Sue Ferguson
Chiropodist and Podiatrist in Tenterden, Kent
LOCATION: Home | Topic of the Month | Treatment for Jellyfish Stings Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
Registration No. CH16194
 

Special Topic

Treatment for Jellyfish Stings
First aid for the beach

 

If you are stung by a jellyfish on holiday:


Carefully and quickly remove the tentacles

If there are any tentacles on your skin carefully remove them. If you leave them on the skin they will continue to discharge venom.

  • Use a credit card, sand, clothing, seaweed or anything else that is available to dislodge the tentacles
  • Do not rub the area with your hands because the pressure from your hands will trigger the stingers to inject venom
  • Do not use fresh water (see below)

 

Reduce the effect of the stingers

Try to reduce the effect of the remaining nematocysts (stingers) in your skin

  • Rinse the area with vinegar, urine, wine
  • Do not use fresh water as this will make the pain worse (see below)

 

Why not fresh water?

Jellyfish live in salt water, they like salt and not a fresh water environment. If you use fresh water on the area the stinger cells in your skin will start to get destroyed and they will burst and release toxin causing pain. So rinse the area with something salty.

 

Pain

Pain will depend on the type of jellyfish and how long you were in contact with it. The pain will last anything from a few minutes to several days, or even longer. The quicker you try to minimise the effects the less pain you will generally suffer. The jellyfish tentacles are covered with nematocysts. Sometimes these nematocysts are left behind in the skin and if triggered they can inject venom into your skin.

Jellyfish in the UK do not kill people, however they might give you a nasty sting. If you develop a rash, itching, shortness of breath, swelling then you should go to hospital immediately.



   
Contact Sue Ferguson
Podiatrist
Book an appointment now to help your foot pain
Tel: 01580 765546

Sue Ferguson
BSc (Hons), MRCPod
Chiropodist and Podiatrist

2 St Benets Court
Tenterden
Kent TN30 6QS
Tel: 01580 765546

Email: sjf.ferguson@gmail.com