Jellyfish are invertebrate animals that, with their sting, can end up bitter on a happy day at the beach. They float in the sea water and have no interest in attacking us, but the mere rubbing, especially with their tentacles, causes their stinging cells to be activated in the form of microscopic stingers through which they give off their poison.
Depending on the species of jellyfish in question, it can have mild or severe consequences, but, in any case, it is always good to know what to do to relieve a jellyfish sting. Its presence on beaches, sometimes in large numbers mainly due to climate change and the increase in sea temperature, can become a real problem and there is no shortage of measures that try to prevent its massive arrival on the coasts. Looking ahead to summer and the refreshing swims in the sea that are approaching, in this article we talk about infallible treatments for jellyfish sting.
Symptoms of a jellyfish sting
Generally, a jellyfish sting feels almost immediately like a strong and sudden itch – pain, like you would have been burned. Of course, the consequences depend on different factors. The area of the body where you have been stung, with the chest and back being the most sensitive areas, in addition to the face; time of exposure to the venom of the jellyfish (it is not the same a slight rubbing that the animal catches you fully curling its tentacles around an arm or a leg without letting go) and, finally, the extension or size of the sting are the main factors that determine that the symptoms are more or less serious.
In addition, we must remember that there are more or less dangerous jellyfish. Although the symptoms may vary depending on the type of jellyfish in question, among the most common are:
- Itching and strong stinging in the affected area (one of the usual symptoms in any bite).
- Inflammation and localized pain, especially in the case of sting of the so-called jellyfish ‘aguamala', of great size and also of the Portuguese Skull, especially dangerous.
- Red or purple marks that allow to identify perfectly where the rejo of the jellyfish has entered in contact with the skin.
- Headache and malaise.
- Muscle cramps, vomiting, breathing difficulties (only in the most severe cases of bites of the most dangerous and poisonous species).
What to do to relieve a jellyfish sting
If being in the water, or once drying in the sand, you notice that you have been stung by a jellyfish, stay calm because in most cases the intense itching and pain will gradually subside. We recommend you follow these tips in case of jellyfish sting:
- Of course, if we talk about severe reactions, go to receive medical attention immediately.
- To find the relief you need, minimizing the effects, the first thing to do when you are bitten by a jellyfish is to clean the wound, but never using fresh water because it would aggravate the symptoms. Upon contact with fresh water, the remains of poisonous cells that may have been attached to the skin can cause the reactivation of the jellyfish sting, releasing more poison and increasing the insufferable ardor you feel. You should wash the affected area with some saline saline or even directly with sea water, always pouring it without rubbing or scrubbing (no matter how much it itches).
- It is important to remove any small remnants of an attached tentacle, but never do it directly with your fingers, if not using tweezers or sturdy gloves.
- A treatment for jellyfish sting is to apply ice, especially if there is inflammation, to relieve the jellyfish sting, but remember never to put it directly on the wound. Wrap it in a cloth that you will have to put in a plastic bag so that, when melting, fresh water does not come into contact with the skin.
- To relieve pain, you can take some analgesic and remember that many folk remedies, such as applying urine or pouring sand on the reddened area, are completely inadvisable. Although you can use ammonia for insect bites, it is not recommended for jellyfish bites, and they could also worsen the situation. The only thing you can do is apply a little vinegar, which does work when it comes to curbing the action of poison.
What to do to relieve a jellyfish sting
If being in the water, or once drying in the sand, you notice that you have been stung by a jellyfish, stay calm because in most cases the intense itching and pain will gradually subside. We recommend you follow these tips in case of jellyfish sting:
- Of course, if we talk about severe reactions, go to receive medical attention immediately.
- To find the relief you need, minimizing the effects, the first thing to do when you are bitten by a jellyfish is to clean the wound, but never using fresh water because it would aggravate the symptoms. Upon contact with fresh water, the remains of poisonous cells that may have been attached to the skin can cause the reactivation of the jellyfish sting, releasing more poison and increasing the insufferable ardor you feel. You should wash the affected area with some saline saline or even directly with sea water, always pouring it without rubbing or scrubbing (no matter how much it itches).
- It is important to remove any small remnants of an attached tentacle, but never do it directly with your fingers, if not using tweezers or sturdy gloves.
- A treatment for jellyfish sting is to apply ice, especially if there is inflammation, to relieve the jellyfish sting, but remember never to put it directly on the wound. Wrap it in a cloth that you will have to put in a plastic bag so that, when melting, fresh water does not come into contact with the skin.
- To relieve pain, you can take some analgesic and remember that many folk remedies, such as applying urine or pouring sand on the reddened area, are completely inadvisable. Although you can use ammonia for insect bites, it is not recommended for jellyfish bites, and they could also worsen the situation. The only thing you can do is apply a little vinegar, which does work when it comes to curbing the action of poison.
