Health Encyclopedia

Stonefish

Definition

This article describes the effects of a sting from a stonefish.

Poisonous Ingredient

Stonefish venom

Where Found

Stonefish
Related species

Symptoms

Airways and lungs
- Difficulty breathing
Heart and blood
- Low or high blood pressure
- Slow or rapid heart rate
Skin
- Bleeding
- Severe pain
- Whitened color of the area around the site of the sting
- Color of the area changes as the amount of oxygen supplying the area decreases.
Stomach and intestines
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Nervous system
- Delirium
- Fainting
- Fever (from infection)
- Headache
- Muscle twitching
- Seizures
- Paralysis

Home Treatment

Wash the area with fresh water. Remove any foreign material at the wound site. Contact an emergency room. Soak wound in the hottest water the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes, if instructed to do so.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of fish
Time of the sting
Location of the sting

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

Washing of the skin (irrigation)
Removal of any foreign material
Soaking of the wound
Medications to treat symptoms
Medicine (antiserum) to reverse the effect of the venom

Expectations (prognosis)

Recovery usually takes about 24-48 hours. Death has occurred when the patient's chest or abdomen was punctured.

Review Date:10/24/2007
Reviewed By:Stephen C. Acosta, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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