What to do if stung by a jellyfish: first aid, drugs, folk remedies

Quite often long-awaited vacation on the seashore can be drastically ruined by "close acquaintance" with a jellyfish, which can be burned about by accident. Indeed, in marine waves it is difficult to notice an animal consisting of 98% of water. What should I do if I get stung by a jellyfish? Let's talk about this in the article.

Description

An animal does not have lungs, heart and other habitual organs; Is characterized by an umbelliform body with tentacles along the edges and a mouth located on a special stem and also surrounded by tentacles strewn with stinging cells. In each of them there is a cystocyst with toxic filling. When in contact with the victim or enemy, the object pierces the object with spines of the cnidocite, lightning-like penetration into the body of the stinging thread and the injection of the poisonous substance of the neuromuscular effect into the tissue. Stinging cells are used only once, after which the animal organism produces new ones.

It is better to prevent

What should I do if I get stung by a jellyfish? First, it should be remembered that an invertebrate marine animal with a gelatinous body will never attack a person first. Going on vacation, it is advisable to ask in advance the presence, number and severity of jellyfish in the planned region of stay. This will allow us to develop the correct line of conduct in the event of a collision with the marine life. Prevent a jellyfish sting is possible if:

• Avoid swimming in places with their high numbers;
• At close detection to try to be as far away as possible and to keep at a distance. In a calm state, the animal does not throw away the tentacles;
• In no case touch the marine life, even if at first glance it seems safe and attractive. It should be remembered that even a dead jellyfish can painfully sting;
• Do not walk barefoot in places where an animal or scraps of tentacles can be ejected by waves;
• In the area with a high concentration of jellyfish swim only in protective equipment using a mask, wetsuit, fins and gloves;
• Do not drink alcohol on the beach: alcohol helps to weaken the reaction and worsen the state of health after a burn;
• Before bathing it is recommended to apply certain lotions to the skin, which, when mixed with sunscreen, protects from jellyfish burn for an hour.

Very dangerous

Often, with an innocuous appearance, the jellyfish presents a real threat to human health, and in some cases also to his life. The most deplorable consequences can be encountered with cubomuduza (otherwise - sea sedge). The bite of a jellyfish - such a beautiful, graceful creature with small dome and thin long tentacles - is accompanied by incredibly severe pains and often causes a fatal outcome, occurring literally within 2-3 minutes. Even with the occasional touch of the tentacles towards the body of the person, the latter begins to choke and feels unbearable pain, while the red streaks remain on the body from the burns. Inhabits kubedudus in the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

About the Black Sea representatives

Less dangerous are the jellyfish that live in the Black and Azov Seas. Aurelia - one of the most common jellyfish in the seas of the World Ocean, is considered the most beautiful inhabitant of sea waters and is characterized by a translucent body with blue and violet-pink tints. The round dome, reaching a diameter of 40 cm, is similar to a flattened umbrella, from the outer part of which the horseshoe patches, which are the sexual glands of the aurelia, are clearly visible. Hanging in the form of fringe numerous tentacles are located along the circumference of the dome and move rhythmically while moving the jellyfish. On the underside of the dome is a 4-cornered oral opening, surrounded by long lobes associated in shape with donkey ears. It is for this feature that aurelian people are called "eared jellyfish". The poison of the Black Sea inhabitants is capable of causing a small burn, without introducing a special threat to the organism. A little later we will answer the question: if the jellyfish stung, what should I do?

The Black Sea is also rich in corneroths - large jellyfish, preferring to exist at shallow depths. Outwardly pretty enough, such creatures in contact with a person can cause severe burns in the latter.

The waters of the Mediterranean Sea are inhabited by more dangerous jellyfish, which sting more than the Black Sea "colleagues." Pelagia is a small jellyfish with an umbrella diameter of not more than 12 cm. However, its small size is more than compensated by the strength of allergic reactions and pain sensations in burns. Also, a hairy jellyfish of cyanide and chryazor (sea nettle) is capable of seriously shaking the human health. If the jellyfish stung in the Mediterranean, one should immediately apply to a nearby medical facility for qualified help. After all, the consequences can be sad.

Jellyfish seized: symptoms

What are the signs of a burn from a jellyfish? Contact with sea creatures is always fraught with a sense of pain, similar to the bite of several wasps, as well as the appearance of:

• Burning,
• Redness,
• Itching,
• Puffiness,
• Burn blistering,
• Numbness,
• Nausea and vomiting,
• Muscle spasms,
• Pain in the lower back.

Jellyfish seized: consequences

In some cases, an allergic reaction may occur, accompanied by increased blood pressure, the appearance of cough and shortness of breath, as well as a feeling of rubbing in the eyes. Often, these symptoms are caused by the continuation of the toxic effect of the filamentous structure remaining on the skin from the stinging cells.

Severe consequences of a jellyfish bite can be:

• Dizziness, shortness of breath, delirium;
• Growing pain;
• The bite zone covers the greater half of the leg, hands, part of the trunk, face.

If the affected person has weakened immunity, is prone to allergic reactions or is in a state of intoxication, he may simply not swim to the shore.

What you can not do with a jellyfish bite

What should I do if I get stung by a jellyfish? In order to avoid negative consequences for one's own health, one should first of all know what is inadmissible to do:

1. Do not water the affected area with fresh water, which can spread the poison throughout the body and release toxins.
2. It is not recommended to touch with bare hands to the affected part of the body, since it could contain pieces of jellyfish with poisonous cells.
3. It is not necessary to rub the stung spot with sharp objects in order to avoid even more traumatizing the skin and squeezing out a new portion of poison from the cnidocyst.
4. It should not be to take alcohol to alleviate pain, since the drink can strengthen the effect of poison.

First aid

What should I do if I get stung by a jellyfish?

• First of all, keeping a clear mind and calmness, you need to get out of the water, take a shade and get rid of scraps of tentacles, if any stayed on the body. In the process of cleansing, you must maintain complete immobility. Any movement provokes an instant spread of the poison throughout the body. To avoid new burns, never touch the wound with bare hands.
• With the help of any blunt object (the back of the knife, chips, credit card, dry sand) it is required to try to get rid of stinging cells on the skin.
• Wash the bite with a solution of soda or salt water.
• Neutralize the poison and remove toxins by applying to the affected area a bandage or gauze soaked in ammonia or table vinegar. If they are not available, vegetable oil or sugar solution is recommended as an analogue. Of the popular methods, the tomato slice will have a positive effect.
• To relieve the painful sensations, a cold should be applied to the site of the bite, and then a dry bandage should be applied.
• Painful sensations remove with a gel or cream with hydrocortisone in the composition. Anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory effect is possessed by "Fenistil-gel" and "Psilo-balm".
• If you bite a jellyfish, it is recommended to drink a lot.
• You should promptly contact any medical institution for qualified help, especially when there are dangerous symptoms: seizures, shortness of breath, fever.

Traditional medicine to help

If the jellyfish stung, treatment can be done in folk ways. One of the tested is the use of homemade pasta from baking soda and salt water, which should be mixed to the state of a thick sticky mixture. Then the obtained product must be applied to the affected area of the skin, allow to dry, and then slowly clean the place of bite. This procedure, accompanied by some feeling of discomfort, will cause a deep cleansing of damaged skin cells.