Jellyfish sting treatment
According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 150 million jellyfish stings are reported worldwide every year. Most do not require professional medical treatment, but stings from a venomous species — such as the Australian box jellyfish — can cause serious complications and even death if not treated promptly. Fortunately, box jellyfish are only found in certain regions and primarily in deeper waters. Most jellyfish species found on American beaches are non-lethal, but they can still deliver a very painful sting and trigger allergic reactions.
Unpleasant encounters with jellyfish are challenging to avoid because they are notoriously difficult to see in the water unless they are large in size or large in population, as in a recognized jellyfish bloom. Otherwise, many swimmers only become aware of a jellyfish after they have already brushed against its tentacles. Dead jellyfish on the sand can still deliver a sting after contact.
If you or someone you know gets stung by a jellyfish, there are immediate steps you can take to minimize the pain and skin damage. However, there is also a lot of misinformation about proper treatment.
Preventing jellyfish stings
Consult with lifeguards and other authorities
If there is a lifeguard on duty at your preferred section of beach, ask them if other visitors have reported jellyfish stings recently. Lifeguards are often called to assist affected swimmers out of the water. Many beaches in jellyfish-prone areas will post special warning flags if the population is especially high. Jellyfish blooms tend to be cyclical, so there are certain times of the year when swimming without protective clothing is discouraged.
Visually inspect the beach and the water
If there is no lifeguard or warning flag, a visual inspection of the area should help reduce the chances of jellyfish exposure. Dead jellyfish on the beach can suggest a larger population in the water. Larger jellyfish can be seen floating on the surface of the water because they use the current and wind for transportation. Some jellyfish can be scared off by taking slow and deliberate steps in the sand.
Wear protective gear
Staying out of the ocean during a jellyfish bloom is the best course of action but surfers, fishers and boaters may still need to get into the water. In these situations, wearing protective gear such as a drysuit or wetsuit should reduce the chances of a jellyfish sting, although some parts of the body may still be exposed. There are commercial products that claim to repel jellyfish by mimicking the scent of a clownfish, but these claims remain largely unproven.
First aid for jellyfish stings
Get the victim out of the water
Some sources suggest remaining in the salty ocean water to reduce the pain of a jellyfish sting, but this is not good advice. Additional stings could cause even more pain and suffering. Remove the victim from the water, and set up a first aid station in a clean, dry area.
Remove tentacles with tweezers and irrigate the wound
Direct contact with the tentacles can sting the rescuer, so the use of protective gloves and fine tweezers is highly recommended. Remove only the tentacles visible on the skin’s surface; do not attempt to scrape out the nematocysts themselves. Once the tentacles have been removed, irrigate the wound with white vinegar or a commercial jellyfish sting spray.
Clean sea water can be used for emergency irrigation, but fresh water will actually trigger more painful stings as the remaining nematocysts react to it. For pain and allergy relief, a mild hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion can be applied to the affected skin, but avoid any aggressive rubbing during application.
Administer OTC painkillers or antihistamines
Some jellyfish sting victims are not aware of an allergy until they’ve actually been stung. An over-the-counter antihistamine such as Benadryl can help alleviate any symptoms of an allergic reaction. Painkillers such as Ibuprofen or Advil can also address some pain-related symptoms.
Prepare a hot soak or shower
Some sources suggest the application of an ice pack at this stage in the treatment, but studies show that heat is more effective than cold for pain relief. The water temperature should be as hot as the victim can tolerate without scalding, and the soak or shower should last at least 20 to 45 minutes. The heat will help draw out and neutralize the remaining spines under the skin and also increase circulation in the area for a faster recovery.
Aftercare for jellyfish stings
Clean and disinfect open sores
Severe jellyfish stings can cause open sores to form on the skin, and these sores can become infected if not treated with topical antibiotic creams. The wounds should be cleaned at least three times a day and protected with a light antibiotic-infused gauze bandage. Wrapping a tight gauze bandage around the entire injury is not a good idea because the skin requires ventilation to heal properly.
Recovery time for most jellyfish stings could be a few hours to a few days, depending on the severity of the wound. Professional medical treatment should be sought if the sting is near the victim’s eyes, or there are signs of severe allergic reaction or an altered state of mind.
What not to do for jellyfish stings
Irrigate with ammonia. One common home remedy involves spraying the affected area with a product containing ammonia, such as Windex window cleaner. The ammonia allegedly neutralizes the venom in the nematocysts, but this has not been proven scientifically. Commercial products such as Sting Zapper Jellyfish Medicated Gel Wipe or Safe Sea Anti-Jellyfish Sting Lotion would be safer and more effective choices.
Meat tenderizer. Powdered meat tenderizer is thought to contain ingredients that neutralize the effects of jellyfish toxins under the skin. In reality, a meat tenderizer would also damage the healthy skin around the affected area, so it should not be applied as a poultice.
Human urine. The use of human urine to neutralize jellyfish stings is perhaps one of the most widespread home remedy myths around. This practice is wrong on a number of levels. Urine is a waste product, which makes it unsanitary by design. Collection and application are also problematic, either as a do-it-yourself project or a team effort. Finally, urine does not contain enough acid to offer much medical relief.
Aggressive scraping. While jellyfish tentacles can be safely removed from the external skin, removing the spines themselves is not an easy process. They generally have to work themselves out of the skin, much like a splinter. Scraping the affected area aggressively will not speed up the healing process or provide faster pain relief.
Rubbing with a towel. Along with mechanical scraping, the idea of using a towel to rub out the spines may sound appealing, but it ultimately causes more damage to the skin than allowing the spines to work their way out naturally.
Baking soda paste. Some types of injuries may benefit from the application of a baking soda paste but not jellyfish stings. The baking soda does not neutralize the toxins released by the spines, and it may affect the skin’s natural chemistry as it heals.
Michael Pollick is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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