What are the symptoms of a jellyfish sting? How do you diagnose and treat a jellyfish sting? Get the facts about jellyfish stings, including the types of jellyfish, risk factors, and prevention tips.

Understanding Jellyfish Stings

Jellyfish stings are a fairly common occurrence for people swimming, wading, or diving in oceans. These stings happen when the long tentacles of a jellyfish come into contact with the skin, injecting venom from thousands of microscopic barbed stingers. Most jellyfish stings cause immediate pain and inflamed marks on the skin, but some can lead to more severe, whole-body (systemic) reactions, and in rare cases, even be life-threatening.

Symptoms of Jellyfish Stings

The symptoms of a jellyfish sting can vary in severity, but typically include:

• Burning, prickling, or stinging pain
• Welts or tracks on the skin, showing the pattern of the tentacles
• Itchiness (pruritus)
• Swelling
• Throbbing pain that radiates up a leg or arm

More severe reactions can affect multiple body systems and may include:

• Stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting
• Headache
• Muscle pain or spasms
• Faintness, dizziness, or confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart problems

Factors Affecting Sting Severity

The severity of a jellyfish sting can depend on several factors, including:

• The type and size of the jellyfish
• The age, size, and health of the person affected (severe reactions are more likely in children)
• How long the person was exposed to the stingers
• How much of the skin was affected

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, seek emergency medical treatment immediately. Additionally, see a healthcare provider if your symptoms worsen or the wound shows signs of infection.

Causes of Jellyfish Stings

Jellyfish stings are caused by brushing against a jellyfish tentacle. These tentacles have thousands of microscopic barbed stingers, each with a tiny bulb that holds venom and a coiled, sharp-tipped tube. When the skin comes into contact with the tentacle, the triggers on the surface release the stingers, which pierce the skin and inject the venom.

Common Types of Jellyfish

While many types of jellyfish are relatively harmless to humans, some can cause severe pain and systemic reactions. These include:

• Box jellyfish: Can cause intense pain and, rarely, life-threatening reactions. Found in warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.
• Portuguese man-of-war (bluebottle jellyfish): Have a blue or purplish gas-filled bubble that keeps them afloat, mostly found in warmer seas.
• Sea nettle: Common in both warm and cool seawaters.
• Lion’s mane jellyfish: The world’s largest jellyfish, with a body diameter of more than 3 feet, found in cooler, northern regions of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Preventing Jellyfish Stings

To help avoid jellyfish stings, consider the following tips:

• Wear a protective suit, such as a wetsuit or “stinger suit,” when swimming or diving in areas where jellyfish stings are possible.
• Get information about local conditions from lifeguards, residents, or health officials before entering the water, especially in areas known to have high jellyfish populations.
• Avoid swimming or wading in the water during jellyfish season, when their numbers tend to be higher.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing a jellyfish sting typically doesn’t require a visit to a healthcare provider, as the injury can usually be identified by its appearance. However, a provider may collect samples of the stingers to help guide treatment.

First-aid care for a jellyfish sting includes carefully removing any visible tentacles with tweezers and soaking the affected skin in hot water (110-113°F/43-45°C) until the pain subsides, which can take 20-45 minutes. For severe reactions, medical treatment may be necessary.

In summary, jellyfish stings are a common ocean-related injury that can range from mildly irritating to potentially life-threatening, depending on the type of jellyfish and other factors. By understanding the symptoms, causes, and prevention methods, individuals can take steps to avoid these stings and seek appropriate medical care if necessary.

Jellyfish stings | Sparrow

Overview

Jellyfish stings are fairly common problems for people swimming, wading or diving in oceans. The long tentacles trailing from the jellyfish can inject venom from thousands of microscopic barbed stingers.

Most often jellyfish stings cause instant pain and inflamed marks on the skin. Some stings may cause more whole-body (systemic) illness. And in rare cases they’re life-threatening.

