# Stung by a Sea Urchin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653 "2005-08-18T20:48:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![horhay\_achoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@horhay\_achoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/horhay_achoa)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/1 "2005-08-18T20:48:33Z")
I just got back from my honeymoon on Monday. While in Aruba I was stung by a sea Urchin…at least that’s what the locals thought. It was one sting right in the tip of my toe. My toe hurt like hell for the rest of the day. The next day it was tender. Now, a week later, it feels fine unless I apply direct pressure to the injury. My concern was that on Sunday and Monday ( 3 and 4 days AFTER the sting)I had a few dizzy spells. I haven’t had them since. It is now Thursday night. Is there any delayed reaction or anything I should be concerned about? I have since attributed the dizzy spells to drinking booze and sitting in the sun all day for a week straight, but they did freak me out a little bit. Anyone have any experience with Urchin stings? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/2 "2005-08-18T20:49:42Z")
> [@horhay\_achoa](#): > > Anyone have any experience with Urchin stings? Pee on it! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/3 "2005-08-18T21:31:56Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Pee on it! That is advice usualy given for jellyfish stings, but I don’t think it applies to a sea urchin. A sea urchin, AFAIK, just has spines - no poison, I believe. IANAD, but there may be a bit of an infection. Best advice, and the only advice we can give you here, is go see your doctor. BTW, you can try peeing on it, I doubt it will cause any problems but I doubt it would help. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/4 "2005-08-18T21:46:38Z")
You can try this link: [How to Identify and Treat Injuries From Stingrays and Sea Urchins](http://www.ehow.com/how_9372_identify-treat-injuries.html) But as mentioned by **adam yax** and seconded in that link none of this is a substitute for talking/seeing a real medical doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/5 "2005-08-18T21:48:18Z")
Here’s a better link authored by real doctors (maybe the other one was but this one cites who is giving the advice). [http://www.emedicine.com/wild/topic47.htm](http://www.emedicine.com/wild/topic47.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/6 "2005-08-18T21:57:15Z")
I had no idea that urchins produced venom. You learn something everyday. BTW, I can say that sea urchin should probably be avoided at the sushi restaurant unless you really like that seaweedy taste. The one time I tried it the chef asked me if I had urchin before and when I said no, he started smiling. He watched, laughing, as I tried it, and did what I had to do to keep it from coming back up. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/7 "2005-08-18T22:25:20Z")
I had a spiny sea urchin get me through my leather - palmed dive gloves. There were visible spines in my fingers, but the doctor told me there wasn’t anything they could do - the spines aren’t like splinters but will crumble if you try to get them out. They finally disappeared after about 6 months. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/8 "2005-08-18T22:30:54Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > BTW, I can say that sea urchin should probably be avoided at the sushi restaurant unless you really like that seaweedy taste. The one time I tried it the chef asked me if I had urchin before and when I said no, he started smiling. He watched, laughing, as I tried it, and did what I had to do to keep it from coming back up. I don’t know, it wasn’t that bad. At least not as bad as Natto. _shudder_ How can people eat that? I can eat anything…but… Natto? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/9 "2005-08-18T23:14:46Z")
Hey, natto’s good stuff. I like it in one of those little cup-shaped sushis, with a quail egg yolk and some chopped green onion. It tastes a bit like camembert. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stung-by-a-sea-urchin/317653/10 "2005-08-19T00:49:12Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Pee on it! Ha ha!! Yes, then pour beer on it.