Stings and bites on land

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Plants

Chi-chen










Treatment with Chah-Ka

Insects

 

Reptiles

Stings and bites in the sea

The Caribbean contains many animals of which most are not dangerous. Some animals however can be hazardous. The chance of running into a dangerous animal is very small. The chance of being killed by the kick of a muil is bigger than being killed by a shark! However prevention and good treatment are of the essence.

The following dangerous animals and plant can be found in the sea:

Sponges:

• Desmacidonidae
• Haliclonidea
• Neofibularidae
• Tedaniidae
  

Jelly fish:

Prevention

To prevent being stung by jelly fish a thin wetsuit can be worn. A one millimeter thick suite is sufficient. When you sea jelly fish on the beach don't touch them. The stings of dead jelly fish can stay active for days. When diving check if the tentacles are visible. Some jelly fish have tentacles up to 70 meters. Be aware that pet of tentacles can be present on equipment after coming into contact with jelly fish.

Portuguese warship (Physalia)

Bell is actually a gas-filled float, blue to purple in color. Tentacles are often dark red or purple and can be very long. These are usually seen floating on the water’s surface or washed up on the beach. Size: 1 to 12 inches, possibly bigger.







Recognizing the stings

The skin colors red and swells. Blisters can appear. The skin can become bloodless and turn white.


Symptoms

The reaction of the body to the stings can very. Some symptoms appear directly after the stings some can appear after hours. Most of the time a strong pain sensation appears for one to two hours.
Shortly after the stings vital perts of the body can get disturbed. The breathing-, nervesystem, the blood circulation and intestines can be deregulated. This can result is reduced muscles power, reduced eye sight whomiting, stiffness of the muscles, cramps, parelization and fever. In case of over sensitivity the victim can get unconscious, experience breathing difficulties, irregular hart ritme and shock.

Most severe symptoms should disappear within 30 minutes. The remaining symptoms should fade away within 3 days. The scares can stay for months or never disappear.

Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Do not touch the tentacles.
- Carefully dry the skin by dabbing
- When a large area is effected use a pressure/immobilization bandage.
- Cool down the effected area for 15 minutes by means of a coolpack or a plastic bag with ice.
- Transport the victim to a doctor.

Yellow and blue hair jelly fish (Cyaneidae)

Recognizing the stings

These stings can be recognized by white strips surrounded by a red flaming area. The pattern resembles a saw like line. Where the lines cross blisters and hemorrhages are formed. After 15 minutes the pattern will fade away.


Symptoms

A burning will appear in the effeected area that pain will lessen after half an hour.

Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Do not touch the tentacles.
- Do not use vinegar!
- Carefully dry the skin by dabbing
- Cool down the effected area for 15 minutes by means of a coolpack or a plastic bag with ice.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Atlantic sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha)

Semi-transparent bell typically with small white dots and reddish-brown stripes radiating from center of bell; in individuals without stripes, bell may appear more white or opaque. Long tentacles extend from bell margin and oral arms extend from underneath bell. Bell size: 1 to 12 inches in diameter.











Recognizing the stings

The skin colors red and swells. Blisters can appear. The skin can become bloodless and turn white.


Symptoms

The pain will start immidiately and dissapaer afte a couple of hours. A nose flew with syliber can develop. There is alower awareness, muscle cramps, and weakness. In some cases a shock can develop.

Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Do not touch the tentacles.
- Apply a paste of salt/water (1:1) on the effected area, do not use vinegar.
- Cool down the effected area for 15 minutes by means of a coolpack or a plastic bag with ice.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Cross jelly fish (Gonionemous vertens)

Recognizing the stings

The skin will turn red and blisters will appear. The blisters will stay for two to three days. Also swelling and coloring of the skin can arise.


Symptoms

Immediately after the sting a burning pain will appear. After 5 minutes a tightening of chest with a prickly cough and a whistling breathing can arise. After 15 to 20 minutes a reduction of the strength and a feeling of exhaustion will appear. The pain will start in the lower back, legs, joints, chest and stomach. The victim will have a headache, light sensitive, trembling, cramps and pain prickling that can continue for twelve hours. Whomiting, a soar throat, hoarseness en skin rash. A fever will continue for two to three days.

Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Do not touch the tentacles.
- Sprinkle 70 % alcohol on the affected area.
- Cool down the effected area for 15 minutes by means of a coolpack or a plastic bag with ice.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Rays

Sting rays (Dasyatidae)

Prevention

To prevent being stung or affected by rays walk slowly in the water to give time to the rays to swim away. When diving balance your bouyancy well to prvent touching the bottom where the rays can be lying.


Recognizing the stings

The sting can cause a deep, frayed wound that can bleed severly. Most stings are in the foot or leg.


Symptoms

Directly after the sting an intense pain will arise. that will increase in the following two hours. The efected area will color red or blue. Often the skin around the sting dies. After 6 to 10 hours the pain reduces. Other symptoms can be unconsiousness, fear, restlessness, sweating, feaver, whomiting, diarea, dizzyness, breathing problems, bloodcirculation problems, paralization of arms and legs, cramps. These symptoms, however not likey, can lead to death. The wound can easily infect.


Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Stop the bleeding.
- Flush the affected area with cold water.
- Remove the remains of the sting with a pair of tweezers or small knife.
- Apply hot water immersion treatment.
- If the pain does not decrease apply coolpacks or bags with ice for 30 minutes.
- Apply general wound treatment.
- In case of severe body functional reactions aply an immobilisation bandage.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Electric rays (Torpedinidae)

Prevention

To prevent receiving a shock by rays walk slowly in the water to give time to the rays to swim away. When diving balance your bouyancy well to prvent touching the bottom where the rays can be lying. This type of ray is likely to atack again therfore get away from the location as quick as possible. lectrical equipment will attracked these rays.