Most jellyfish stings get better over a few days or weeks with home treatment. Severe reactions likely need emergency medical care.

Symptoms

Symptoms of jellyfish stings include:

• Burning, prickling, stinging pain
• Welts or tracks on the skin — a “print” of the tentacles’ contact with the skin
• Itchiness (pruritus)
• Swelling
• Throbbing pain that radiates up a leg or an arm

Severe jellyfish stings can affect multiple body systems. These reactions may appear rapidly or several hours after the stings. Symptoms of severe jellyfish stings include:

• Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
• Headache
• Muscle pain or spasms
• Faintness, dizziness or confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Heart problems

The severity of a reaction depends on:

• The type and size of the jellyfish
• The age, size and health of the person affected, with severe reactions more likely in children
• How long the person was exposed to the stingers
• How much of the skin is affected

When to see a doctor

Seek emergency treatment if you have severe symptoms.

See your health care provider if your symptoms worsen or the wound shows symptoms of infection.

Causes

Jellyfish stings are caused by brushing against a jellyfish tentacle. Tentacles have thousands of microscopic barbed stingers. Each stinger has a tiny bulb that holds venom and a coiled, sharp-tipped tube.

When you brush against a tentacle, tiny triggers on its surface release the stingers. The tube pierces the skin and releases venom. It affects the area of contact and may enter the bloodstream.

Jellyfish that have washed up on a beach may still release venomous stingers if touched.

Types of jellyfish

Many types of jellyfish are fairly harmless to humans. Others can cause severe pain and a full-body (systemic) reaction. These jellyfish cause more-serious problems in people:

• Box jellyfish. Box jellyfish can cause intense pain and, rarely, life-threatening reactions. The more dangerous species of box jellyfish are in the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.
• Portuguese man-of-war. Also called bluebottle jellyfish, Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish live mostly in warmer seas. This type has a blue or purplish gas-filled bubble that keeps it afloat.
• Sea nettle. Common in both warm and cool seawaters.
• Lion’s mane jellyfish. These are the world’s largest jellyfish, with a body diameter of more than 3 feet (1 meter). They’re most common in cooler, northern regions of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Risk factors

Conditions that increase the risk of jellyfish stings:

• Swimming when jellyfish appear in large numbers (a jellyfish bloom)
• Swimming or diving in jellyfish areas without protective clothing
• Playing or sunbathing where jellyfish are washed up on the beach
• Swimming in a place known to have many jellyfish

Complications

Possible complications of a jellyfish sting include:

• Delayed skin reaction, causing blisters, rash or other irritation
• Irukandji syndrome, which causes chest and stomach pain, high blood pressure, and heart problems

Prevention

The following tips can help you avoid jellyfish stings:

• Wear a protective suit. When swimming or diving in areas where jellyfish stings are possible, wear a wet suit or other protective clothing. Diving stores sell protective “skin suits” or “stinger suits” made of thin, high-tech fabric. Consider protective footwear, as stings can also occur while wading in shallow water.
• Get information about conditions. 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.
• Avoid water during jellyfish season. Stay out of the water in jellyfish areas when jellyfish numbers are high.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing jellyfish stings generally doesn’t require a visit to a health care provider. If you do go, your provider will likely be able to diagnose your injury by looking at it.

Your health care provider may collect samples of the stingers to help guide treatment.

Treatment

Treatment for jellyfish stings includes first-aid care and medical treatment.

First-aid care

Most jellyfish stings can be treated as follows:

1. Carefully pluck visible tentacles with a fine tweezers.
2. Soak the skin in hot water. Use water that’s 110 to 113 F (43 to 45 C). It should feel hot, not scalding. Keep the affected skin immersed or in a hot shower until the pain eases, which might be 20 to 45 minutes.
3. Apply 0.5% to 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment twice a day to the affected skin.

