Sores usually heal without medical treatment. Wounds should be cleaned 3 times each day and covered with a thin layer of antiseptic ointment. But when a deep sore develops, you may need medical treatment to help the sore heal and prevent infection. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. The second step is to rinse the area with a topical treatment like Sting No More or vinegar, commonly available at lifeguard stations. Finally, apply a heat pack or immerse the affected area in hot water for minutes.
The use of a mild hydrocortisone cream or an oral antihistamine may help relieve itching and swelling. Seek medical attention for worsening symptoms or if you experience swelling or a throbbing pain that radiates up a leg or an arm. Stings to the eyes or mouth should be treated by a physician.
While it may be tempting to immediately rinse the affected water, do not pour cold drinking water on the sting because it can release more venom and increase your pain. In the absence of vinegar or sting spray, wash with saltwater. Talk to lifeguards, local residents or officials with a local health department before swimming or diving in coastal waters, especially in areas where jellyfish are common. Error: This is required. Error: Not a valid value. Jellyfish stings are common and mostly painful.
If you are stung, in most cases you do not need to go to hospital or seek further medical advice. However, some jellyfish stings are dangerous and can cause a severe reaction, requiring emergency first aid. If you are stung in tropical waters and experience extreme pain, breathing problems, nausea, vomiting or sweating, call triple zero for an ambulance. For bluebottle or minor jellyfish stings, seek advice from your local doctor if the pain continues.
Stinging cells on the tentacles called nematocytes shoot poison into the skin, like tiny harpoons. The type of sting and how severe it is will depend on how much of the tentacle touched the skin and the species of jellyfish. In northern Australian tropical waters, contact with major box jellyfish can cause a dangerous reaction. The venom is very potent and the tentacles are long and likely to come into contact with more of the skin.
Other jellyfish in northern waters can cause Irukandji syndrome, where a person experiences extreme pain in their body, not necessarily at the location of the sting. The reaction may not occur until half an hour after the jellyfish has stung. This type of sting can also be dangerous and requires emergency medical treatment.
The most common type of jellyfish sting comes from bluebottles also called Portuguese Man-of-War , which are found all around the coastline of Australia. Where the jellyfish tentacles have made contact with the person's skin, there will usually be severe pain and a red or purple whip-like lesion.
It's therefore very dangerous and risky to have contact with this jellyfish. Stings by bluebottle jellyfish are the most common in Australia. With that being said, the severity of a sting can vary based upon:. Because of their smaller size, young children are prone to more serious reactions and should always be seen by a doctor. Reactions may appear rapidly or several hours after the sting.
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Sea anemone toxins: A structural overview. Gershwin, L. Dangerous jellyfish blooms are predictable. J Royal Soc Interface. DOI: Ping, J. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
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