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

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.