Jellyfish sting and how to deal with it

11/08/2017

Jellyfish sting is one of the most common situations during the summer months and especially in August. Although you may be afraid of a potential sting, there is a way to deal with it without destroying your summer vacation.

Jellyfish are abundant in Greece and their species stand out based on their color and size. They live mainly in groups and feed on small fishes and zooplankton.

There are several subspecies of jellyfish, some of which cause pain and itching when they getting it touch with skin. The most common jellyfish in the Greek seas is Pelagia noctiluca, living on the open sea.

The overgrowth of jellyfish population, in not linked with environmental pollution, as many may believe. Their proliferation lies in increased temperature of sea water as well as other environmental factors (eg rainfall, etc.).

A jellyfish sting is not dangerous for everyone. If there is an allergy to their poison then, yes, for some people the contact and stinging may pose serious problems. For non-allergic individuals, jellyfish sting just cause a number of symptoms such as:

  • Itching, burning, tingling
  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Skin redness (brown and red marks)
  • Headache

 

 Steps and ways to treat stings

  • First, get out of the water to avoid a second bite
  • Remove any residue of jellyfish with a towel or gloves if it stays on your skin. Do not be frightened if the skin is red
  • Rinse out with plenty of seawater or, if possible, rinse with vinegar solution or hot water
  • Then, to relieve swelling and reduce erythema due to inflammation, apply calamine or cortisone cream, which soothe irritated skin.

Common practices that have not been proven to be effective in dealing with stings are

  • Rinse with fresh water
  • Rinse with human urine
  • Put alcohol or ethanol

A simple solution is to carry a stick with ammonia, which relieves you directly from the itching caused by the jellyfish bite.

In Vita4you you can after bite products.

Iro Gounitsioti

Msc, Bsc Clinical Dietitian - Nutritionist specialized in obesity, diabetes management, athletic nutrition as well as in nutritional supplements.

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Disclaimer

The content of this blogspot is not and can not be considered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All information is provided to readers solely for informational purposes. There is no intention to substitute this content for personalized medical advice, diagnosis, prognosis or treatment.

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