Medicine-Natural :: No Need to Feel the Sting – Natural Cures for Jellyfish Stings ::
Jellyfish
stings can hurt and you should avoid them whenever possible. These hollow
bodied animals are equipped with tentacles that have stinging units called
nematocysts. The tentacles have nematocysts spaced down its length. The length of the tentacle is an indicator of
how many stings you might receive. The
symptoms of jellyfish stings vary.
Stings usually consist of red lesions where the skin came into contact
with the tentacle. Muscle spasms often
occur when stung on a leg or an arm. The
red lesions can become filled with fluid and after they heal they will have a
different color than normal skin.
Repeated stings can result in vomiting, headaches, nausea, muscle
weakness and heart rate arrhythmia. It’s
important to get the victim out of the water as soon as possible as sever
cramping could lead to drowning. You
should watch for other symptoms such as excessive tearing, painful breathing
and a runny nose. There is always the
chance of a severe allergic reaction from a jellyfish sting. If you develop severe and persistent muscle
spasms or if the area becomes infected you will need to contact a doctor.
There are some
natural cures for jellyfish stings that can be used on the spot when a sting
occurs. First, the tentacles should be
lifted off with a stick or other object so there are no more stings to the
person removing the tentacles. Use
clothing, towels, seaweed or anything else available. Don’t scrape them off as
this could cause further stings. Second,
rinse the sting area with seawater or vinegar.
It is important to remember not to scrub at the wound because it can
activate the nematocysts and cause more venom to be let out. If no vinegar is available, human urine can
do the same thing. Preferably a man’s
urine as it is considered sterile. You
can use a woman’s urine but they are more prone to having a urinary tract
infection which can cause bacteria to develop in the sting area. Do not wash with freshwater or put sun
lotion or alcohol based liquid on the area.
Alcohol was formerly recommended for help in stopping the sting, but
actually stimulates them and increases pain.
Do not rub at the wound or apply ice to it. The important thing is to get rid of the
tentacles. Immobilize the area where the
stingers are as any added movement can cause the venom to spread through the
body. If the victim was stung on the
arm, then keep that arm still to prevent spreading of the venom.
If after
taking all steps and you still have stingers there are other ways to remove the
stingers. Dust the area with flour or
baking powder then scrape off with a dull back edge of a pocketknife or a
butter knife. You also can use canned
shaving cream or mud to coat the area then shave off any remaining
stingers. The coatings will keep the
nematocysts that haven’t been activated from delivering more toxins while
getting rid of the tentacles. The important fact to remember is to get the
tentacles off so the venom will not continue to drain into the body.
Other
substances have been used to reduce the pain of jellyfish stings. Meat tenderizer, sugar, plant juices and
baking soda have all been used with varying degrees of success. You can minimize pain with topical ointments
with ingredients such as benzocaine.
The best thing
would be to avoid jellyfish tentacles whenever possible. These tentacles can be very long and trail a
long way from the main body. Stay as far
away from them as possible. After storms
damaged tentacles can be washed ashore and these too can cause severe stinging. Jellyfish washed ashore after a storm might
be dead but the tentacles are still able to inflict stings. If you are going to explore the ocean after a
sever storm, you should seriously consider wearing a diver’s wet suit for
protection.
0 komentar:
Post a Comment