Steps to avoid

These actions are unhelpful or unproved:

• Scraping out stingers
• Rinsing with human urine
• Rinsing with cold, fresh water
• Applying meat tenderizer
• Applying alcohol, ethanol or ammonia
• Rubbing with a towel
• Applying pressure bandages

Medical treatment

• Emergency care. Someone having a severe reaction to a jellyfish sting may need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), life support or, if the sting is from a box jellyfish, antivenom medication.
• Oral medicine. A delayed rash or other skin reaction may be treated with oral antihistamines or corticosteroids. You may also be given oral pain medicine.
• Eye flushing. A jellyfish sting on or near the eye generally requires immediate medical care to control pain and flush the eye.

Content From Mayo Clinic Updated: 08/05/2022
© 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. Terms of Use

Jellyfish Stings | Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Jellyfish in Langkawi or what to do if you are bitten by a jellyfish – Gryntravel

Seaside vacation is a long-awaited relaxation. But we forget that this is an underwater world, and people in it are only guests and often not welcome. Many people know what a jellyfish is from personal experience. But what is the right thing to do if you or your child is stung by a jellyfish?

Let me tell you about our sad experience in Langkawi, Malaysia. We are “experienced” people, we have exotic countries behind us, and we have two children in our arms. But this does not make us all-knowing and does not protect us from trouble. And it’s a pity😏

When we flew to this amazing island, I didn’t even know that there were jellyfish here. Many and different. The season runs from November to March. Of course their number depends on the current, high/low tide, wind, presence of waves, etc. This usually happens when the weather changes. For example, from wet and rainy to dry and hot. Locals say that on the western beaches – they are stable and plentiful. In the north, little or unlikely. Beaches Sandy Skulls Beach, Tanjung rhu and Tengkorak.

Upon arrival to the island, we settled for 6 days near Pantai-Cenang beach. And immediately went to investigate the situation. Traveling with children was not easy. I was exhausted. The husband says: “I will sit in the shade with the children, and you go to the sea and swim. Sit on the shore. Get high. Have a rest”.

I walk slowly towards the sea. I think what a golden husband. Children are monsters, but overall they are wonderful. In anticipation of refreshing and forgetting, I go headlong into the abyss. And then something bugs me. In the right hand. Not much. Tolerable. Something between a mosquito and a bee sting. I don’t attach much importance. Well, think about it … it bakes a little. But it is warm and we are on a fabulous island.

As it turned out, jellyfish the size of a pea populate the entire coast. It is impossible not to touch them while bathing. When entering the water, they are not visible for two reasons: the muddy sea and the tiny jellyfish themselves. With your whole body you feel periodically “bites” under water.

When the elder was stung for the first time, he cried. Then I even got used to it. The youngest daughter, she was 9 months old at that time, was just getting acquainted with the sea. And when she was dipped to “refresh”, thanks to the Universe for protecting and protecting her.

If you’ve been to the sea during a storm, you’ve probably seen “jellyfish soup” at least once: a large number of dead jellyfish washed ashore. Many believe that in this state, these animals are safe. In fact, the nervous system of the jellyfish is designed in such a way that the stinging cells still continue to work. And the poison in them retains its paralytic properties for a very long time.

Important: can be bitten not only by live, but also by dead jellyfish, as well as a separate tentacle torn off during a storm. Explain this to children who love to grab dead jellyfish in the water with their hands, and on the shore – to step on them with their feet.

On the third day, we came to the sea. To Cenang Beach. Everything as usual. Dress the eldest son in a special bathing suit-overalls. Good protection from the sun in hot countries and a minimum of contact with jellyfish. So we thought.

The baby and I stayed on the shore, while our men went to fool around in the water. It took a maximum of 5 minutes, as I hear the wild cry of my son. I didn’t stress too much. If our elder cries, then the decibels are the same, that he dislocated his arm, that he scratched his finger a little. I see holding, then by the hand, then to the leg rushes. It scratches and yells. I understand right away – a jellyfish stung.

