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Stingray Sting What You Should Know
Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Ana Gotter — Updated on October 11, 2022Stingrays are flat, disk-shaped creatures with fins that resemble wings.
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Ella Rodriguez 2 minutes ago
Species of stingray can be either saltwater or freshwater. They’re most often associated with trop...
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Ava White Moderator
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Species of stingray can be either saltwater or freshwater. They’re most often associated with tropical ocean climates, and their sting is a commonly reported beachgoer injury. A stingray’s tail is long, thin, and tapered, much like a whip.
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Grace Liu 5 minutes ago
In the middle of the tail are one or more barbed spines covered by a sheath. Each spine contains ven...
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Daniel Kumar 4 minutes ago
They often burrow beneath the sand in the shallows and swim in the open water. Stingrays will usuall...
In the middle of the tail are one or more barbed spines covered by a sheath. Each spine contains venom, and the stingray’s tail can pack a powerful, incredibly painful sting. Stingrays generally aren’t dangerous — in fact, they have a reputation for being gentle.
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Mason Rodriguez 7 minutes ago
They often burrow beneath the sand in the shallows and swim in the open water. Stingrays will usuall...
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Sofia Garcia 4 minutes ago
But if you do experience a stingray sting, there are several things you can do immediately to start ...
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Aria Nguyen Member
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They often burrow beneath the sand in the shallows and swim in the open water. Stingrays will usually only sting when disturbed or stepped on by unaware swimmers. Most of the time, you can avoid being stung by a stingray.
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David Cohen 8 minutes ago
But if you do experience a stingray sting, there are several things you can do immediately to start ...
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Nathan Chen 1 minutes ago
If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through pa...
But if you do experience a stingray sting, there are several things you can do immediately to start relieving the pain.
First aid treatment of a stingray sting
When stung by a stingray, you’ll feel immediate, severe pain at the wound site. You need to begin treating the wound right away if it’s superficial.
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Joseph Kim 19 minutes ago
If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through pa...
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David Cohen 13 minutes ago
Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can. Allow the salt water to clean the w...
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Julia Zhang Member
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If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through part of your body, don’t attempt to remove it. Seek emergency medical attention immediately.
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Henry Schmidt 2 minutes ago
Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can. Allow the salt water to clean the w...
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Ella Rodriguez 2 minutes ago
Try to clear out any additional debris you might see in the cut or puncture while you’re still in ...
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Dylan Patel Member
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Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can. Allow the salt water to clean the wound while applying pressure over it to both slow the bleeding and encourage the venom to come out.
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Liam Wilson Member
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Try to clear out any additional debris you might see in the cut or puncture while you’re still in the water. Pay close attention to how you feel in the sting’s aftermath.
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Daniel Kumar 10 minutes ago
It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emerg...
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Joseph Kim 11 minutes ago
Hot water kills stingray venom and may relieve the pain associated with the sting. Once you’ve det...
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Zoe Mueller Member
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It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emergency medical care. Expect the area to swell.
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Mason Rodriguez Member
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Hot water kills stingray venom and may relieve the pain associated with the sting. Once you’ve determined you’re not having an allergic reaction, you might want to try soaking the sting in hot water.
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Natalie Lopez 8 minutes ago
The ideal temperature for a soak is 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 46°C). Reheat your water every 10 mi...
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Kevin Wang 1 minutes ago
Once you’ve relieved the pain, apply antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound and cover it with g...
The ideal temperature for a soak is 110°F to 115°F (43°C to 46°C). Reheat your water every 10 minutes to keep it continually hot, and soak the wound for 30 to 90 minutes, or as long as it takes for the pain to subside. The hot water may also draw out venom, which resembles jelly.
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Aria Nguyen 14 minutes ago
Once you’ve relieved the pain, apply antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound and cover it with g...
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Victoria Lopez Member
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Once you’ve relieved the pain, apply antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound and cover it with gauze.
What are the symptoms of a stingray sting
If you’re stung by a stingray, you may experience these symptoms:abdominal painanxietybleedingdiarrheadizzinessextreme pain at the wound sitefatigueheadachelow blood pressuremuscle crampsnauseanecrosis (death) of surrounding tissuepain in the extremitiespainful, swollen lymph nodes near the siteskin discolorationswellingvomiting
The following symptoms could be signs of a systemic reaction or respiratory distress and require immediate emergency medical care:faintingirregular heartbeatmuscle paralysisseizuresshortness of breathsweating
It’s possible for the heart to stop or for the body to go into shock after a stingray sting. Some people have died as a result of stings in their chests and abdomens.
