What to do if you are stung by a jellyfish

Jellyfish is an animal that lives in water. It is also known as octopus. Its water content is over 90%. It looks gentle on the surface, but is actually very ferocious. Jellyfish will sting people when they come into contact with some hard objects or are attacked from the outside. The jellyfish's mouth can sting human skin, causing bleeding and breakage. In severe cases, infection may occur, so jellyfish stings must be treated promptly. Here are some treatment methods.

1. The poisonous liquid on the tentacles of jellyfish is acidic and is generally cleaned with alkaline solutions such as soapy water and sodium bicarbonate solution. Do not use tap water, which will cause pain and intensify the release of jellyfish toxins. Suggestions: If you are stung and small blisters appear, please do not scratch if it itches, and be sure not to scratch your skin to avoid infection and scarring. There is no need to take anti-inflammatory drugs for the time being. You can apply some alkaline solution or some anti-allergic ointment such as Wuji ointment. At the same time, take oral anti-allergic drugs such as chlorpheniramine, astemizole, and vitamin C tablets. During this period, you should eat a light diet and avoid eating spicy food. Be sure to pay attention to sun protection.

2. Jellyfish dermatitis (also known as jellyfish dermatitis) is a disease that occurs with the arrival of summer. There are a large number of stinging cells on the tentacles of jellyfish, which contain venom, the main components of which are protein-like substances, polypeptides and a variety of toxic enzymes, as well as strong anesthetics, analgesics, histamine, etc. When the human body comes into contact with the tentacles of jellyfish, the cnidocytes can penetrate the skin and cause cnidocyte dermatitis, which can even lead to death in severe cases. When a swimmer's exposed limbs are stung by a jellyfish, he or she will feel tingling, burning pain or itching, followed by the appearance of cord-like erythema and papules at the sting site, and may also have blisters, bullae, petechiae and ecchymosis. In mild cases, the rash may disappear within 1-2 days, and in most patients, the rash will scab over and heal within 1-2 weeks. If stung in multiple places on the body or by large jellyfish or highly poisonous jellyfish, people often experience chills, fever, abdominal pain, fatigue, cold sweats within 1-4 hours. A few people may experience chest tightness, foaming at the mouth, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and pulmonary edema. In severe cases, it can lead to death.

3. Once stung by a jellyfish, do not rinse with fresh water, as fresh water can induce the nematocysts to release venom. The tentacles or venom adhering to the skin should be wiped off as soon as possible with a towel, clothes, mud and sand, or rinsed with sea water. If conditions permit, you can rinse or spray the affected area with alcohol or alkaline lotion, such as 10% sodium bicarbonate. For patients with large skin lesions and severe systemic reactions, they should go to the hospital for treatment in time.

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