New Diver Coral Scrape

[Hank49]

I'm a new diver who recently went diving for the first time in the ocean off of Montego Bay Jamaica. I was pushed into a coral reef by another new fellow diver. I have no idea what type of coral it was however if looked like it was healing just fine but now after one week the individual scrapes have puffed up to resemble long bug bites and they itch really bad. Is this the normal healing process or is something else going on. When I got back on the boat I rinsed with fresh water and saw the nurse who washed it with antiseptic and put neosporan on the cut. She said I should be fine but since I am new I am unsure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If you had hit fire coral you would have known it within seconds. Like getting stung by a jelly fish. I've found over the years that when I get a coral cut it helps to use a nail cutter or small scissors to cut away all ragged pieces of skin so the cut is open and exposed. If skin can lay over the cut, it will get infected...guaranteed. Now that it is, in your case, I would guess that you need antibiotics. It gets like a staff infection and any little cut you get from anything will get infected until you get rid of this bug in your blood.

 

[David P]

Some bits of info about corals some of you may not know. There are several spieces of corals commonly known as "fire coral", montipora being one. Many people can handle this coral with only feeling a slight tingle, however you become sensatized to these corals and each time you come in contact, you will feel it more. There are some corals that are beautifull but possibly deadly. Zoanthids, colorfull little soft corals that look like tiny daisys that come in every imaginable color are quite toxic. If you touch these corals and then touch your mouth, you lips and tounge may go numb.

As far as getting stung by corals, try to hit the wound with vinigar or ammonia if you have any handy (with reef tanks I keep some around at all times...)

Oh yeah, Hi, nice to be hear.

 

[David P]

oops, I wrote the wrong coral. Montiporas do not sting, but Milliporas do.