Natural remedies for jellyfish stings: how to treat them

Every year in the world there are 150 million people who are affected by a jellyfish: more than a hundred, unfortunately, lose their lives. Jellyfish are invertebrates, whose appearance dates back to 650 million, equipped with deadly toxins that serve to capture prey. In Mediterranean, and therefore in Italian seas, there are two species: the sea lungfish, the most widespread, and the Pelagia noctiluca, which glows at night. Both cause only pain.

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How to defend yourself from jellyfish

Although the dangers of jellyfish are limited, their presence in the sea is one of the worst nightmares during summer holidays, so it's important to know how to protect yourself from them. The reason for the problems they cause to our well-being is obvious: they have a stinging power, which causes swelling e pain Very annoying. Especially for children. And the risk is wasting health, but also money, on useless "miracle" products that actually have no effect. And they're less effective than the natural benefits we offer our Non-Spread community. Perhaps combined with an astringent gel containing aluminum chlorine.

How to avoid jellyfish

The first way to avoid jellyfish is preventative. Learn to avoid themThey can be found on the surface or on the seabed: in any case, especially if you know there are jellyfish around those days, keep a close eye on the water and you'll immediately understand the situation. Jellyfish don't attack; we attack them, and they move vertically, so it's not difficult to spot their moves. With the simple additional equipment of a pair of swimming goggles, which are truly invaluable in these circumstances. If jellyfish are numerous and close together, avoid swimming and move to a different area. Don't rely too much on distance: their tentacles can reach up to twenty meters, and those are enough to strike you.

What to do when you get stung by a jellyfish

What to do when a jellyfish attacks us? Scientists never miss an opportunity to announce new remedies, often not shared by experts: the University of Hawaii, for example, recently announced that it considers immersing the affected area in boiling water, at the limit of tolerability, to be effective. This is a prescription that several Italian doctors do not approve of. However, some countermeasures now widely accepted include: never rub the affected area with sand, avoid using ammonia, and stay out of the sun after the bite.

Certainly, among the things to do after a jellyfish sting, the following can be helpful: rinse immediately with sea water to soothe the pain and help the tentacles detach; remove any remaining tentacles with tweezers; and apply ice packs.

What not to do after a jellyfish sting

There are things you shouldn't do when you're stung by a jellyfish. The most important of these are:

Do not rub the affected area
Do not put bandages or plasters
Do not expose the affected area to the sun for at least a week
Do not use any type of alcoholic disinfectant
Do not use thevinegar
Don't put ammonia

What causes the presence of jellyfish in our seas?

Increasingly widespread in the Mediterranean due to the increase in water temperature, the salinity of coastal seas and prolonged periods of calm seas which can influence their movements, A jellyfish sting does not pose any major health risks unless they are allergic to it, but it can completely ruin a beautiful day at the beach. Therefore:

Avoid to swim in the sea if you notice that the water in that area is infested with jellyfish.
If you are already in the water and you find yourself near the shore, get out immediately.
If you happen to be offshore at that moment If you've been stung, try to get the attention of a lifeguard or the person closest to you so they can help you. In this case, your only option is to immediately find a solution that can alleviate the symptoms.
If you are swimming out to sea If you encounter a jellyfish, don't start swimming in a frantic, nervous manner: you'll only risk being struck more easily. Instead, with a cool head, you can keep the jellyfish at bay.
When you swim for a long time in areas where jellyfish are traditionally found, it is preferable to use swimming goggles.

How to treat jellyfish stings naturally

Here are some simple tips on How to treat jellyfish stings completely naturally:

If you frequent seaside areas where jellyfish are often found, it's a good idea to carry a jelly to apply in case of a sting.

Remain as calm as possible and try to remain still so as not to encourage the circulation of the poison in your body.

Avoid scratching, rubbing sand on the bite, and applying ammonia: you risk only making the situation worse.

Wash the affected area with sea water, if possible disinfect it with bicarbonate.

Do not use cold water, ice, vinegar, or ammonia.

Avoid removing the tentacle fragments with tweezers, rather use your hands so as not to tear the tissues and cause the release of toxins harmful. Also, opt for a plastic card, such as a credit card. Or a knife, using the flat side rather than the blade.

Cover the injured part with medical gauze to avoid further trauma and infections.
Avoid sunbathing in the sting area for a few days.
If the pain and discomfort of the sting are accompanied by other symptoms (such as headache, The sweating If you experience any symptoms (e.g., out of control, pallor), it's best to contact a doctor or go straight to the emergency room. Unfortunately, jellyfish stings can also cause anaphylactic shock, which is truly dangerous.
In any case, don't use antihistamine or cortisone ointments without consulting your doctor and obtaining his or her approval. Instead, add an astringent gel containing aluminum chloride, with a concentration of 3 to 5 percent, to your natural remedies.

Jellyfish sting and anaphylactic shock

The sting of the jellyfish can also cause a anaphylactic shock, or an allergic reaction that occurs very rapidly, with unpredictable and, unfortunately, even fatal consequences. The reaction affects multiple systems in the body, and is therefore particularly dangerous. leather to the respiratory system, from the cardiocirculatory system to the gastrointestinal system: anaphylactic shock has multiple targets to hit. To avoid this risk, and once you have intervened, after the sting, without the useless creams cortisone or antihistamines, but only with sea water. It's important to assess your body's reactions. If the skin reaction spreads, your breathing isn't normal, you become confused, you sweat profusely, and you turn pale, then the only thing to do is go to the hospital urgently.

Can jellyfish kill?

Jellyfish in the Mediterranean, our sea, don't kill. Things are different in other countries: for example, in Australia they kill more people than sharks, and even in Florida there have been cases of death from jellyfish stings. In our country, the worst that can happen is anaphylactic shock, which shouldn't be underestimated. If the sting causes you to turn pale, lose your sense of direction, or have an increased heart rate, sweating and breathing difficulties, it is best to go to the emergency room immediately to receive rapid assistance.

Killer jellyfish in Australia

The country where jellyfish are most dangerous, and their bites can be fatal, is Australia. More deaths are caused by jellyfish stings than by shark bites. To keep swimmers safe, many beaches have built protective nets to keep jellyfish at bay.

What is jellyfish stinging fluid made of?

The jellyfish liquid produces three effects, the combination of which leads to the very annoying itching. A paralyzing effect, inflammatory effect and a neurotoxic effectThis causes the skin to become red and the burning sensation usually lasts about twenty minutes, then turns into itching. As we've said, the first reaction is to get out of the water without panicking and rinse the affected area with sea water, not fresh water.

Jellyfish weather app to track their presence

While experts recommend paying attention and seeking immediate medical attention, some are considering a more technological and innovative solution to the jellyfish problem. Did you know that jellyfish weather exists, a smartphone app that can provide real-time alerts on the presence of jellyfish in our seas? The app is available for both iOS and Android.

Jellyfish Prevention

There are some small precautions to keep in mind to prevent jellyfish stings.

Find out if the area where you are swimming is crowded with jellyfish on that day.
If this happens frequently, always go into the water with a mask
Keep a safe distance from jellyfish, even a single filament can be very stinging.
Before diving in, take a look at the sea surface. Or leave it to someone who's gone before you, and ask about jellyfish.

What to do with jellyfish stings