Jellyfish stings

Description

Jellyfish is marine animal with long tentacles. On tentacles are stingers that can release venom in touch with the skin. The majority of stings occur when patients,while swimming, accidentally touch the jellyfish or step on it on the beach. The main types of jellyfish are box jellyfish, Portuguese man-of-war, sea nettles and Lion's mane jellyfish. Most stings cause local skin pain, redness and swelling. Patients stung by the jellyfish should seek immediate medical assistance since these reactions can be severe and can rarely be fatal. The dangerous specie of box jellyfish are found in the Indian ocean and the Pacific ocean of Indonesia.

Symptoms

Most symptoms appear at the spot where jellyfish touched the skin and involve immediate pain, reddish to brown marks where tentacles have touched the skin, tingling skin and itch. In rare cases the patients have severe and potentially lethal allergic reaction to the sting which is manifested as shortness of breath, facial swelling, vomiting, loss of consciousness and death.

Overview

Anamnesis will be taken and medical examination will be done. No further tests will be done unless life-threatening conditions are present.

Specialists

Urgent Medicine, General Practice, Internal Medicine, Traumatology

Therapy

First remove the tentacles and wash the stung area with seawater. Do not use fresh water as this may cause release of venom. Rinse briefly with vinegar. If vinegar is not available 70% isopropyl alcohol can be used. Other remedies include applying baking soda to the stung area. Over the counter medicines can be used. For life threatening allergic reactions immediate assistance of doctor,who will prescribe you epinephrine, is needed. Box jellyfish stings should be treated by a medical professional as soon as possible since anti-venom may be required as well.