Home Remedies for Jellyfish Stings
Summer days are completely spent near the seaside beach
where you enjoy lots. People of all ages are seen there with full joy in the
ocean. But unfortunately, all the fun becomes end in a minute when you or
someone else gets stung by a jellyfish.
Jellyfish are sea animals in which some of the jellyfish
contains poisonous venom in their tentacles that is actually used for their
defense against any predator. When you
are standing near the jellyfish and come in contact with their tentacles, it
immediately causes millions of nematocysts to pierce your skin by injecting its
venom. Venom makes the sting very painful in your skin.
According to the National Science Foundation, 200,000 people
are stung by jellyfish in Florida and 150 million people worldwide are exposed
to the jellyfish every year. Most common symptoms of jellyfish sting have been
seen are stinging, burning and itching sensations. You will feel numbness on
the area where the sting is occurred, throbbing the pain upside the leg or arm.
The area becomes red or purple.
At the initial stage of when symptoms start, you will
experience some nausea, dizziness, vomiting and difficulty in taking breathe. Immediate
medical attention is important to seek at the time otherwise it can become incurable.
It depends on the type of jellyfish that
how much severe is your sting with the number of nematocysts found in your
skin. The two most dangerous jellyfish are the box and the lrukandji jellyfish;
they both are present in the Pacific Ocean near Australia.
Most of the time, the sting of jellyfish is curable at home
so here we are giving you some easy, simple and effective home remedies due to
which you can treat yourself by staying at home using the natural ingredients
that will help to remove the venom and provide instant relief from the
jellyfish sting symptoms.
1. Calmly Get Out of the Water
As soon as you aware that you have been stung by a jellyfish
do not try to spread panic but you should get out of water calmly. Try to relax
on the land to avoid repeated stung. After getting out of the water, make sure
not to scratch the sting-site and touch using fingers because the tentacles may
still be attached to your skin and will only get you stung more.
Once you have come on the area where you do not found danger
of jellyfish sting, rinse out the sting with sea water to wash away the
tentacles. Fresh water can activate the nematocysts so avoid it.
2. Rinse with Vinegar
After rinsing the sting-site with sea water, what you would
have to do is rinse with vinegar. White vinegar can reduce the pain and give
immediate action to deactivate the toxin.
According to the study published in 2017 in Toxins,
concludes that rinsing with vinegar before applying heat is the effective step of
treatment for jellyfish stings.
- Rinse off the affected area using vinegar for 30 seconds.
- Pluck out the visible tentacles carefully with the help of a fine tweezers. Do not try to touch the tentacles directly.
- Soak the skin in hot water that is between 110 degree and 113 degree F. keep the affected skin under the shower for 25 minutes.
If you feel the vinegar is too much strong, you can add salt
water in it as to make it dilute. Do not use fresh water.
3. Hot Water Immersion
After you have done the initial step of treatment, it is
highly recommended to do hot water immersion. The high temperature will help to
deactivate the venom and will also decrease the burning sensation of the sting.
The study in 2006 published in the Medical Journal of
Australia estimated that hot water immersion at 113 degree F for about 20
minutes is an effective treatment for the painful sting from the bluebottle
jellyfish.
- Take few cups of water and heat in between 110 degree and 113 degree F (43° to 45° C).
- Put some salt water and stir the solution.
- Soak your effected area in the water for about 10 minutes.
- Repeat the procedure if required.
4. Apply a Cold Compress
Cold compress is must to reduce the pain and burning sensation along with swelling. The cold temperature contains numbing effect
which is better to reduce the pain and swelling by numbing the nerves.
- Take a thin cloth and wrap some ice cubes in it. Apply this compress on the affected area for at least 10 minutes. Take a break for a while then repeat the process again.
- Soak the affected area in cool water.
5. Baking Soda
You can use baking soda to neutralize the nematocysts and
its venom. Baking soda acts as a natural neutralizer which is readily helpful
in reducing the venom of jellyfish. This lessens the itching and the risk of
infection.
It also contains anti-inflammatory action which reduces the swelling, inflammation and redness.
- Mix 1 tsp of salt with 3 tbsp of baking soda.
- Now add 1 cup of sea water to make a paste.
- Apply this paste on the affected area and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Rinse off with sea water.
- Repeat two times per day to get best results.
6. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel contains anti-inflammatory properties which
reduces the inflammation, swelling and pain due to jellyfish stings. It also
works to give your skin a soothing and calming feeling.
- Extract the gel from a fresh aloe vera leaf and apply it on the affected area. Now leave it for few hours then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Use this remedy for 3 times daily.
- You can freeze the gel in an ice cube tray and use the frozen cubes as a cold compress on the sting-site.
7. Oatmeal
For any kind of itching and inflammation, oatmeal is very
important and effecting home remedy and it can deal with the jellyfish sting.
Oatmeal has anti-irritating and anti-inflammatory properties
that is useful in providing the instant relief from itching sensations and
inflammation.
Colloidal oatmeal is recommended in this case that means the
oats are ground into a fine powder.
- In a bathtub filled with lukewarm water, add 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal and stir well.
- Soak in this water for at least 30 minutes.
- Repeat 3 times a day, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
8. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is another useful home remedy for jellyfish sting.
It contains anti-inflammatory property in order to provide soothing effect to
your skin. It helps in a quick healing. It is as best as the hydrocortisone
that is the main ingredient in topical steroid creams that is recommended by
the skin specialists to treat the jellyfish stings.
- Make about 2 cups of chamomile tea and keep it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Soak a washcloth in this cool tea then place it on the affected area. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Do the remedy couple of times a day for some days.
- Another option is to add 5 drops of chamomile essential oil in 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Apply this oil on the affected area few times daily.
9. Witch Hazel
Witch hazel is an excellent remedy for relieving the pain of
the jellyfish stings as it contains astringent and anti-inflammatory
properties. It helps in reducing the pain and swelling.
- In a cup of water, put few drops of witch hazel. Soak a cotton ball in it and dab it on the affected area softly. Repeat the process if needed.
- Alternatively, use the over-the-counter witch hazel lotion on the affected area.
10. Wear Protective Clothes
Jellyfish typically pose a threat to bare skin that means
that if you wear protective clothes while present on the beach or sea-side can
obviously prevent you from the jellyfish stings. There is a low risk of being
stung when swimming or diving under the sea.
According to the study in the Journal of Coastal Research
reports in 2009 that if you wear wet or protective clothing for marine stinger
is a must thing you should focus on. The study found in the fabric Lycra is the
best choice for routine-use and stinger-protective clothing.
Additional Tips
- After when you get stung by the jellyfish, use lotion which is designed to repel against it.
- Do not treat the jellyfish sting with urine as it can cause the nematocysts to produce more venom.
- Do not scrape, rub or shave the jellyfish sting.
- Do not try to use hands to pull off tentacles.
- Rub antihistamine cream on the sting if you are experiencing redness and swelling.
- Castor oil is used to heal the jellyfish sting.
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