How to Treat a Jellyfish Sting
Jellyfish stings are one of those things that can seriously ruin a beach holiday. Jellyfish sting using their many tentacles which all contain alkali-based venom. While jellyfish stings are usually not life-threatening, being allergic to the venom can have more serious repercussions. Here’s how to treat a jellyfish sting.
A jellyfish sting can be instantly felt. Get out of the water as soon as possible.
As soon as you feel the jellyfish sting, grab some sand and rub it over the affected area while getting out of the water. Keep your fingers together as you rub the sand over the area.
jellyfish sting
Once you’re on the shore, call for help. Restrict movement on the affected area, as movement can cause further envenomation.
Rinse the rest of the tentacles off with salt water. Do not use fresh water as it will only make the stinging feeling worse.
Clean your hands before using a pair of tweezers to remove any remaining tentacles. You can also put some gloves on and use your fingers to remove the tentacles.
Keep an eye out for anaphylaxis, or severe allergic reaction.
Apply vinegar directly on the affected area and wait ten seconds.
After the vinegar, apply a solution made up of one part ammonia and four parts water. Wait ten seconds.
Apply aloe vera gel on the affected area to soothe the sting.
A lifeguard should have the vinegar, ammonia solution and aloe vera as part of his or her first aid kit. If not, try to include these in your own safety kit when going to the beach.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen will help relieve the pain. An ice compress or a warm compress can also help.
Use diphenhydramine for mild itching.
Tips to Remember
Try to avoid swimming if there is a warning about jellyfish in the beach you intend to go to.
If you can, identify the kind of jellyfish that stung you, if not the physical characteristics. The Portugese man-of-war has the most dangerous sting, plus it is not technically a jellyfish. It also requires a different kind of first aid procedure, so be obeservant of your surrounding when swimming.
Urine will not work on a jellyfish sting, so don’t even try!
Get to a hospital as quickly as possible for a followup checkup on the sting.