Bum sting!

[Aisling1006]

While on holiday recently, I was stung very badly on my bottom! It was in the Med sea off Paradise beach, Mykonos, Greece, where we swam over a shelf in the sea on the way back to shore. There was some yellow and brown looking coral, but nothing that looked sinister, and noone else in the group suffered stings to any major extent (a couple of people had sting patches about the size of a 10p piece).
I think I made contact as I came over the side of the shelf, and instantly my whole bottom became extremely painful, and I had a burning sensation down the back of both legs. It then came up in what I can only describe as welts, which were white and red. That was a week ago, and I still have large red patches over my bum!
What I'm wondering is, does anyone know what it could be that stung me? I don't know much about coral, so thought I would ask people who do!

Hope you can help!

Thanks,

A

[Loverotties]

Maybe fire coral?

[ibanez2k]

Hmm... I'm not sure what that could have been but if it's been over a week now and they aren't looking much better you should get it looked at. I know you can get some really nasty bacterial infections from cuts on reefs. Always error on the side of caution when it comes to your health and safety.

[Phishnoob]

Yep I think Fire Coral could be the culprit.

I use a full 3mm even in warm water, and my wife has a full body rash guard. She is a fire coral magnet.

[cutietwo]

ouch, hope you get better soon!

[fchidsey]

Ya brown and yellow branches sounds like fire coral to me. (next time if you have nothing else have some one (or your self pee in a cup and pour it on the sting) this will help nutralize the chemical burn. (or you can carry the anitceptic for this it also helps for sea lice and other wonderful creatures.)

[Kyuss]

yes don't mess around, I almost lost my hand a couple of months ago due to a bad run in with my frogspawn coral. Get it looked at asap.

[Gabriel]

i know what your talking about i have seen them before. all though i have never come touched corals in the wild becasue i don't want to damage anything.

any way when in Greece i just wear swim trunks, flippers, and my mask and snorkel. i have seen some scary stuff before but never came to close enough for them to touch me.

i really wish i had a housing for my camera so i can take pics of the marine life when i go on vaca it really great! but 1K for a housing is a little ridicules.