Recognizing

Divers can show sudden uncontrolled reflexes due to the electric shok that this ray can produce. In some cases the diver can ever bite of the moutn piece of the regulator.


Symptoms

Directly after the shock the diver or swimmer can get unconsious. In case of a large shock hirt rimte disturbunces can appear. The victim can easily panic and respond in a unforeseen and dangerous manor.


Treatment

- Remove the victim from the attack as quick as possible.
- Reassure the victim.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Sharks:

White- (Carcharodon carcharias), Mako- (Isurus oxyrinchus), Bull- (Galeocerdo curvieri), Zambesi- (Carcharhinus leucas), Hamerhead shark (Sphyrnidae)

Prevention

Each situation of a shark attack is different. Sharks are more likely to hunt during dusk. They can be attrackted by shiny or electrical equipment. Most shark attacks happend when the diver or swimmer is hunting for fish or lobster. The splashing of the speered fish attrackts sharks. Also boily fluids can attrackt shark. Swim or dive in groups, sharks mostly attack swimmers or divers that are in the water alone. Never provoke a shark. When diving stay close to the bottom. In case of an encounter with a shark stay cool. Sharks recognize the fear and are more likly to attack.
You can recognize a hunting shark by the horizontal and vertical bends in it's body. Once you are attacked by a shark statistic say that it an be benificial to fight the shark by hitting it or punshing the eyes.


Recognizing

A shark bite can range from small or larger punctures in the skin to large shunks of meat being bitten of.


Symptoms

In small bites probaly small bloodloss will appear. Even when the bite looks small still vital arteries can be damaged. In case of large bites the shar probaly shook the victim to tear of the tissue. Large and painfull wounds can be the result of that. High bloodloss is in most cases the result from that. The victim will likely go into shock and there is a high chance of not serviving the attack.
The wounds that result of bites of sharks can easily get infected.


Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Stop the bleeding.
- Flush the affected area with cold water.
- Apply general wound treatment.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Fish

Barracuda (Sphyraenidae)

Prevention

Barracuda are more likely to hunt during dusk. They can be attrackted by shiny. Most Barracuda attacks happend when the diver or swimmer is hunting for fish or lobster. The splashing of the speered fish attrackts the fish. Also boily fluids can attrackt shark. Never provoke a Baracuda. In case of an encounter with a shark stay cool.
You can recognize an irritated Barracuda when it is blowing bubless or clapping the teeth.


Recognizing

The bite of a Barracuda is mostly V shaped. They can be compared with a samller shark bite.


Symptoms



Treatment

- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Stop the bleeding.
- Flush the affected area with cold water.
- Apply general wound treatment.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Murene (Muraenidae)

Prevention

Be carefull putting you hand on a reef. Do not put your hands in holes in the the coral. Do not feed murenes to entertain people. The murene can mistake your hand for a fish. Murenes can be very persistent and sometimes don't let go. In that case you might need to try to hit the murene unconsious, to break the yaw or to cut of the animal. Make sure you don't get into blood-blood contact with the Murene. The blood contains a protein that break down red blood cells of humans


Recognizing

The bite of a Murene consists of a high number of small punctures. Sometimes deep wounds can occur with high bloodloss.


Symptoms

There can superficial as well as large damage to the nerves, tendens and bloodvessels. Some scientist have the opinion that the syliba of the murene is slightly poissioness.


Treatment
- Move the victim as little as possible.
- Flush the wound with water.
- Apply hot water immersion treatment.
- Remove the remains of the scalpel with a pair of tweezers or small knife.
- Apply general wound treatment.
- If the pain does not decrease apply coolpacks or bags with ice for 15 minutes.
- Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.

Scorpion fish (Scorpaeninae)

Doctor fish (Acanthuridae)

Prevention

Do not provoke Doctor fish. These fish are very teritorial. When attacked swim away from the area.


Recognizing

The cut made by a Doctor Fish can ber fairly deep and cause high blood loss. The pain has a burning sensation. Some types are poissoness, when this is the case the pain is stronger and can stay for several days. Sometimes the victim feels nausea, local muscle pain and fear.


Symptoms

There can superficial as well as large damage to the nerves, tendens and bloodvessels. Some scientist have the opinion that the syliba of the murene is slightly poissioness.

Miscellaneous

• Stone Coral
• Fire coral (Millipora)
• Sea anemones
• ???snails
• sea egel???
• Sea cucomber

  Fire worms (Eurythoë complanata)
  
  Recognizing the stings
  
  At first the skin will show white dots, swell and turn red within 10 to 30 minutes. Sometimes blisters will develop. These blisters can stay for a couple of days.
  
  
  Symptoms
  
  After being stung the effected area will itch for about one week. There will be strong pains that will get less after a couple of hours. The pain can spread to other tissues. The glands can swell and the joints can become painfull within 24 hours. Other symptoms can be headache, nausea, whomiting, light sensitivesness, distrub snesation awareness, ichyness, tickling, tingling, raised heartbeat, heartritme disturbances, pain in the chest and feaver.
  
  
  Treatment
  
  - Move the victim as little as possible.
  - Do not touch the hairs (note that these hairs can penetrate medical gloves).
  - Flush the effected area with vinagar.
  - Remove the hairs with a pait of tweezers or sticky tape. If this is not vailable then gently 'grind' the are with sand.
  - Cool down the effected area for 15 minutes by means of a coolpack or a plastic bag with ice.
  - Transport the victim to a doctor when the symptoms are severe.
  

  Pica Pica

  
  Cause? Treatment?