The effects of a jellyfish sting can vary from person to person. It depends on the individual characteristics of your body. And if you are allergic – keep your finger on the pulse. The “breed” of the jellyfish itself also plays a big role. Among them are almost harmless Black Sea aurelia and deadly sea wasps that are found in the coastal waters of Australia.

Important: the closer to the equator a jellyfish swims, the stronger the poison. And Malaysia is very close to the equator. The brighter the color and the more unusual the shape of the jellyfish, the stronger the poison.

We don’t know what kind of jellyfish stung the son and on the tangent of the husband, but after 10 minutes we understand that the size of the tentacles were impressive. The son screams furiously. Blurred vision. Unable to calm down. On the arm and leg, stung places appear in the form of water blisters. The child is clearly in pain. We are in a panic.

The photo shows the blisters very poorly…maybe for the better😅

What to do? How to act?

1. Remain calm after being stung by a jellyfish. It has long been observed that toxic substances spread through the body faster if you are nervous. This is easy to explain: the higher the “degree” of emotions, the more often the heart works, the faster the blood circulates and, accordingly, the larger the affected area.

It is not known how this rule applies to children. But adults shouldn’t get hysterical. Therefore, we act quickly and calmly.

2. Call someone for help. It is very difficult to keep calm alone, especially if you are not sure that you are doing everything right. And if you were burned by a truly dangerous jellyfish, do not try to deal with it alone. Chest compressions and artificial respiration may be needed.

We were approached by a boy who managed the sun loungers on the beach and at the same time advertised water sports. He asked the jellyfish if and brought a plastic bottle with an unidentified liquid in the middle. He said to water the stung places. By smell, we determined that it was vinegar. They trusted and generously lubricated the arm and leg. I don’t know if vinegar helped relieve pain, but my son got distracted and became more sane.

3. Doctors advise pouring warm salty water on the jellyfish sting. This will help relieve burning and itching. It is considered the most effective of improvised means.

But vinegar, lemon and even urine – their benefits or harms have not been proven. Many doctors are inclined to believe that the chemical composition of these substances can provoke stinging cells to work harder. For this reason, a jellyfish sting is definitely not worth watering with fresh water or alcohol.

4. Do not touch the jellyfish sting. But not with your bare hands – otherwise you will become another victim. The stinging cells get stuck in the skin. They will continue to react with a new portion of poison to any touch.

And our son, after being bitten, furiously scratched his arms and legs, thereby aggravating the situation. We could not stop him and bring him to his senses for about 20 minutes.

Let’s repeat once again: stinging cells very easily cling to the skin and continue to produce poison even after separation from the jellyfish.

5. If the jellyfish itself or its tentacles are stuck to the body, they can only be removed with a blunt object. It is recommended to use a bank or telephone card for this.
6. It is advisable to take antihistamine and pain medication. Ice can also be used to relieve pain, but it is rarely available on the beach.

We did not give our son an antihistamine. We decided to take care of the situation. On the beach, we found a first-aid post and we were told that if in an hour he did not start to choke, then everything should be fine. And so we can’t help anything – go to the hospital.

7. Drink plenty of water to get the poison out of your body faster. And make yourself comfortable. Peace and water are important points. Don’t neglect it like we did. Fatal mistake.

After forty minutes the blisters subsided and the son returned to normal. He enthusiastically told how his father threw him into the water and he felt a strong burning sensation. An hour later he asked to go back into the water. We allowed. Nobody drank any water after a jellyfish bite for two hours. Plus, the son was actively moving until the evening. We were glad that everything ended with a fright for the parents and a new story for the son. But no. .. the poison spread throughout the body all night.

In the morning the son looked lethargic and sleepy. But he asked for food. It’s been 12 hours since the bite. Who would have thought that the body would not immediately show hypersensitivity to poison.

After breakfast he started talking about how he had a headache and wanted to lie down. And then our 14-hour marathon called “vomiting” began. The son hugged the basin in a reclining state every two hours.

