Jellyfish: how they bite and how to treat the bite
Who does not like to bathe in the sea during the summer? The beaches become one of the most popular destinations to avoid heat during the summer period. However, we bathe in the company of certain marine animals that inhabit the salty waters of the Spanish coasts: jellyfish. