters where there are many sea urchins.

The pain and symptoms of a sea urchin will usually heal within 5 days. If the symptoms you experience do not go away, let alone there are signs of infection or even cause serious complications, immediately go to the doctor for treatment.