Catfish Sting Natural Remedies: How To Prevent Sting Infection

Remedies For Catfish Sting

The catfish is basically a certain kind of fresh water fish that has certain kinds of spines (dorsal and apectorial) on either side. They often tend to sting with the use of these and create a puncture, or scrape off the skin. While this is most often quite harmless, the area around the sting tends to become red and inflamed. It is thus best to avoid direct contact with the catfish spines. This can be achieved by holding the catfish in the palm. This ensures that you stay away from direct contact with its spines. There are several natural methods to treat a catfish sting. It is important to remember that the catfish sting is mostly harmless and if given immediate attention can be cured effectively. Firstly, the most effective method of cleaning a catfish sting is by using fresh water. Either cold or warm water can be used to clean the sting. Warm water, however, is probably most effective as it helps destroy the poison in the sting. This will help reduce pain and inflammation immediately. If the pain resurfaces, you can periodically clean it using hot water. Removing the spine is the next important step in the treatment of the sting. If the spine is not lodged very deep into the skin then it can be removed using a pair of sterilized tweezers. Grip the protruding edge of the catfish sting firmly with the tweezers and then pull it out of the skin. If however, the sting is lodged deep in the skin, then its exact location can only be determined with a X-ray.

Prevention Of Infection

Once the poisonous spine has been removed from your skin, wash the wound thoroughly and allow it to be aired. Don’t attempt to close the wound with a bandage as it may lead to an infection. An infection is a strong possibility on account of the natural flora that survives on our skin. However, it is important to avoid an infection as much as possible to prevent further complications. Use water that is moderately hot for cleaning and sanitizing the sting. Water that is too hot may result in burning or scalding the skin and this could worsen the injury. There are various antibiotics that you can take to help relieve pain from the sting.

It is important to monitor the area for the next couple of days to ensure that there are no signs of infection. If the area becomes reddish or swollen or if the joints surrounding the area start to ache then these are symptoms of the onset of an infection.