First Aid For A Jellyfish Sting: How Prevent A Jellyfish Sting, Treat One Without Medical Help, And What To Expect After

Despite the ongoing pandemic, and the potential health hazard of hanging out in crowded areas, some people might opt for a vacation at the sea side. After all, summer is the perfect time to get away from your daily routine, get a tan, relax while day drinking at the beach, or chill in the water.

Jellyfish live almost everywhere, and are present in most popular tourist destinations. They are responsible for 150 million stings a year, and up to 800 stings a day have been reported in certain beaches in the Pacific. 

What are jellyfish?

Cnidaria — A phylum of animals home to more than 11000 different species, including corals, anemones, and jellyfish.

Cnydocite — A specialized exploding cell, which contains toxins, and can sting other organism.

Jellyfish are one of the oldest animals in the world, and one of the oldest multicellular organisms. They have been around for at least 500 million years. 

What we know as "jellyfish" is actually one life-cycle stage of organisms belonging to a group called Medusozoa, which are a part of the phylum Cnidaria. The other stage is a polyp, which lives attached to firm surfaces. The jellyfish is the sexual stage of this animal. They are usually spawned from the sedentary polyp at the same time of the day.

They swim freely and have trailing tentacles, which are armed with cnidocytes. The number of the cnidocytes ranges from several thousand to several billion cells per tentacle.

How should you treat a jellyfish sting?

Jellyfish stings are fairly common, and are about to become even more frequent, since some jellyfish are invasive species. Their numbers have been increasing rapidly in certain regions, such as Hawaii, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Different species of jellyfish have different toxins, so there aren't many universal remedies for jellyfish stings. While some methods can successfully be used to treat stings from certain jellyfish species, they should never be used in treating stings from other jellyfish. 

As an example, vinegar can be used to treat box jellyfish stings quite successfully. It should never be used when dealing with Pelagia noctiluca stings, on the other hand, as vinegar promotes toxin discharge in this species, and these stings are really painful, as yours truly has experienced 25 years ago.

So, how to treat jellyfish stings, even if you don't know which exact species stung you?

• Rinse the area of your skin where the jellyfish stung you with sea water. DO NOT use fresh water or alcohol.
• Remove the jellyfish spines from your skin. Tweezers or credit cards can be used to remove the spines. It can even be done by hand, but this is not recommended, since that can cause secondary stings on your hands. Resort to the method of manually removing spines only if no other techniques are available, and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
• It is recommended to soak the area of the jellyfish sting in hot water, if possible, and for as long as possible. The toxins jellyfish release break down pretty fast in higher temperatures, and that's the problem with this step: the temperature we're talking about is at least 50°C (122°F). Soaking the affected area in hot water for at least 30 minutes will be helpful. If the area cannot be soaked, find another way to apply heat to the affected area (warm towels or heat packs are examples).
• Take some pain medication, such as ibuprofen.

Baking soda has successfully been used to help relieve the pain of a jellyfish sting. And while soaking the affected limb in hot water is helpful, so is putting ice packs on the part of the skin where the jellyfish stung you. High temperatures help destroy the venom, while cold temperatures slow the spreading and the diffusion of the jellyfish toxin. Vinegar is effective in some cases, but can be dangerous in others.

What not to do if a jellyfish stings you

We've all heard different stories about what to do in the case of a jellyfish sting. Some of these methods can be helpful, while others are ineffective, harmful, or just gross (yes, that one, you know what I'm talking about).

• Do not rinse the area where you were stung by a jellyfish with fresh water or alcohol. While these solutions might sound effective, they actually promote toxin discharge.
• Do not apply pressure onto the affected area. This one also helps the spread of the venom.
• Love thy neighbor, but don't pee on them. In most cases, urine does nothing to help alleviate the symptoms of a jellyfish sting.

Should I call the doctor after a jellyfish sting?

General signs of concern — that means you should seek imminent medical care — after a jellyfish sting include:

• Swelling
• Chest pain
• Having difficulties breathing
• Vomiting and nausea
• Loss of consciousness 
• Seizures
• Bleeding

How can I prevent jellyfish stings?

There are several ways to protect yourself against jellyfish stings. The first, and the easiest way to protect yourself is to be informed about local jellyfish behavior — different jellyfish are active at different times of the day, and different times of the year. It is is also useful to learn about the species of jellyfish that live in the waters you're about to swim in. Some are more dangerous than others. Always talk to the lifeguards, and ask them for advice. 

Wearing a protective swim suit will certainly lower the risk of getting stung. Also, there are several protective creams that reduce the risk of jellyfish stings, in some cases, even 100 percent.