Because what should you do if you get stabbed and how do you get rid of this annoying and burning feeling as quickly as possible?
Jellyfish are beautiful to look at. Sheer tip and long, graceful palps. But the truth? It’s different, of course. Because with those long tentacles, insects can bite annoyingly. We often talk about a jellyfish sting, but it’s not that you were bitten by a jellyfish’s teeth. Instead, you are stabbed. It works as follows: the tentacles of jellyfish contain stinging cells, which you can compare with poisonous darts. Is your body touching these tentacles? Those poisonous arrows are then fired at your skin, where they make their way. This is how you get the poison from those stinging cells in your body.
Have you been stabbed? Then you can experience swelling, itching and redness of the skin. And of course this annoying and stabbing pain. This reaction can last from one to three days. Do you suffer from one of the complaints listed below or have you been stung multiple times? Then it is important to contact your doctor immediately:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- confusion
- Fever
- muscle cramps
- Breathing problems
- paralysis
- Fainted
- Vomiting and nausea
- Arrhythmia
Is there an allergic reaction or do you suspect that you have an allergic reaction to jellyfish venom? So this is a life-threatening condition and you should call 112 immediately.
If a jellyfish stings you, you naturally want to get rid of the pain as quickly as possible. But the itch will probably make you scratch, but that’s not wise. It is important not to rub the sting area as this will make the pain and itching worse. Instead, try scraping or rinsing the stinging cells with salt water, eg at sea. It may sound paradoxical, but returning to the sea after a jellyfish sting is definitely a good idea. Just keep an eye out for any other jellyfish.
Do not rinse the area with cold tap water. This only makes the symptoms worse. Do you clean the wound? Then you can immerse it in hot water. This neutralizes the poison. It is then important not to use boiling water, but the water so hot that the victim can tolerate it. You don’t have hot water? Then use a hot or cold bag.
Depending on where you got stung, you may also need to do additional cleaning. Have you been stabbed in the mouth? Then it is best to rinse it with vinegar and water by gargling and spitting. If you feel a stinger in your eye, rinse it with saline solution. Then you can smear the skin around your eyes with a towel with vinegar. Be careful not to get vinegar in your eyes. In case of serious complaints or if you are concerned, always consult your doctor.
The common solution is to urinate on a jellyfish sting. But is this a fact or a good myth? According to the Red Cross, urine on a jellyfish sting is ultimately just a distraction from the pain. Enrico Hazenot, chief of the Nordvik Rescue Brigade, agrees. against radar “The acid or the heat from your urine neutralizes the stinging cells,” he says. “Unfortunately, it’s neither warm nor sour enough, it will likely have the opposite effect.”
