Something stung my dive buddy?

[SubMariner]

So my buddy and I were diving in a wreck. (Tracy). The captain of our boat mentioned something about worms being attached to the ceiling of the wreck, and bubbles could knock them off.

After we surfaced, my buddy mentioned that during the penetration, he felt a slight stinging behind his right ear. Feeling were the stinging was coming from, he felt a small firm lump behind his ear, he then ripped it off and threw it, increasing the amount of pain he felt. He was unable to see what it looked liked.

My question is, does anyone know what this could be? Could this be the worm our captain talked about?The captain never mentioned anything about it stinging.

I apologize in advance if this is in the wrong forum

Thanks!
Dive! Dive! Dive!

Both DAN & ScubaDoc seem to agree that flushing the area with vinegar helps stop the reaction, then topical treatment with hydrocortisone cream. If there is an allergic reaction, antihistamines are recommended. And of course seeking medical attention.

As for the hot water immersion, that appears to be the course of action following jellyfish envenomation, but I can't find specific reference to it for fireworms. Also, the location of the sting would make this impractical.

Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional, nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[billsreef]

No poison/venom in fire worms An old college professor of mine specialized in marine toxins. We collected quite a bunch of fire worms for him to work with, as they were reportedly venomous. He didn't find any toxins at all. It's just the pain of those little hollow spiky bristles, much like fiberglass getting into the skin. Add to it the fact that it's happening in salt water, and you get lots of hurt. The spines are calcium based, so vinegar likely helps dissolve them I've found drying the affected area, and using tape to pull the spines out will help also. Some folks can also be allergic to the spines. I know one person that actually developed a contact allergy to them from repeated contact while working with live rock for the aquarium trade.

 

[njedrn]

No poison/venom in fire worms An old college professor of mine specialized in marine toxins. We collected quite a bunch of fire worms for him to work with, as they were reportedly venomous. He didn't find any toxins at all. It's just the pain of those little hollow spiky bristles, much like fiberglass getting into the skin. Add to it the fact that it's happening in salt water, and you get lots of hurt. The spines are calcium based, so vinegar likely helps dissolve them I've found drying the affected area, and using tape to pull the spines out will help also. Some folks can also be allergic to the spines. I know one person that actually developed a contact allergy to them from repeated contact while working with live rock for the aquarium trade.

Makes sense - by the way, I'm protist's dive buddy... stupid thing landed on my right ear. The vinegar helped a little, but it wasn't until I thoroughly cleaned the area that the pain went away, even then my ear was sore for another day. I'll live to dive another day though... thanks for all of the helpful information. If you have any links to your professor's research I'd appreciate it.

 

[billsreef]

I don't think that research ever got published. Lack of toxins doesn't make much of a paper when your a toxicologist

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I don't think that research ever got published. Lack of toxins doesn't make much of a paper when your a toxicologist

I believe there is something about the research out in cyberspace. I don't know if it's your former professor's or not though. And I can't remember where I read it. What struck me as interesting (and gave it credibility to a layman like myself) in what I read, wasn't that no toxins were found on or in the bristles (using a scanning electron microscope no less), but that no toxin producing ability was found in the worm, gland or otherwise. Not that it's unusual for one critter to "borrow" another critter's toxins, but given the reported social behavior of the fireworm, that just doesn't seem to be how they roll.

 

[Protist]

I don't think that research ever got published. Lack of toxins doesn't make much of a paper when your a toxicologist

True