How to Treat a Jellyfish Sting

The good news is that jellyfish stings are rarely life-threatening. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} The bad news is that jellyfish will release thousands of tiny spikes that stick into the victim’s skin while stinging and releasing venom. Usually jellyfish venom causes mild discomfort or redness and pain. In rare cases, jellyfish venom can cause systemic illness. If you or someone else is stung by a jellyfish, it can be helpful to act quickly and decisively.

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Know when to call 911 and seek medical attention. Most jellyfish stings do not require medical intervention. However, seek medical attention right away if you or someone else has any of the following:

The sting covers more than half an arm, half a leg, a large area of the upper body, or the sting is on the face or genitals. ^{[2] X Research Source}
The sting causes a serious allergic reaction, including (but not limited to) symptoms such as difficulty breathing, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, or heart palpitations. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
The sting is from a box jellyfish. The venom of the box jellyfish is extremely powerful. This jellyfish is found on the coast of Australia and in parts of the Indo-Pacific and Hawaii. ^{[4] X Research Source} Box jellyfish are light blue in color and have a square-shaped head, or “medusa head.” They can reach a length of approximately 2 meters.

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Calmly get out of the water. To avoid further burns and to start dealing with them, find a way to get ashore immediately after being burned.

When getting out of the water, try not to scratch the stung area. It is possible that the jellyfish’s tentacles are still attached to the skin, and you will get additional stings if you scratch or touch them.

Wash the sting with sea water. As soon as you get out of the water, wash the area with sea water that was stung by the jellyfish (not fresh water) to wash away any tentacles still attached to the skin or stinging tissues. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Do not rub the sting area with a towel after washing, as this can activate the remaining stingers.

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Pour plenty of vinegar over the tentacles for at least 30 seconds. For maximum effect, you can mix vinegar with hot water. This is the most effective first aid method for stings of many types of jellyfish. ^{[6] X Source of Study} Make sure the water is not so hot that it burns the skin.

The stings of some jellyfish species may respond better when treated with a combination of salt water and baking soda. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Remove jellyfish tentacles from skin

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Carefully scrape off any remaining tentacles. After cleaning the sting, scrape off any remaining tentacles with a plastic object, such as a credit card. ^{[8] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Do not rub a cloth or towel over the sting to try to remove the tentacles, as this will cause more stinging cells to continue to secrete venom.
Try to stay still when removing the tentacles. The more you move while removing the tentacles, the more venom will be released.
If you show signs of shock, you need to have someone call 911 right away, and try to stay as calm as possible.

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Discard all materials that come into contact with the jellyfish sting. You need to minimize the risk of being accidentally pricked again. Throw away all things that may still have stinging cells attached, such as objects you use to scrape the tentacles, or clothing that may still have tentacles on.

Heat pain relief. Once the tentacles have been removed, you can relieve the pain by soaking the burned area in hot water (but don’t get too hot!). The temperature should be only 40-45°C to avoid burns. Research has shown that heat can inactivate the venom and relieve pain better than ice. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Treat pain with pain relievers. If you have severe pain, you can take a recommended dose of a pain reliever, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. ^{[10] X Source Research} Ibuprofen can also reduce inflammation caused by stings.

Avoid common mistakes

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Do not use urine to treat jellyfish stings. The idea of using urine to treat jellyfish stings probably came from folk tales and became more popular after the TV series Friends used this episode to make fun. ^{[11] X Research Source} There’s no reason to pee on a jellyfish sting!

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Avoid washing jellyfish stings with fresh water. Most jellyfish stings occur in seawater. This means that the nematocysts (acne cells) contain large amounts of salt water. Any change in salinity in nematocysts causes the stinging cells to release venom. Instead, use salt water to wash. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Do not use meat tenderizers to deactivate the stingers. There’s no research to show that this actually works, and it may do more harm than good. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Know that applying alcohol directly to the skin can be counterproductive. Similar to washing soda, alcohol can cause nematocysts to release more venom and cause more pain. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Discomfort and next steps

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Clean and bandage open sores. After removing the tentacles and relieving the pain, clean the burned area with warm water. (Seawater is not needed, as nematocysts — stinging cells that respond to fresh water — have been removed.) If the skin is still irritated or bleeding, apply gauze and a light bandage.

Keep the wound clean. Wash the wound with hot water and apply an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin 3 times daily, then cover the wound with a bandage and gauze. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Take an oral or topical antihistamine to relieve itching and irritation. You can soothe irritated skin with an over-the-counter antihistamine or topical cream with diphenhydramine or calamine cream.

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Wait a day for the symptoms to subside, and several days for the irritation to subside. The pain should subside after 5-10 minutes of taking the medicine and most of the pain after a day. If the pain persists after a day, see your doctor for treatment.

In rare cases, jellyfish stings can cause infection or scarring, but most people avoid this, even with very severe stings.
In rare cases, hypersensitivity to the venom can occur for a week or weeks after being stung. ^{[16] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source} Blisters or other skin irritations can appear suddenly. Although anaphylaxis is generally not dangerous, it is better to see a general practitioner or a dermatologist for treatment.

Advice

Call the beach lifeguard. Lifeguards are experienced in dealing with jellyfish stings and have the tools and skills needed to treat jellyfish stings quickly and effectively.
Many times the victim does not see the creature that burned him. If symptoms persist or worsen, seek medical attention after being stung by a sea creature.
Treatment will depend on the type of jellyfish and the severity of the sting. In the case of a box jellyfish sting, the victim will be treated with antivenom to detoxify. If the sting causes loss of heart function, the victim will receive CPR and epinephrine injections.

Warning

Do not apply any of the above solutions around the eyes. Dip a clean cloth or washcloth in the solution and dab around your eyes.
Do not leave the meat tenderizer on the skin for more than 15 minutes.
Never rub to remove the tentacles, as this will cause additional pain. Instead, pull or scrape the tentacles off the skin.

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