The sting of a jellyfish is a relatively common problem for swimmers, divers or simple bathers in marine waters. And it is that the long tentacles of these marine animals can inject poison with their thousands of stingers with microscopic spikes without us almost noticing.
Jellyfish stings vary in severity: we can find some stings with immediate pain and redness in the area; but other times they can cause affections for different parts of the body and, finally, there are some bites that are life threatening.
What to do if we get stung by a jellyfish?
The sunscreen cream – although it does not prevent stings – does create a small protective film against a possible sting. In any case, if we are finally stung by a jellyfish, the first thing we will feel is pain and itching in the area.
The first thing to do is wash the area well with salt water before fresh water to prevent it from spreading. We will by no means apply urine or other popular method to jellyfish stings. The discomfort will be temporary and we can alleviate it with ice cubes or cold compresses for no more than five minutes; all this will serve to reduce both pain and itching. It is not advisable to cover the affected area with sand or rub it, as this will only make the poison spread even more.
It is also not appropriate to apply creams with antihistamines, as it will increase swelling, but to use an ointment with cortisone and cover the wound with gauze, avoiding both water and sunlight for a couple of days.
The 5 most poisonous species
The toxin harpoon of the jellyfish, one of the fastest movements in nature, even faster than a bullet, is especially dangerous in five species: the giant lion’s mane jellyfish , the sea nettle jellyfish , the Portuguese caravel, the Irukandji jellyfish and, the most poisonous and dangerous of all that inhabits Australia, the sea wasp jellyfish.
