Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.
If you lose feeling in the limb that was stung, have difficulty breathing, or experience heart palpitations after being stung, go to the emergency room. Mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) – Purple and glowing these have a highly-irritating sting which produces a burning sensation leading to hives, blisters and scabs as well as nausea and other symptoms. Being stung by a jellyfish in an area known to have dangerous breeds such as lion’s mane and box jellyfish, is also cause for concern. And in rare cases jellyfish stings are life-threatening.Most jellyfish stings get better with home treatment. According to The severity of your symptoms will depend on what kind of jellyfish you encountered, and how much of your skin is affected by its venom.Treatment for jellyfish stings mainly revolves around pain relief or healing allergic reactions if they occur.Most jellyfish stings can be treated right away with a salt water or hot water rinse.

It may also help to take a hot shower as soon as possible. Signs and symptoms of severe jellyfish stings include:Seek emergency treatment if you have severe symptoms.Jellyfish tentacles contain microscopic barbed stingers.

It’s this venom that makes a jellyfish sting so painful.Most types of jellyfish stings will cause some discomfort, but some can be life-threatening.

Each stinger has a tiny bulb that holds venom and a coiled, sharp-tipped tube. Blue jellyfish (Cyanea lamarckii) – Bright blue and with a sting similar to brushing against nettles. People who fish, dive, or go boating in deep waters are all more likely to get jellyfish stings. These reactions may appear rapidly or several hours after the stings. All rights reserved. June 16, 2020 Print.

Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Swimming in bodies of water where blooms of jellyfish are known to be increases your chance of getting stung.Swimming downwind also makes getting stung more likely, as jellyfish travel with the current. Jellyfish stings are relatively common problems for people swimming, wading or diving in seawaters. It affects the immediate area of contact and may enter the bloodstream.Jellyfish that have washed up on a beach may still release venomous stingers if touched.While many types of jellyfish are relatively harmless to humans, some can cause severe pain and are more likely to cause a systemic reaction. By Mayo Clinic Staff.

You will likely be seen by a doctor specializing in eye care (ophthalmologist). Moon Jellyfish poisoning: Contact with the Moon Jellyfish can result in various mild to moderate skin symptoms. © 1998-2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Jellyfish are a common sea creature found in every ocean. Severe reactions can cause difficulty breathing, coma, and death. There is always a chance you may encounter a jellyfish, but you can take steps to make getting stung less likely.When you arrive at a beach, speak with the lifeguard on duty about what types of jellyfish have been seen in the area and if people have been reporting stings that day. The main symptoms of sea creature stings are intense pain where you're stung and an itchy rash. Symptoms of Moon Jellyfish … Most often they result in immediate pain and red, irritated marks on the skin. Some carry poisonous venom in their tentacles as a method of self-defense against predators. Moon Jellyfish poisoning: Introduction. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Show references. Common symptoms of a jellyfish sting include: a burning, stinging sensation on your skin; a tingling or numbness where the sting occurred You may wish to avoid swimming in areas with high jellyfish populations altogether.Wearing a protective bodysuit in the water will reduce your chances of being stung.When wading in shallow water, shuffle your feet and walk slowly to disturb the sand and avoid catching a jellyfish by surprise.Although they’re beautiful and interesting to look at, you should never pick up a jellyfish that has washed up on the beach. Opting for a hot shower instead will help rinse the stingers out without making the sting worse.Certain bodies of water are known to contain large numbers of jellyfish, called blooms. Symptoms include an intense, stinging pain, itching, rash, and raised welts. Jellyfish move in patterns, riding currents, and are more common during certain times of the year. These jellyfish cause more-serious problems in people:Conditions that increase your risk of getting stung by jellyfish include:Possible complications of a jellyfish sting include:The following tips can help you avoid jellyfish stings:Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. If you’re stung by a jellyfish and start to feel dizzy or nauseous, pay close attention. Antivenin for jellyfish stings can only be found in hospitals.It’s a popular belief that human urine can be used to treat a jellyfish sting. The long tentacles trailing from the jellyfish body can inject you with venom from thousands of microscopic barbed stingers.Jellyfish stings vary greatly in severity.
All rights reserved. Some jellyfish stings may cause more whole-body (systemic) illness. The long tentacles trailing from the jellyfish body can inject you with venom from thousands of microscopic barbed stingers.Jellyfish stings vary greatly in severity. A If you’re in a lot of pain, you can try applying a topical painkiller such as lidocaine (LMX 4, AneCream).