Jellyfish Sting Help

JellyFish Facts
Jellyfish Safety
Jellyfish Sting Help

Jellyfish have inhabited the oceans for millions of years and they are one of the most fascinating creatures. There are many species of jellyfish and some of them pack quite a sting. Jellyfish are extremely delicate creatures and they do not have a brain. They have a very basic defense system which makes them release a venom when they come in contact with a living object. This venom also helps them to trap other marine creatures for their food. The jellyfish has no means of moving towards any object, and they float in the water with the help of the water current, and hence they are incapable of a deliberate attack.

If you are swimming in waters, which has jellyfish, it is likely that you will get stung, as a jellyfish can brush past you and react by stinging. Many species of jellyfish have a very mild venom and you will hardly even notice the sting. But there are species whose venom is extremely painful and certain types can even cause death within minutes. On a beach you should have instant access to jellyfish sting help if needed. The faster you attend to the sting the lesser the chances of having any serious complications, and less will be the pain.

Jellyfish have a lot of stinging cells in their tentacles called nematocysts, which they release when they come in contact with any flesh. So the first thing to do when a person is stung, is to remove this stinging cells with a tweezer from the skin. Do not use bare fingers as the stinging cells will affect you as well. Do not rub the stung area as this will release the venom from the nematocysts. After the cells have been removed soak the affected area in hot water. When hot water is not available sea water is the next best option. Do not use fresh water as this will make the sting worse. You can also soak the affected part first in sea water before trying to remove the stingers. Hot water or sea water has a little bit of neutralising effect on the venom and eases the pain a little bit.

The box jellyfish has the worst sting and can cause death. If a person is stung by such a jellyfish, immediately try to neutralise the venom by soaking the affected part in vinegar. The acid in the vinegar acts as a neutralising agent to quite an extent. Rush the person to hospital immediately to get specialized help and the dose of anti-venom for a box jellyfish sting.

There is a general misconception among people that by urinating on the part which is stung, helps to neutralise the venom. This is in fact not true and the sting can worsen when you soak the part with urine. The best first aid is to soak it in vinegar. Apart from vinegar you can also use baking soda made into a paste or isopropyl alcohol. Certain pain killers can also be prescribed if the pain is too severe.

Find jellyfish sting protection and relief products on Ebay (best price) or your local diving supply store.

Learn more about Jellyfish Stings and Jellyfish Sting Safety

Learn more about Jellyfish, different Jellyfish Species, general Jellyfish Information, Jellyfish Pets and Jellyfish Safety

Written by Nathan Dickerson and Sudarsana Sinha.