Need help with possible coral sting...

[Dearth]

Not sure if I post here but here goes

This morning I picked up 3 coral from my LFS a Red Zoa, Toadstool Leather, Red and Green brain.

As I have had heard numerous stories about coral and their painful potential as I have eczema quite bad in my hands I wore thick latex gloves and went about acclimating and cleaning the coral before introducing into my tank I did the Zoa first then Brain and Leather last it was when I put the Leather in my tank I noticed my glove was ripped on my right hand.

I removed the glove and washed my hands with vinegar and then cleaned with soap and water after. Overkill maybe but I wanted to be safe than sorry.

About an hr later my left hand started to tingle then suddenly cramped up and as I am a lefty I was extremely concerned. It was then I noticed a tiny piece of coral stuck in an existing open wound on my left hand unknown to me my left glove had ripped open as well. About 20 minutes later my hand refused to function normally would close but not open and vice versa. I was started to get real worried I read that I should immerse affected area in vinegar if possible and let it soak. I filled a bowl with vinegar and put my hand in it for several minutes all the while I was in quite a bit of pain.

I then took some Tylenol and waited to see what my hand would do about 15 minutes after the soak my hand started to uncramp and really tingle to the point I was whining a lot but my hand was moving again went to emergency to have it looked at but my hand was feeling much better and all I was given was some anti inflammitores and told to come back if any symptoms re-occurred. Blood was also drawn and an xray taken. it's been 6 hrs since the ordeal started and hand still is sore but now is working again.

Does anybody have any idea what might of got me or did I have a reaction to something and help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[ScubaSteve]

What coral was in an open wound? That might help us better explain.

Most of the corals in our tanks, especially the ones you mentioned, don't pack enough fire power to do much harm to humans though there are a few exceptions. I've certainly had a few whelts from hammer corals and anemones, but over time I've become more or less immune to the heavy hitters and don't really react any more.

That said, some people tend to be more sensitive than others to coral stings, sort of like with bee stings, but it's strange that you reacted so much to it. Especially the pain and paralysis. That's uncommon. Leathers and zoos are capable of toxicity but aren't known stingers. So that could be a possibility.

If you are one of the sensitive ones, keep some antihistamine handy and treat it as you would a bee sting. The whole vinegar thing is a load of baloney. If nematocysts that have not fired already are stuck in your skin, a change in pH (ie. vinegar) will trigger them and just make you feel worse. The best thing to do is to rinse the area with the same water they were in. Once they've fired there really isn't a whole lot you can do to neutralize the sting (though there are old wives tales abound about this... If you doubt me, go pee on your hand and see if you feel better... I can wait :razz:).

Hope you feel better! A couple of years ago I was free diving and came up to the surface, right into 12 ft long, 3 ft wide jellyfish and got nice and tangled in the tentacles. I still have the scars from the resulting aftermath, so I totally know how it feels.

[Dearth]

To be honest I have no Idea from the coral piece came from and I did not inspect it too closely had other concerns on my mind atm. The area where the coral piece was pulled from is very tender but it is localized now but I have full movement in my hand which is good.

Sorry would of replied sooner but anti inflammitory medicine threw me for a loop went to sleep for a few hrs.

[AquaAddict]

Hi,

My Euphylia corals will give me a rash even if I get within 2 inches of them. I then apply heat via hot water for a hot as possible and for as long as possible. That feels very soothing. I then use Paula's Choice (cosmetics) Red Relief lotion (its really a liquid) for a few days and then it disappears.

I know this is a little different from your experience but it might help as well.

