17 bitesting.fm

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Local Reactions
Your skin may have something to say -
Marine Stinging Creatures
and show - when it contacts underwater
Hydroids, anemones, jellyfishes, fire corals, sponges irritants
and worms are examples of marine stinging creatures that can cause reactions with blisters, itching and pain. By Paul S. Auerbach M.D., M.S.
The reaction occurs only if the injured diver or swimmer is contacted by the stinging cells of the Q Two or three days after diving, I get skin eruptions creature, and the pattern of rash often reveals which that are slightly painful, itchy and filled with liquid. I stinger was involved. Thus, the long tentacle of a usually get about 10 eruptions on my face, hands, jellyfish often leaves a "print" pattern which is forearms and shins. This condition occurs both with diagnostic for the specific creature that caused the and without a full wetsuit. My husband, who dives sting. However, the more common situation is what we with me, is not affected by this problem. Is this are faced with in your inquiry: a non-specific condition related to swimmer's itch? Is there any way dispersion of blisters and sores that could have been to prevent it from occurring? How should I treat it once caused by virtually anything that floats or can be Swimmer's Itch
A:The description you have offered portray what is likely a toxic bite or sting, followed by a local allergic Swimmer's itch, which you suggested as a possibility, is reaction, which indicates that you have in all caused by the cercarial (larval worm) form of certain probability been sensitized to the toxic substance(s) in marine schistosomes, and is an unlikely agent for this the past. Given your history of repeated episodes in the rash, particularly if no one else in the water -your Caribbean and the Florida Keys, the most likely husband, for example - is afflicted. I believe that you causative agent is a biting insect or marine creature may be demonstrating your own personal sensitization to toxin(s). Thus, whether the culprit is an insect or a marine stinger, your skin reaction seems to have an Insect Bites
element of hypersensitivity that would account for the blistering and longer natural course until there is Reactions similar to what you reported are commonly seen after fire ant stings, certain bee or wasp stings, and occasionally (rarely) after mosquito bites. With regard Seabather's Eruption
to the fact that blisters are present, bites from tiny biting midges, chiggers, flies, or common mites seem Could this be "sea lice," which is really "seabather's less likely, but not impossible. The beach (sand) eruption," a cluster of stings from small thimble environment, particularly in these regions, is often part jellyfish or larval forms of sea anemones? Perhaps, of, or adjacent to, breeding grounds for these noxious although one would expect a more intense skin insects, which are a plague to beachgoers and divers reaction around your neck and wrists, along and under who perform beach dives or traverse sandy or marshy bathing suit lines, and representative of an assault by thousands of stinging cells simultaneously. Given the pattern, I would not favor seabather's eruption.
Anemone Sting
insect bites are a possibility. Unfortunately, there are no commercially available topical skin preparation The intense redness and blisters you display in the barriers which protect against marine stings, although photos are reminiscent of stings by sea anemones, at least one such product is in development. I would particularly those which burrow in the sand, although also advise full wetsuit or diveskin protection while in you would most likely recollect handling the creatures. the water. If you use your hands a lot while diving, you Similarly, fire coral is unlikely if there is no mention of your contact with their clearly visible calcareous pillars. Hydroids are often widespread and fragile, and Whether or not you recognize a stinging sensation can leave stinging fragments invisible in the water, so a while you're in the water, it might be prudent to apply hydroid sting is a distinct possibility.
a brief swab of household vinegar, baking soda solution, papain solution (an enzyme in papaya juice), or rubbing alcohol after each dive to the skin areas in Photosensitive Reaction
which these stings most commonly occur, in the off chance that a subclinical (unnoticeable) sting might be It's difficult to make precise diagnosis, because there is no "smoking gun." Of course, we shouldn't overlook a drug eruption (rash) related to a possible interaction In the future, dive safely, and try these suggestions. between a medication and exposure to the sun Hopefully, one - or a combination of them - will keep (ultraviolet radiation). This can cause a rash similar to that demonstrated by your photos. Additional Paul Auerbach, M.D., M.S., is a consultant on questions to answer include whether you take any hazardous marine life to DAN, medical editor for Dive medications regularly, and if you were wearing a Training magazine, advisor to numerous medical, protective sunscreen at the time of your injury.
recreational and scientific organizations and recognized internationally as a leading expert on the clinical Treatment and Prevention
management of hazardous marine encounters.
After the blisters occur, treat the rash as you would a - From Alert Diver, November/December 1998 second-degree (blistering) burn, by keeping the affected area clean, applying a thin application of non-sensitizing topical antiseptic ointment such as mupirocin (Bactroban), and observing for the onset of infection. If the rash becomes incapacitating because of pain or itching, you might want to ask a physician to examine you and determine whether a hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction exists. If so, the physician would most likely treat you with a glucocorticoid (steroid) drug. You could take this type of medication by mouth or by injection - I would not expect a topical steroid cream or ointment to be of any particular benefit, and would not recommend its use, because of the effect of decreased wound healing and possible increase in the chance for infection. If itching is severe, try a standard antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) or fexofenadine (Allegra®), although this may not work for everyone.
In terms of prevention, I would advise you to wear sunscreen and insect repellent, particularly the latter if

Source: http://www.research2.ecu.edu/InetPub/wwwroot/aausfiles/ecudivingsafety/files/AppendixDISABLED/files/17%20BiteSting.pdf