Emergency!!! Lot's of pain!!!

[kevin01]

I have had a thirty gallon setup for about 3 months now with just live rock and a yellow tail damsel. Kind of a holding place for future use live rock. About an hour ago I started picking up the rock to move to a new setup. I felt a few sharp pains in the pads of my fingers and then a whole lot of pain, like little needles. When I look under a bright light, there are thousands of little glass looking spikes sticking out all over my hand. They look very similar to fiberglass. less than a mm long and thousands of an inch wide. I can barely pluck them with tweezers and Ducktape and wax didn't work at all. Does anyone have any idea what this is and what I can do to relieve the pain and get the little boogers out.

 

[chevron tang]

they're probably bristleworms. ouch!!! i don't really know what else you could try to get them out. sorry.

 

[fshhub]

<a href="http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/alsting1.html#fireworm" target="_blank">marine first aid</a>
check out the above link, i too think it to be bristle worm

 

[bt_1999_66]

Kevin 01,
This is going to sound strange, but I used to make my own surfboards, and from the description that you have given, it sound like fiberglass like material/size. Find an old pair of pantyhose... Yes I said pantyhose...!
Take it and rub it over your hand slowly.... Little by little these spines/needles will come off onto the hose....
This will not ease the poison that you may have on the affected area, but will remove any more needles that have yet to deliver it...
Good luck...!

 

[kelly]

I did this several years ago, and it was painful for several days. The calcium spines will slowly dissolve, but the affected area will be extremely tender until they do. I did not try the stocking method, but hopefully it will work.
Next time you will watch where you grab a rock, I am sure, I know I do. Experience is the best teacher, but this experience I wish I could have avoided. If the pantyhose method works for you let us know and the best of luck!

 

[cyn]

Try making a paste of meat tenderizer and water. Put the goo on your finger and let it dry. It should ease the pain and duration of the swelling. This works somewhat for bee stings too.
HTH,
cyn

 

[chevron tang]

for the sting get some benadryl cream. i should draw out the poison in your hand. i know i used it when some atlantic carpet anemones stung me. let me tell you that hurt.

 

[2boyz]

i also did the same thing OUCH!!!!!!! if you know someone with a hand parifen(spelling)(hot wax) put your hand in that and peel the wax off. most of the needles should come out.....by the way the pain will go away!!!!!

 

[von_rahvin]

we run in ristle worms when we are diving all the time. meat tenderrizer is how e do it. if the stocking meathod works man i wish i knew about that one. either or, they always say "No Pain No gain" I think i have been stung sooo much that i am becominmg immune to it. I barly noticed last time. <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />

 

[luke]

Did anyone read fshhub's link???
"Contradictory studies exist on the effectiveness of meat tenderizer, baking soda, papaya, or commercial sprays (containing aluminum sulfate and detergents) on nematocyst stings. These substances may cause further damage. Some kinds of meat tenderizer, for instance, can cause skin peeling. In one U.S. fatality from the box jellyfish, Chiropsalmus quadrumanus, rescuers placed meat tenderizer almost immediately on the affected arm. The child was soon comatose and later died."
You may want to avoid the tenderizer.
If the spines are truly made of CA, then soak your hand in vinigar (if you can bear it). That will disolve any leftover spines.
Read fshhub's link, it is very interesting.
Luke

 

[kappadoku]

Im sorry to hear you got stung... But anyway, on a lighter note...
"Alcohol and human urine are common nematocyst remedies, but both can be harmful."
I can see it now...
"Bubba hurry and PEE on me!!! It stings! Drink some more Mai Tais so you can pee alcohol on me!!!"
ROFLMAO!!!
Kap.

 

[discusking]

hope it feels better <img src="graemlins//silly.gif" border="0" alt="[silly]" />

 

[fshhub]

oh yeah, not critisizing, but everyone here, should take note, when in the tank, you really should wear gloves, they are real lifesavers adn all you need really is one that will protect your hand, so even if it is not long enough to keep your arm dry, it is much better than the sting, especially since, many people can have an allergic reation to the sting, just like a bee sting IT COULD BE LETHAL

 

[krux]

I used to get stung a lot diving as I was constantly flipping things over to find the things that like to hide normally, and I eventually got used to it as well. Until that happened however, I took my bottle of CA glue (superglue to most people) out of my dive first aid kit and coated the area with it. At this point I would recommend not touching anything else. About an hour later you can begin loosening it around the edges (a litle finger nail polish with acetone in it will help) and once you get an edge up peel it off slowly (obviously not ripping off any skin). This is the way I remove pretty much anything now, and it should work for your nematocysts.
If you are shaky on the concept of intentionally placing superglue on your skin, you can find medical grade CA glue on-line. I thought it was just a swift way of keeping myself from bleeding all over when diving known shark areas, but apparently it has become an actual suturing technique since then.

 

[cyn]

I was told by my alergist to use meat tenderizer for bee stings and have done so for years. I also have to use and epinepherine pen, as I am very allergic. I have never had any of the experiences mentioned in the other post. I work in critical care and will ask one of the docs at work today about this as it is news to me.
HTH,
cyn <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />