Jellyfish symptoms: Jellyfish Sting: Symptoms, Treatments, and More

13.04.202108.06.2023 by alexxlab

Jellyfish Sting: Symptoms, Treatments, and More

Jellyfish sting symptoms

Jellyfish are a common sea creature found in every ocean. There are many species of jellyfish, all of them with tentacles. Some carry poisonous venom in their tentacles as a method of self-defense against predators. It’s this venom that makes a jellyfish sting so painful.

Most types of jellyfish stings will cause some discomfort, but some can be life-threatening. According to the National Science Foundation, over 500,000 people are stung by jellyfish every year in North America’s Chesapeake Bay alone.

Common symptoms of a jellyfish sting include:

a burning, stinging sensation on your skin
a tingling or numbness where the sting occurred
the skin in the area where the jellyfish stung turning red or purple

More severe symptoms of a jellyfish sting include:

nausea
dizziness
vomiting
difficulty breathing

The severity of your symptoms will depend on what kind of jellyfish you encountered, and how much of your skin is affected by its venom.

Treatment for jellyfish stings mainly revolves around pain relief or healing allergic reactions if they occur.

Immediate relief treatment

Most jellyfish stings can be treated right away with a salt water or hot water rinse. This will help decrease the burning sensation from the sting. It may also help to take a hot shower as soon as possible. A recent study concluded that jellyfish stings are treated more effectively by hot water than by ice packs.

Over-the-counter medicines

If you’re in a lot of pain, you can try applying a topical painkiller such as lidocaine (LMX 4, AneCream). A pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil) could also lessen the effect of the sting.

You may find out you are allergic to jellyfish stings after you’ve been stung by one. If you’re having an allergic reaction, such as hives, an over-the-counter antihistamine cream will help bring relief.

Home remedies

Some people believe that applying a baking soda paste to the sting area will soothe their skin and draw out the jellyfish’s venom. Vinegar is also a popular remedy for jellyfish stings. But the effectiveness of both of these remedies is inconclusive. Using a vinegar rinse may help in the case of some jellyfish species, but not others.

Medicines for severe reactions

A reaction to a more dangerous species of jellyfish will need to be treated with antivenin. This is a special drug formulated to combat the venom of a specific breed of animal. Antivenin for jellyfish stings can only be found in hospitals.

It’s a popular belief that human urine can be used to treat a jellyfish sting. This has never been proven. Human urine isn’t a sanitary medical treatment, and there is no need to resort to trying it. Treating the area of your sting with salt water from the ocean or a hot water rinse is a much better and more effective method of treatment.

Meat tenderizer, a popular remedy, also shouldn’t be used, as it can cause damage to tissue.

Don’t rub the area where your skin has been stung for several hours afterward, and avoid getting sand near the wound.

Rinsing with cold, fresh water might seem like a good idea, but it could activate more jellyfish stingers if there are still some in your skin. Opting for a hot shower instead will help rinse the stingers out without making the sting worse.

Certain bodies of water are known to contain large numbers of jellyfish, called blooms. Swimming in bodies of water where blooms of jellyfish are known to be increases your chance of getting stung.

Swimming downwind also makes getting stung more likely, as jellyfish travel with the current. People who fish, dive, or go boating in deep waters are all more likely to get jellyfish stings. Same goes for people who scuba dive without protective equipment and people who surf.

Any time you swim in an ocean, you’re visiting the natural habitat of the jellyfish. There is always a chance you may encounter a jellyfish, but you can take steps to make getting stung less likely.

When you arrive at a beach, speak with the lifeguard on duty about what types of jellyfish have been seen in the area and if people have been reporting stings that day. Jellyfish move in patterns, riding currents, and are more common during certain times of the year. You may wish to avoid swimming in areas with high jellyfish populations altogether.

Wearing a protective bodysuit in the water will reduce your chances of being stung.

When wading in shallow water, shuffle your feet and walk slowly to disturb the sand and avoid catching a jellyfish by surprise.

Although they’re beautiful and interesting to look at, you should never pick up a jellyfish that has washed up on the beach. Even dead jellyfish can deploy venom from their tentacles.

Commercial products are available that claim to reduce the odds of jellyfish stings, although their clinical benefit is largely unknown.

Most jellyfish stings won’t have any long-term effect on your health. If you’re stung by a jellyfish and start to feel dizzy or nauseous, pay close attention. Jellyfish sting symptoms, especially from more dangerous species, can escalate quickly. If you lose feeling in the limb that was stung, have difficulty breathing, or experience heart palpitations after being stung, go to the emergency room. Being stung by a jellyfish in an area known to have dangerous breeds such as lion’s mane and box jellyfish, is also cause for concern. As well, if you’re stung by a jellyfish multiple times, you should see a doctor.

Jellyfish stings Information | Mount Sinai

Jellyfish are sea creatures. They have nearly see-through bodies with long, finger-like structures called tentacles. Stinging cells inside the tentacles can hurt you if you come in contact with them. Some stings can cause serious harm. Almost 2000 species of animals found in the ocean are either venomous or poisonous to humans, and many can produce severe illness or fatalities.

This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage a jellyfish sting. If you or someone you are with is stung, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.

Poisonous Ingredient

Jellyfish venom

Where Found

Types of potentially harmful jellyfish include:

Lion’s mane (Cyanea capillata).
Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis in the Atlantic and Physalia utriculus in the Pacific).
Sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), one of the most common jellyfish found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Box jellyfish (Cubozoa) all have a box-like body or “bell” with tentacles extending from each corner. There are over 40 species of box jellies. These range from nearly invisible thimble-sized jellyfish to basketball-sized chirodropids found near the coasts of northern Australia, Thailand, and the Philippines (Chironex fleckeri, Chiropsalmus quadrigatus). Sometimes called “sea wasps,” box jellyfish are highly dangerous, and more than 8 species have caused deaths. Box jellyfish are found in the tropics including Hawaii, Saipan, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Florida, and recently in a rare event in coastal New Jersey.

There are also other types of stinging jellyfish.

If you are unfamiliar with an area, be sure to ask local ocean safety staff about the potential for jellyfish stings and other marine hazards. In areas where box jellies may be found, especially at sunset and sunrise, full body coverage with a “stinger suit,” hood, gloves, and booties is advised.

Symptoms

Symptoms of stings from different types of jellyfish are:

LION’S MANE

Breathing difficulty
Muscle cramps
Skin burning and blistering (severe)

PORTUGUESE MAN-OF-WAR

Abdominal pain
Changes in pulse
Chest pain
Chills
Collapse (shock)
Headache
Muscle pain and muscle spasms
Numbness and weakness
Pain in the arms or legs
Raised red spot where stung
Runny nose and watery eyes
Swallowing difficulty
Sweating

SEA NETTLE

Mild skin rash (with mild stings)
Muscle cramps and breathing difficulty (from a lot of contact)

SEA WASP OR BOX JELLYFISH

Abdominal pain
Breathing difficulty
Changes in pulse
Chest pain
Collapse (shock)
Headache
Muscle pain and muscle spasms
Nausea and vomiting
Pain in the arms or legs
Raised red spot where stung
Severe burning pain and sting site blistering
Skin tissue death
Sweating

For the great majority of bites, stings, or other forms of poisoning, the danger is either drowning after being stung or an allergic reaction to the venom.

Home Care

Seek medical help right away. Get medical attention right away if pain increases or there are any signs of breathing difficulty or chest pains.

As soon as possible, rinse the sting site with large amounts of household vinegar for at least 30 seconds. Vinegar is safe and effective for all types of jellyfish stings. Vinegar rapidly halts the thousands of tiny unfired stinging cells left on the surface of the skin after tentacle contact.
If vinegar is not available, the sting site can be washed with ocean water.
Protect the affected area and do NOT rub sand or apply any pressure to the area or scrape the sting site.
Soak the area in 107°F to 115°F (42°C to 45°C) standard tap hot water, (not scalding) for 20 to 40 minutes.
After soaking in hot water, apply antihistamine or steroid creams such as cortisone cream. This can help with pain and itching.

Before Calling Emergency

Have this information ready:

Person’s age, weight, and condition
Type of jellyfish, if possible
Time the person was stung
Location of the sting

Poison Control

Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the person’s vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. The person may receive:

Antivenin, a medicine to reverse the effects of the venom, may be used for one specific box jelly species found only in certain areas of the Indo-Pacific (Chironex fleckeri)
Blood and urine tests
Breathing support, including oxygen, a tube through the mouth into the throat, and breathing machine
Chest x-ray
ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
Fluids through a vein (by IV)
Medicine to treat symptoms

Outlook (Prognosis)

Most jellyfish stings improve within hours, but some stings can lead to skin irritation or rashes that last for weeks. Contact your provider if you continue to have itching at the sting site. Topical anti-inflammatory creams may be helpful.

Portuguese man-of-war and sea nettle stings are rarely deadly.

Certain box jellyfish stings can kill a person within minutes. Other box jellyfish stings can lead to death in 4 to 48 hours after a sting due to “Irukandji syndrome,” a delayed reaction to the sting.

It is important to carefully monitor box jellyfish sting victims for hours after a sting. Seek medical attention right away for any breathing difficulties, chest or abdominal pains, or profuse sweating.

Feng S-Y, Goto CS. Envenomations. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 746.

Otten EJ. Venomous animal injuries. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 55.

Scerri L. Jellyfish stings. In: Lebwohl MG, Heymann WR, Coulson IH, Murrell DF, eds. Treatment of Skin Disease: Comprehensive Therapeutic Strategies. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA. Elsevier; 2022:chap 116.

Last reviewed on: 7/20/2021

Reviewed by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Jellyfish sting: symptoms, consequences, first aid

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Jellyfish Sting: First Aid

– Where is the summer? we ask every day.

– Wait! – the Hydrometeorological Center answers us every day.

But August is coming to an end and many, not wanting to wait, go straight to the sea, the sun and warmth… can become a subject of discussion among friends. Not every holiday romance is able to leave such vivid impressions!

Jellyfish are one of the most unusual and ancient creatures on earth. They have lived on Earth for about 600 million years, and their appearance has not changed much during this time. As before, jellyfish are 98% water.

In general, the word “jellyfish” was first used by K. Linnaeus. In 1752 he drew attention to how similar these animals are to the descriptions of the head of the representative of Greek mythology, the Gorgon Medusa. Since then, these “cute” creatures have become known as jellyfish.

Jellyfish can be simply huge: over 2 meters in diameter, and the length of the tentacles can reach 40 meters!

Box jellyfish – Australian wasp

The most poisonous of all known jellyfish is the “Australian wasp”, it can kill 60 people at the same time. This deadly jellyfish lives in the waters of Australia and Indonesia. Fortunately, most Russians are not in danger of meeting her.

For lovers of the coasts of the Thai Kingdom, there is a high chance to stumble upon the “Portuguese boat”. Moreover, this is not one jellyfish, but a compact colony of individuals with a large number of translucent and completely invisible tentacles in the water, the length of which in the straightened state reaches 50 meters. “Portuguese Boat” is found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, less often in the Mediterranean Sea. According to its toxic effect, the impact of its goads can be compared with the bite of a poisonous snake.

And yet, most of us first saw jellyfish swimming in the Black Sea, visiting children’s holiday camps, visiting camp sites or “savages” with their parents. There are three varieties of jellyfish in the Black Sea, each of which has its own characteristics. The most dangerous of the Black Sea jellyfish is the cornerot, which is also called the “Blue Jellyfish” for its unusual appearance.

Cornerot – blue jellyfish

He first paralyzes the fish with poison, and then calmly eats them. This is the most dangerous jellyfish in the Black Sea. From her burn, swelling and red stripes appear on her skin. The remaining two species: “Aurelia” and “Mnemiopsis” do not pose a serious danger to humans, although we most often meet them in the midst of the Black Sea swimming season.

What to do if bitten by a snake?

read

How does jellyfish venom work?

The jellyfish has special nematocyte cells, inside of which there is a capsule, and in it a hollow thread twisted in the form of a spiral. When a jellyfish touches a prey, the coil shoots like a harpoon, attaches to the skin and injects a nerve agent into the body through it. Upon contact with the tentacles, it is highly likely that cells containing poison may remain on the skin, which continues to act even after contact with the jellyfish has ceased.

Depending on the species you encountered at the resort and the size of the jellyfish, the burn may manifest itself in different ways. Sometimes symptoms appear within about an hour after the lesion, sometimes within minutes.

The first thing that appears are uneven spots, stripes, the color of which can be either pale pink or intense red.
Injured areas of the skin become hot to the touch.
Then a rash or fluid-filled blisters appear.

Usually everyone is startled by the rapidly developing swelling of the soft tissues, almost a horror movie in reality.
At the same time, the skin reacts to contact with a jellyfish with a growing sensation of burning and itching, then severe pain appears and the general condition worsens: nausea, vomiting, dizziness (sometimes up to loss of spatial orientation), headache. Sweating intensifies, ripples in the eyes. There is a feeling of shortness of breath, fear of death.

What to do if stung by a jellyfish?

Get out of the water immediately, especially if you are swimming far from the shore, in deep water.
Once on land, you need to take a good look at yourself: if there are sections of jellyfish filaments or fragments of tentacles, you should try to wash them off with sea water or scrape them off with improvised means – in no case with your bare hands, otherwise they will continue to affect you.
Do not use fresh water, otherwise the remnants of the tentacles will release toxins again, causing a second burn. To clean the skin, you can use any mechanical means (from bank credit cards and razors to napkins and cotton swabs). You can significantly reduce the pain of a jellyfish burn if cold objects are applied to the affected area.

Jellyfish burn on the arm

When the first shock passes, the question arises of how to treat the burns.

How to treat the burn area

Many people recommend vinegar, weak alcohol, some even urine. Let’s take a look at the last two options.

