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How to Doctor a Jellyfish Sting

There are more than 10,000 species of jellyfish, but the four main categories are Portuguese man-of-war, true jellyfish (most common), box jellyfish and sea anemones. The box jellyfish is the most toxic, and a sting from one can cause paralysis, heart attack or respiratory failure. The next most dangerous is the Portuguese man-of-war; the sting of which can result in shock, fever and heart and respiratory problems. Most jellyfish stings are painful but fairly harmless, especially if you doctor the sting quickly and correctly.

Things You'll Need

  • Vinegar
  • Gloves
  • Tweezers
  • Stick
  • Pain Reliever
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Instructions

  1. Treatment

    • 1

      Pour as much vinegar as you can on the area of all types of jellyfish stings as quickly as possible. Vinegar deactivates the nematocysts--stingers that are lodged underneath the skin where the sting occurred. The nematocysts contain venom that causes almost immediate intense pain. The vinegar deactivates the venom. If there is no vinegar available, bathe the area in seawater. Despite some claims, there is no evidence urine works on jellyfish stings.

    • 2

      Identify which type of jellyfish you were stung by--information you need in case you are stung by a deadly or dangerous jellyfish and need to be rushed to the emergency room. The box jellyfish is found in the ocean near Northern Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The head of the box jellyfish is about the size of a basketball and is somewhat square. The Portuguese man-of-war is found off the coast of the Atlantic, North Pacific and Indian oceans. It is shaped like an upside-down canoe with a ridge on its back, is pink or blue and can be 3 to 12 inches long.

    • 3

      Remove any tentacles that are attached to your skin using gloves, a stick or tweezers. Do not touch the tentacles or any other part of the jellyfish or you will get stung as well. Do not rub the skin in the area of the sting--this will cause any hidden stingers/nematocysts to release more venom.

    • 4

      Keep the site of the sting of a box jellyfish at heart level. If the limb that was stung is too high the venom will reach the heart and can cause cardiac arrest or permanent damage. If the limb is below the heart, the site of the sting will swell. Call for emergency medical help or take the victim to the hospital as soon as possible.

    • 5

      For a normal jellyfish sting, take a pain killer. The pain will usually subside within a few hours. Normal symptoms of a jellyfish sting are rash, headaches, weakness and dizziness. Watch for more symptoms that are a signal you need to go to the doctor, such as cramps, chest pains, hyperventilation and vomiting.

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