AquaAddict

[spit.fire]

I would guess that would be from the zoos

[Snappy]

I would guess that would be from the zoos
+1

[FragIt Dan]

My understanding of nematocytes is that we don't get stung by most because they are not able to penetrate our skin. They still pack a serious punch (as attested by the coral wars you observe in your tank), but typically pose little threat to us. If, however, you have a cut, they can inject the venom directly into the bloodstream.
Not that it really matters, but I would propose a different theory than zoas theory for a couple of reasons... I suspect a zoa would not cut you, but more so because the symptoms of palytoxin are more typically less localized (I have two good friends give me first hand accounts and have done a fair bit of reading on it since). I would bet the coral you pulled out of the cut was stoney?
As for the Vinegar, the medical profession and primary literature seem to be in agreement that it is recommended as a treatment for most jellyfish (and I would assume coral) stings. The vinegar deactivates the nematocytes, allowing the removal of the jellyfish tentacles (or coral chunk) without further triggering. Urine, however, not so, although you are welcome to try... ;)


Dan

[lockrookie]

Lol urine....if all else fails **** on it I say lol... It's late and made me snikker carry on


Sent from my porcelain aquarium

[FWC]

Ditto. Sometimes I like to stick my finger into my corals stinger tentacles cause I can ,and I've never been hurt.

[soapy]

FYI, these mucking gloves are not too bad:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=10264&cat=2,42407,33246&ap=1

The only problem with them is that sometimes they get little holes. They will stand up to most rocks and corals but are not one hundred percent bullet proof.

[Mandosh]

As for the Vinegar, the medical profession and primary literature seem to be in agreement that it is recommended as a treatment for most jellyfish (and I would assume coral) stings. The vinegar deactivates the nematocytes, allowing the removal of the jellyfish tentacles (or coral chunk) without further triggering. Urine, however, not so, although you are welcome to try... ;)

Agreed. I think the urine theory comes from the mistaken fact that trace amounts of ammonia will have the same effect that vinegar does (vinegar has been shown to inhibit unfired nematoctyes from triggering in SOME species). Unfortunately, freshwater, which urine is mostly, has also been shown to cause nematocytes to fire. That being said, nematocytes are not all created equal and I have heard anecdotal evidence (no literature that I have seen) that vinegar has the opposite effect on stings from some non-jellyfish species such as the Man-o-war (read excruciating pain if applied). So, no idea how coral would react.

We used to use vinegar and lidocaine when I was diving in the tropics. I have also heard that meat tenderizer breaks town the proteins in the toxin...'cause everyone carries that in their beach bag.

[Carandiru]

Do be careful with Zoa's - I stay away from them from now on for they are extremely risky.

Some Zoa's are fine, some are not - there are no distinct features of various Zoas that can tell you whether or not it is capable of a lethal palytoxin dose.

Simple touching, splashing of water in the eye or mouth, or "steam" if your cleaning will definitely tell you - but that's something you never want to find out.

Palytoxin is the worlds second deadliest poison - I was a little surprised myself to find this out after the fact of purchasing a zoa.

[reefwars]

Do be careful with Zoa's - I stay away from them from now on for they are extremely risky.

Some Zoa's are fine, some are not - there are no distinct features of various Zoas that can tell you whether or not it is capable of a lethal palytoxin dose.

Simple touching, splashing of water in the eye or mouth, or "steam" if your cleaning will definitely tell you - but that's something you never want to find out.

Palytoxin is the worlds second deadliest poison - I was a little surprised myself to find this out after the fact of purchasing a zoa.

define zoa??

[Dearth]

I still have no idea what got me and while it was extremely painful lesson for me I will not let that stop me from getting more coral but it does prove no matter how careful you are the chance of something happening will always be there.

However I do have a new respect for coral

[reefwars]

I still have no idea what got me and while it was extremely painful lesson for me I will not let that stop me from getting more coral but it does prove no matter how careful you are the chance of something happening will always be there.

However I do have a new respect for coral


glad to see you are ok this happened to a friend of mine as well not to long ago. theres a thread on here about reef cautions everyone should read

when someone says zoas they are talking about zoanthids which does include palythoa sp. which is whats belived to be the zoanthid in question that is dangerous but there are also many more that are not.