Regards Colin Palmer. In general, occlusive bandages should not be applied to painful fish stings as they will only make the pain worse. Medical management involves injection of local anaesthetic for pain control, wound debridement and removal of broken bits of fish spine, dressing with an antibiotic ointment, and observation for signs of infection. Prophylactic systemic antibiotics may be helpful. Pull on the string away from the barb, with gentle opposing skin traction in the line of the shank, so as to elongate the entry wound Push down on the shank of the hook and gently lift the barb through the skin hole with the loop of string.
Local anaesthetic is sometimes helpful.
The other way is to push the point of the hook right around until it comes out of the skin via a second wound, then cut the hook with pliers and remove both parts. Other pages of interest include my general envenomations page and my pages on Australian snake and spider envenomation. You are visitor number since March 13th 2000. Comments and new articles are eagerly sought.