We believe in the free flow of information. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Richard McGee, Senior lecturer in Paediatrics, University of Newcastle and Michelle Welsford, Professor and Director of the Division of Emergency Medicine, McMaster University Keep an eye on safety announcements from lifeguards, monitor the water for jellyfish and wear protective clothing to prevent stings where possible. Remember, prevention is better than cure. Perhaps not surprisingly, there were no published trials looking at the effectiveness of urine as a treatment and so it’s not recommended. We found vinegar, sodium bicarbonate, Sting Aid or meat tenderiser have no proven benefit and may cause irritation or infection. These included ammonia, methylated spirits and fresh water, as they may cause burns on the skin or trigger more venom to be released from nematocysts.Īvoid pressure immobilisation bandaging (wrapping a bandage tightly around the limb) as this may also trigger more venom release from nematocysts. When it comes to treatments, our review found some may be harmful or ineffective, so should be avoided. What not to doĭo not rub or scrape the area with sand or a towel because this might cause more nematocysts to release their venom. If the person stops breathing or has a heart attack, they need immediate basic life support. Such severe symptoms mean monitoring and treatment in hospital may be needed. But always seek medical attention if you or the person you’re looking after has symptoms such as: Most symptoms can be managed at the beach or at home. That’s because evidence not considered as part of our review shows vinegar inactivates nematocysts when tested in the laboratory. Nevertheless, it’s reasonable to try vinegar. Our review did not find sufficient evidence to support current recommendations to apply vinegar to inactivate the nematocysts. Shutterstockįor box jellyfish stings, the evidence was more limited. Stung by a bluebottle? Try warm water or a heat pack. There was not enough evidence to show whether other treatments, such as ice packs, were effective for bluebottle stings. At the beach, you could apply a heat pack or take a hot shower. This is thought to denature the venom protein. The data in our included studies provides what’s described as low-certainty evidence for soaking the affected area in water about 45℃ to ease the pain. Regardless of the jellyfish species, it’s reasonable to first remove any visible tentacles with tweezers or a gloved hand. The trials also looked at Adolph’s meat tenderiser (a powder thought to break down proteins) and Sting Aid (an over-the-counter treatment thought to help ease pain after a variety of stings). These trials, involving 574 people, tested various treatments such as vinegar, hot water, ice packs, isopropyl alcohol, methylated spirits, ammonia and sodium bicarbonate. Some box jellyfish can cause Irukandji syndrome (a condition that may lead to severe pain, heart problems, and very occasionally death). box jellyfish ( Cubozoa), which are considered the most dangerous jellyfish.bluebottles or Portuguese man o’ war ( Physalia).We found nine trials involving treatments for two types of jellyfish: And the best treatment for one species is not always the best for another.īy knowing which treatment works and which doesn’t, you can reduce your discomfort and avoid complications. Symptoms differ depending on the species. When these cells touch your skin, they release venom that can cause burning, redness, swelling and sometimes more serious reactions, such as heart issues.įortunately, most jellyfish stings are not life-threatening. They have tentacles covered with tiny stinging cells called nematocysts. Jellyfish are common in coastal regions around the world. We looked at the evidence for popular treatments and have just published our analysis in a Cochrane review. Is it best to use hot water or an ice pack? How about pouring on vinegar or rubbing with sand? Then there’s the popular myth about urinating on your leg, which health professionals have debunked many times but seems to resurface regardless. But how best to treat jellyfish stings has been debated over the years. If you have been stung by a jellyfish at the beach, you’ll know how painful and unpleasant it can be.
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