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Harper Kim 46 minutes ago
If you have a puncture wound and aren’t up to date on your tetanus booster, it’s time to get it ...
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Jack Thompson Member
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If you have a puncture wound and aren’t up to date on your tetanus booster, it’s time to get it renewed. If you’ve had the wound for a while but are slow to recover, you experience redness or additional swelling at the site, or the site begins to ooze pus, get treatment right away. The site may be infected, and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics (oral or intravenous) to treat it.
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Henry Schmidt Member
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How do stingrays sting
Because stingrays camouflage themselves under sand to hunt for prey, they can be hard to spot and easy to step on if you don’t know what to look for. Once it’s been threatened, a stingray will whip its tail in defense — which can reach up and over its head — leaving a laceration or puncture wound in your skin.
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Emma Wilson 8 minutes ago
When a stingray whips its tail at you, one or more of its spines may pierce your skin. The sheath ar...
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Daniel Kumar Member
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When a stingray whips its tail at you, one or more of its spines may pierce your skin. The sheath around each spine then breaks apart and releases venom into the wound and surrounding tissue. Stingrays most often sting people in their feet, ankles, and legs, but sometimes a sting may occur elsewhere on the body.
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Natalie Lopez 12 minutes ago
To avoid a stingray sting, shuffle your feet in the sand as you wade through shallow water. This wil...
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Charlotte Lee Member
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To avoid a stingray sting, shuffle your feet in the sand as you wade through shallow water. This will give stingrays a warning that you’re coming their way.
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Ethan Thomas 33 minutes ago
Another option is to throw shells or small rocks into the water ahead of you as you wade.
How ar...
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David Cohen 69 minutes ago
They may take X-rays of the sting site to determine whether all the debris has been cleared. Spine a...
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Nathan Chen Member
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Another option is to throw shells or small rocks into the water ahead of you as you wade.
How are stingray stings treated
If you do seek emergency medical care, your healthcare providers will closely inspect your wound. They will need to remove any debris left in the wound from the spines or the sheath.
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They may take X-rays of the sting site to determine whether all the debris has been cleared. Spine a...
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They may take X-rays of the sting site to determine whether all the debris has been cleared. Spine and sheath fragments are visible on an X-ray. You might receive an antibiotic via prescription or IV, as well as stitches if the wound is large or deep.
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You may also receive a tetanus booster. In some cases, you might require surgery after a stingray st...
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Expect localized numbness and tingling around the wound site during the healing period. Location of ...
You may also receive a tetanus booster. In some cases, you might require surgery after a stingray sting to remove dead tissue or to repair a severe wound.
What is the outlook for a stingray sting
For most people, stingray stings heal within a few weeks.
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Dylan Patel 9 minutes ago
Expect localized numbness and tingling around the wound site during the healing period. Location of ...
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Last medically reviewed on October 11, 2022
How we vetted this article
SourcesHistoryHeal...
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Henry Schmidt Member
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Expect localized numbness and tingling around the wound site during the healing period. Location of the sting, amount of venom in the tissue, extent of tissue damage, and promptness of treatment will affect healing time. If you have to undergo surgery after the sting, your recovery will take more time.
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Last medically reviewed on October 11, 2022
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Last medically reviewed on October 11, 2022
How we vetted this article
SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.
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You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial ...
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Stingray sting. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539785/Hoffman K. (2015)....
You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Chamigo A, et al. (2022).
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Stingray sting. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539785/Hoffman K. (2015)....
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Treating stingray envenomation and injury in the lower extremity. hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/s...
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Isabella Johnson Member
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Stingray sting. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539785/Hoffman K. (2015).
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Kevin Wang Member
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Treating stingray envenomation and injury in the lower extremity. hmpgloballearningnetwork.com/site/podiatry/blogged/treating-stingray-envenomation-and-injury-lower-extremityJellyfish and stingray stings. (n.d.). emergencyphysicians.org/article/know-when-to-go/jellyfish-and-stingray-stingsKline A. (2008).
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Stingray envenomation of the foot: A case report. faoj.org/2008/06/01/stingray-envenomation-of-t...
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Sofia Garcia Member
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Stingray envenomation of the foot: A case report. faoj.org/2008/06/01/stingray-envenomation-of-the-foot-a-case-report/Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version
Oct 12, 2022
Medically Reviewed By
Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI
Jun 20, 2018
By
Ana Gotter
Edited By
John Bassham
Copy Edited By
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VIEW ALL HISTORY Share this articleMedically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Ana Gotter — Updated on October 11, 2022
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