My son was under constant control

At first I gave him two doses of Eliminal Gel. The drug adsorbs and removes toxins, allergens, viruses, bacteria and fungi from the body. Sold in sticks and very convenient to take with you when traveling.

To remove poison and toxins, we poured cups of liquid chlorophyll into it from the American company NSP, which I took with me to the first aid kit. Chlorophyll removes toxins from the body and also acts as a mild diuretic. Read about the amazing properties of liquid chlorophyll, a must have in every home first aid kit😉

Then I connected vitamin C in crystalline powder from IHerb. To support and normalize the immune system. I poured powder on a glass of water, on the tip of a knife, and gave it to drink every 2 hours. There were four such visits.

Important: drink plenty of fluids. Your job as parents is to methodically infuse it into your child. By a teaspoon. Through weeping and moaning. Pity is inappropriate here. Cold calculation.

After lunch I decided to contact the insurance company. As of now, we have seen that the night will be difficult. I wanted to know where the hospital is. Where to run if it gets worse … and suddenly.

In Ukraine, we were insured by PZU. I called the phone number, sent a scan of the insurance policy, my son’s passport, the address of our residence in Langkawi by mail. The response was: “Dear insured, you can contact the Langkawi District Hospital 24 hour emergency department at Jalan Bukit, 07000 Langkawi, Kedah, Malaiziya. We inform you that the medical center, unfortunately, does not cooperate with foreign insurance companies. We ask you to keep a medical report with the diagnosis, the amount of indicated assistance and the appointment of treatment, as well as a prescription for the purchase of medicines (or its photo) and payment receipts for submission of these documents to the office of the insurance company within 30 calendar days upon arrival in your homeland.

Wow, I thought. It’s good that I have a good first aid kit with me and a phone call to a friend. I had a contact with a local man named Razif. We wanted to rent a house from him, but it was busy. In correspondence via WhatsApp, he was always friendly and responsive. I wrote to him about what happened. It turned out that his eldest son is a pediatrician. Gave contacts and was with us on the phone 24/7. We approved all the actions and it became morally easier.

Note: Doctor contacts in Langkawi via WhatsApp +60 10 232 4667 Afiq.

During the night he stopped vomiting and his temperature rose. My husband and I rejoiced. The body turned on a defensive reaction. To prevent dehydration, I gave him Humana saline electrolyte solution twice. In case of poisoning, intoxication or acetonomic syndrome – an excellent remedy.

Note: bookmark our useful article “What medicines to take with you on a trip: collecting a family first aid kit”.

After 14 hours, my son stopped vomiting. Temperature 38 lasted about 5 hours and slept. The son began to come to his senses. I was able to get up and go to the toilet. The eyes brightened. Started talking.

A day later the child was fully operational. It took us a good 36 hours to survive the jellyfish sting. As a memory, there were scars on the arm and leg. We called them “jellyfish tattoos”. My son wears them proudly. They say that such burns disappear up to a year. Let’s see😅

How else can you protect yourself?

• Before the trip, study the fauna of the waters in which you are going to swim. And first aid methods in case of unexpected contact with this fauna.
• Do not swim at night and rain. The probability of not seeing a jellyfish in dark or muddy water is much higher. Although who did not swim naked at night?! Ah, romance…
• Watch for flags on the beach. In areas where there are a lot of jellyfish, a special service tracks their movement. Information is reported to rescuers who, in case of danger, hang a red or purple flag in a conspicuous place. The warning may also be posted on a billboard. Know your surroundings before you go into the water, and don’t swim in unequipped areas.

We have neglected this rule. Yes, there were a lot of people and locals in the water. But just after the bite, we noticed the red flag on the beach. And below it is the inscription: “Please do not swim while the red flag is hanging.”

