Who does not remember the episode of Friends in which Monica is stung by a jellyfish? The remedy that Joey, Chandler and she used is one of the most iconic moments of the series and also a great myth: pee on the bite. Every summer, expert voices advise on how to deal with summer setbacks and there is still no one to recommend such a method.
Although jellyfish stings are not usually serious, they are annoying: they show symptoms such as itching, pain and inflammation. The first reaction and the simplest that we have at hand is to wash the area with seawater without rubbing, never sweet, explains the Red Cross. It is also important to use tweezers to remove the remains of the tentacles. If there is a nearby aid station, it is advisable to go there to treat the wound with the appropriate methods.
It’s not just jellyfish that can give vacationers a scare. The Animal Help Group (Semes) of the Spanish Society of Emergency and Emergency Medicine has developed a series of tips to prevent these incidents, mostly caused by accidental contact and not by a direct attack by the animal, from ruining the holidays.
The first piece of advice is to respect the marine habitat as much as possible, which fills up with people every summer. “We must be respectful of the marine environment and interfere as little as possible in the lives of its animals,” warned Dr. Beatriz RodrÃguez, coordinator of the group. In addition to cleaning the area with seawater, he explains that it can also be done with 50% diluted vinegar and remove foreign bodies (tentacles, spines…) with tweezers or any other object and apply indirect local cold without rubbing (ice wrapped in a cloth). It is important to note that you should never directly handle the bite or scratch it.
On the contrary, it is necessary to avoid washing with fresh water, compressive bandages or direct suction. To take painkillers, antihistamines, creams for symptomatic relief, antibiotics or even to get a tetanus shot, you must follow the advice of a doctor.
The jellyfish is the best known of the marine animals, which represent more than 60% of the incidences and whose presence and variety have been increasing due to climate change and the intensification of fishing; The most problematic area of ??this animal is the tentacles that accumulate its toxin, so if it has to be handled it must be done through its body. For this reason, there are many voices that insist that they not touch each other even if they are dead, since they can continue to keep their toxin active.
Meanwhile, the spider or scorpion fish and the stingray are usually buried in the sand, so it is not difficult to step on them. The advice in this case is to walk shoes along the shore. If one of them bites us, the foreign body must be removed and to neutralize its thermolabile toxin, the affected member of our body must be placed in hot water at 45ºC for 60-90 minutes.
Other animals are the torpedo fish or the electric or stingray, common on the Andalusian coast and which can generate discharges that are not usually fatal. There are also sea urchins, which are usually attached to rocks or on the seabed and which more than one person ends up stepping on.
In addition, there are others at deeper marine levels but given the popularization of certain water sports (diving, fishing, snorkelling…) they are becoming more frequent, such as anemones (sea noodles), corals, sponges or starfish or sea cucumbers that mainly cause irritant contact dermatitis and, on occasion, conjunctivitis.
There is also bather’s rash, which is caused by contact with Edwarsiella lineata larvae, which are retained in contact with the skin, normally in the area of ??the swimsuit. In this case, they should be removed and washed thoroughly with seawater.
In any case, they are usually local, mild lesions and show symptoms such as itching, pain and inflammation. If a serious reaction appears, characterized by seizures, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, fever or anaphylactic shock, “Emergency Services must be activated and the victim transferred to a hospital environment where he will be treated,” he concludes.
