brissel worm OUCH!!!!!

[theskunk]

ok so about 3 days ago i was cleaning some sand at work and was stung by a very large brissel worm....i had about a million of its stingers in both of my hands burned like hell!!!!! so now 3 days later my fingers ar swelling at the affected areas and itch like hell....looks almost like little blisters. my question is what should i do i have been taking benadryl but are ther any tricks to git rid of this pain and my nuckles are begining to ache. i dont have insurance so i am a little reluctant to go to the hospital. i would usually not worry about this but i had a bad experience with a condactilus about a year and a half ago....broke out in a terrable rash covering about a 3rd of my body

[Woodstock]

Bummer I have no idea. Hopefully someone will chime in!

[JFK_Jr]

Bristleworm Sting Treatment

Treatment for a bristleworm sting includes the following:

1. Apply topical acetic acid (vinegar) or isopropyl alcohol.

2. Remove bristles with tweezers or adhesive tape.

3. If severe inflammation and a continual burning sensation develop, apply hydrocortisone cream 3 times per day.

4. If signs of infection are present, such as pus, redness, or heat, apply topical antibiotic ointment.

5. Oral antibiotics are usually recommended to prevent infection. If infection develops, continue antibiotics for at least 5 days after all signs of infection have cleared. Check for drug allergy prior to starting any antibiotic. A doctor will recommend the right antibiotic. Some antibiotics can cause sensitivity to the sun, so use a sunscreen (at least SPF 15).

6. Pain may be relieved with 1-2 acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours and/or 1-2 ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) every 6-8 hours.

[BrothaWolf]

Usually when something like that happens meat tenderizer (like aldolpho's) or believe it or not urine can take the sting away. You can try it but it sounds more like you are having an allergic reaction... the swelling worries me You may have no choice but to seek out medical attention Good luck! Keep us posted

[theskunk]

the swelling is more like a band around each finger where i had the brissels...little bit of info i got from nurse friend:

1. take 500mg Vit. C 3 times daily

2. benadryl as label indicates

3> evening prim rose oil as label indicated

4. ledum 30c place 3 under tongue and let disolve...do not eat 30min prior and 30min after

this is her suggestion she is a nurse practioner who specializes in alternitive medicines she took care of me when i had my condy reaction she is now telling me to go back to skydiving because it seems to be a safer hobbie for me

[BrothaWolf]

Originally Posted by theskunk

she is now telling me to go back to skydiving because it seems to be a safer hobbie for me

I dont know about that... I would rather run out of air scuba diving than run out of air skydiving!!!!:smck:

[boozeman]

[Woodstock]

hahaha

[DeepBlue]

Sounds like wearing gloves when working in the tank is a far better option than having to deal with the pain...(I learned this the hard way also)

[Cougra]

Welcome to the club! I too had a nasty sting from bristle worms (Fire worm to be more exact!) and have nice red streaks going up my hand as well. I spent two days crying because of the pain they caused. Some people recommend thaty ou submerge your hand in water as hot as you can stand for as long as you can stand but that should be done as soon as possible. I'm not sure if it works though because I found out this information AFTER I was done hurting!

I too highly recommend wearing gloves ANY time you put your hands in the tank! There are a lot of nasty organisms in the tank that can cause some serious health risks, especially if you have any sort of open cuts on your hand. Gloves are a cheap way to help minimize these risks.

[BoomerD]

Should this happen again, you can cover the bristles with crazy glue, (gel works best) and once it dries, the bristles should come out when you peel the glue off the skin...Elmers may work well to...some have good luck with this means of removal.

[reefjitsu]

Hair removal wax works good too. The kind you apply, let dry, then yank off. It will remove just about any thing, hair included. I happen to know it works well for bristle worm hairs, fine cactus hairs, and tarantula hairs.

[ReefGuy69]

Sorry to hear about the bristles in your hand. I came across this article not to long ago on here. thought it would be a good refresher for some. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php
I definatley will not be sticking my hands in my tank anymore without gloves. The price for gloves $5. The price for not wearing them could lead to a lot of PAIN........Next time have a HOT chick pee on it though. Wink Wink. Even if it doesnt work i'm sure for a moment or two the pain will go away. HAHAHA

[sasquatch]

Hey Skunk and Cougra thats terrible, hope you both recover quickly, hand wounds are the worst because they're always in use. Had to laugh at the Annie Sprinkles thing tho. Steve

[burning2nd]

keep your hand outta the tank????