• Watch out for the locals. They are well acquainted with the nature of their country and know exactly when it is safe to swim.
• Learn about “Jellyfish season”. Like all living things, jellyfish obey the laws of nature. Therefore, everything has long been known about their activity on any beach. Jellyfish season in Langkawi is from November to March.
• Wear protective suit. Yes, our son was bitten by a jellyfish. But it spared the open areas – the arm and leg. But the scale and consequences could be larger and worse.
• Protect your face. This is the most sensitive area of ​​the body. Dive in a mask.
• Do not touch the algae with bare feet. You don’t know who is hiding in them. And the plants themselves can be poisonous.

Important: I told only our story and experience. Do not self-medicate. Contact your insurance company and go to the hospital. It’s better not to joke with jellyfish.

Our son is not afraid to swim after the incident. And he has no fear of jellyfish. But now my mother’s eye twitches and constantly looks for something in the water.

*****

We ended up with a horror-style story😂 Although I don’t want to scare anyone at all. I am for awareness and awareness. Now you know what to do if you or your child is stung by a jellyfish.

This does not mean that Langkawi is bad and dangerous. This can happen on vacation in Egypt, Malta or Tunisia. Our stars are so aligned. This is an experience. He is neither good nor bad. Take care of yourself and children. Respect the water.

PS: Have you been bitten by jellyfish? Where and how? Share your experience.

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How to help a person stung by a jellyfish

Jellyfish will not specifically hunt for bathers. They are not interested in humans as prey. Jellyfish eat algae, plankton, fish eggs, and the like. But they will regard a tourist swimming nearby as a danger and will defend themselves.

In recent years, the number of jellyfish on Russian coasts has only increased.
Photo: pexels.com

Moreover, their bayonets on tentacles pierce the skin with incredible speed and immediately inject poison. Therefore, if you hit a jellyfish and it didn’t sting you, you are lucky. If this still happened, you need to do the following:

Step 1. Remove the remains of the tentacles

“If you are stung by a jellyfish, the first thing you need to do is get out of the water as soon as possible. The task is to get rid of the remnants of poisonous tentacles on the skin. It is best to scrape them off, for example, with the blunt side of a knife,” says a dermatologist, an expert in medical practice at the Initiator platform Regina Shaydullina.

Do not touch the burn with bare hands – you will get into the poison with your fingers, and then you can bring it to your face. Human mucous membranes – eyes, ears, genitals – are most susceptible to toxins. The bite site will itch, but you can’t scratch it: this way the affected area will become even larger.

Step 2: Wash the sting

Use saline solution – half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water. In extreme cases, you can collect sea water. Salt will help neutralize the poison of the jellyfish and relieve pain.

If the area hurts and itches, apply an ice pack. Just before that, wrap it with a cloth so as not to get frostbite.

Step 3. First aid

“It is important to drink plenty of fluids – water removes poison from the body. Take an antihistamine – it will relieve swelling, stop an allergic reaction. It is advisable to promptly contact the nearest medical center, where they can objectively assess the degree of damage and provide qualified assistance. The stings of some types of jellyfish can lead to serious complications and allergic reactions,” says doctor Regina Shaidullina .

How not to get burned in the sun: Dr. Myasnikov’s advice

It often happens that, having reached the long-awaited beaches, people out of habit get sunburned on the very first day. This turns into a health problem, not to mention ruining the holiday further. The chief doctor of the Moscow Clinical Hospital No. 71 named after M.E. Zhadkevich Alexander Myasnikov.

Find out more

FAQ

1. What should you not do if you are stung by a jellyfish?

Folk medicine names vinegar, citric acid and even urine among the remedies for jellyfish toxins. In theory, acids do break down poison. The problem is that jellyfish toxins differ in composition and vinegar may simply not work. “In turn, acids, as rather aggressive chemicals, can aggravate the resulting burn and also cause an allergic reaction,” says the dermatologist.

2. Can I clean the burn area with fresh water?

Fresh water on the burn site is contraindicated if jellyfish stung.