SKIN BENDS OR MARINE LIFE INJURY?

DAN medical information specialists and researchers answer your dive medicine questions

Q:

I arrived home from a dive trip five days ago. The palms of my hands are itchy and red, and the right hand is worse than the left. I was careful about where I placed my hands while diving and always used the mooring line to perform my safety stops. During the week I briefly felt some itching on my right hand, but it resolved. I have no idea what is wrong. Someone suggested skin bends – is that possible?

A:

Based on the description of your symptoms and their location, a marine life injury is more likely than DCS. You are to be commended for being conscious of your hand placement when diving. The mooring lines are likely the source of the injury. Organisms in the hydroid family colonise mooring lines and give stings similar to those from jellyfish or other organisms that have nematocysts.

It is not unusual to experience delayed symptom onset. Some divers have obvious initial symptoms that resolve and then manifest again days later. Dermatologists refer to this as a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. Topical hydrocortisone cream is a reasonable first treatment. If the symptoms do not improve within 48 hours of treatment or if they continue to worsen, see a medical professional. A more definitive treatment is a course of oral steroids (e.g., prednisone), which requires a prescription. You or your doctor can contact DAN with any questions.

[Marty McCafferty, EMT-P, DMT] DID YOU KNOW? DAN OFFERS A FIRST AID FOR HAZARDOUS MARINE LIFE INJURIES COURSE. Divers may experience unintentional encounters with fire coral, jellyfish and other marine creatures. Any time a person enters the marine environment there is a chance of being stung, bitten or cut. This course teaches you where you can expect to encounter potentially hazardous marine life and how to provide first aid when injuries occur.

The more you know about the marine environment, the greater your chances of having safe, memorable dives. Visit

www.dan.org/training/courses