But vinegar, usually apple, was previously recommended by all medical luminaries, since vinegar really neutralizes the poison of jellyfish, but as it turned out, not all types, because. Their poison is varied: some contain more acid, others alkali.
Therefore, if you have vinegar in your hands and you do not know which jellyfish met you, start treatment with a small area of the affected skin. If the pain has intensified – stop, if the pain and itching have receded, then it means that you did everything right.

Of course, when the skin is damaged by a jellyfish, inflammation can develop, especially in hot countries where you can’t find the well-known Levomekol ointment in pharmacies, but it’s very possible to purchase proven antiseptics, such as Prontosan or Octenisept. A small spray bottle of Octenisept 50ml can be taken with you on a trip as a universal antiseptic.

Immediately after treating the skin, start drinking plain fresh water in large quantities – it will gradually remove toxins and weaken their effect. And antihistamines will help reduce itching.

When the jellyfish-affected skin begins to recover, the use of creams with a calming and healing effect will help. For example, Tamu-Tamu Children’s cream with tamanu oil relieves local inflammation, soothes and softens the skin, and improves regeneration. Grab a jar of this cream 10g on vacation and it will help you out more than once!

How to use Prontosan correctly.

read

What absolutely can not be done with a jellyfish sting?

Rubbing and itching, even if itching seems unbearable.
Lubricate the damaged surface with creams, oils or lotions in the first hours after injury.
Irrigate the inflamed area with iodine and brilliant green and other alcohol-containing products.

DO NOT!

And advice to parents: do not set a bad example for children. Do not offer them to touch the jellyfish, even if it has already died or just washed ashore – it happens that even in this state, its tentacles are still able to sting. Explain that despite their unusual appearance, the jellyfish is a dangerous marine predator that can be very unpleasant to meet.

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Borisov Valery Sergeevich

Surgeon-combustiologist, candidate of medical sciences, senior researcher.

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Author:

Borisov Valeriy Sergeevich. Surgeon-combustiologist, candidate of medical sciences, senior researcher

Watch out for jellyfish! Providing first aid in case of a jellyfish sting

Residents of Vladivostok, with the onset of stable warm weather, rush to the sea coast, where in August and September cross jellyfish intensify their activity. The poisonous cross jellyfish (scientific name is goneonema) refers to the so-called stinging intestinal animals, which are characterized by the presence of stinging “nettle” cells in them. These cells contain a poisonous liquid, which, when it gets on the skin of a person, has a “burning” effect, causing a strong reaction in the body.

It is easy to recognize the cross jellyfish: inside the transparent body, a cruciform pattern is visible, formed by painted internal organs. Along the edges of the umbrella there are about 60 thin tentacles with clusters of stinging cells. It is in contact with them that a person gets burned. Cross jellyfish usually stay in shallow water. Their favorite places are thickets of sea grass. Here they swim and hang on the blades of grass, attached with their suckers. Sometimes they come across in clear water, but usually not far from thickets of sea grass. During the rains, when the sea water off the coast is significantly desalinated, the jellyfish die. In windy weather, when the sea is restless, jellyfish sit out in the thickets of grass near the bottom. Early in the morning and in the evening they are more active.

At the moment of the “bite”, the bather feels a strong burning sensation, after a few minutes the skin at the site of the touch of the tentacle turns red, sometimes covered with blisters. Feeling a “burn”, you must immediately get out of the water, because after 10-15 minutes weakness sets in, squeezing chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea.

In order to minimize the possibility of contact with jellyfish, it is recommended to inspect the surface of the water before swimming. If you spot algae or jellyfish fragments, play it safe.

It is best to always remember the rules of first aid for a jellyfish who has been burned, so as not to end up in a situation where you do not know what to do. A jellyfish sting can be one of the most incredibly painful stings you will ever experience. The severity of the condition depends on the location of the “burn” of the jellyfish. The most severe consequences are caused by jellyfish in the area of the upper third of the body, shoulders, neck, head, and chest. One good news is that these bites are extremely rarely life threatening.

If you get bitten by a cross, you don’t have to worry. It is necessary to get out of the water and sit in the shade, remove the remaining mucus and wash the burn area with fresh water, preferably with soap. This is done in order to remove the remaining mucus.

If you only have one bite, take a painkiller and antihistamine tablet (analgin and diphenhydramine from the car kit), but don’t count on a 100% effect.

Drink plenty of fluids.

It is better to spend the first day after a burn at home. To relieve body aches, you can take a contrast shower.

You can contact the Clinic on Komarova, where you will be provided with qualified assistance using special preparations. It is imperative to consult a doctor if you are unlucky and have more than one burn on your soul. Such pain is almost impossible to endure and the help of a doctor is needed to alleviate it. Qualified medical assistance is also required if you have hypertension or other diseases of the cardiovascular system, bronchial asthma.

But what you should not do after gonionema is trying to “treat” with alcohol. Drinking alcohol will increase the symptoms and make the next day very difficult.