First Aid & Emergencies
Catfish Sting Treatment
In this article
Call 911 if:
- The person is having trouble breathing.
- The person is having trouble breathing.
1. Get the Person Out of the Water
2. Do CPR if the Person Is Not Breathing
- For an adult, start adult CPR.
- For a child, start CPR for children.
3. Clean Wound
- Use tweezers to remove all catfish spines.
- Scrub wound with soap and water.
- Rinse extensively with fresh or salt water.
4. Submerge Wound in Hot Water
- Soak for at least 30 minutes in water as hot as the person can tolerate.
5. Do Not Cover Wound
6. Treat Pain
- Give over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
7. See a Doctor As Soon As Possible
8. Follow Up
- The doctor will clean and treat the wound and may give a tetanus shot, if needed.
- The person may receive pain medication and antibiotics to prevent infection.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by
Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on September 08, 2013
© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
First Aid A-Z
- Abdominal Pain
- Abdominal Pain in Children
- Acetaminophen Poisoning
- Alcohol Intoxication
- Allergic Reaction
- Altitude/Mountain Sickness
- Amputation (Accidental)
- Animal Bites
- Ankle Fracture
- Ankle Sprain
- Anthrax
- Aspirin Poisoning
- Asthma Attack
- Asthma Attack in Children
- Asthma Attack in Pregnancy
- Battery Ingestion
- Bends/Decompression Syndrome
- Black Eye
- Black Widow Spider Bite
- Bleeding
- Bleeding During Pregnancy
- Bleeding Under Nails
- Blisters
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- Blood in the Urine
- Blue Lips (Cyanosis)
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- Broken Arm
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- Broken Shoulder Blade
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- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Catfish Sting
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- Chest Injury
- Chest Pain
- Chest Pain (Angina)
- Choking
- Choking in Children
- Colds in Children
- Concussion
- Congestion in Children
- Constipation
- Convulsions in Children
- Coughs
- CPR for Adults
- CPR for Children
- Crabs (Pubic Lice)
- Cradle Cap
- Crying/Colic
- Cuts and Bleeding
- Cuts and Bleeding in Children
- Cyanide Poisoning
- Dehydration
- Dehydration in Children
- Diaper Rash
- Diarrhea
- Diarrhea in Children
- Diving Ear Pain
- Dizziness
- Drowning
- Drowning in Children
- Drug Allergy
- Drug Overdose
- Ear Foreign Body
- Ear Infections
- Eczema
- Elbow Dislocation
- Electric Shock
- Exercise-Induced Asthma
- Eye Bleeding (Hyphema)
- Eye Burns/Corneal Burns
- Eye Injuries
- Eye Injuries in Children
- Eye Sores/Corneal Ulcers
- Eyelid Inflammation
- Facial Fracture
- Fainting
- Fever in Adults
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- Finger Dislocation
- Finger Injuries
- Fishhook Injuries
- Food Poisoning
- Foreign Body in the Eye
- Fracture or Dislocation
- Frostbite
- Hand Injury
- Head Injury
- Head Injury in Children
- Headache
- Heart Attack
- Heart Palpatations
- Heat Exhaustion
- Heat Rash
- Heat Stroke
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- Hives and Angioedema
- How to Operate an Automated External Defibrillator
- Human Bites
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- Rashes
- Rectal Bleeding
- Rectal Foreign Object
- Rectal Pain
- Reflux (GERD) in Children
- Ricin Poisoning
- Ruptured Tendon
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- Seizure in Children
- Severe Allergic Reaction
- Shark Bite
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- Shoulder and Neck Pain
- Shoulder Dislocation
- Shoulder Separation
- Skier's Thumb
- Slipped Disk
- Smoke Inhalation
- Snakebite
- Splinters
- Sprains and Strains
- Stingray Injury
- Stomach Ache/Nausea
- Stroke
- Stroke/TIA
- Sty
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- Tailbone Injury
- Teething Pain
- Testicle Pain
- Tetanus
- Tick Removal
- Toothache
- Toxic Shock Syndrome
- Traveler's Diarrhea
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Foreign Body
- Vertigo
- Vomiting and Nausea
- Vomiting During Pregnancy
- Vomiting/Spitting Up in Children
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