Journal Article

Sting Stories: Firsthand Experiences of Fish Envenomation Through a Small-Scale Questionnaire

Harris, Richard J., Paxton, Gillian, Motti, Cherie A., Saggiomo, Silvia L.

2025

Overview

Stings from venomous bony and cartilaginous fishes are known to cause extreme pain in humans, and with changing migratory patterns and distributions due to climate change, human interactions with venomous fishes may increase. Therefore, developing a better understanding of venomous fish stings and the associated pain can provide better solutions for first aid and treatments, particularly in areas or within populations with a higher risk of being stung. Using the results from an online questionnaire, this study discusses the perspectives of 121 people with direct experience of fish stings, exploring the contexts in which fish stings occurred, their firsthand experiences of pain, sting pathophysiology, experiences with medical treatments, and the long-term consequences of fish stings. This small-scale survey has proved successful for the exploration of fish sting experiences, and as such, an approach of this nature should be considered to better understand victim’s experiences with other painful animal stings.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Age groups / Aged / Animal behavior / Animals / Bites and stings / Bites and Stings - physiopathology / Bites and Stings - psychology / Bites and Stings - therapy / Climate change / Climatic changes / Demography / Female / First aid / First aid in illness and injury / Fish / fish sting / fish venom / Fish Venoms / Fishes / Fishes, Poisonous / hot water immersion / Humans / Male / Medical treatment / Middle Aged / Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs / Pain / Pain - etiology / Polls & surveys / Questionnaires / Scuba & skin diving / Social aspects / Stings / survey / Surveys and Questionnaires / Toxins / Venom / Young Adult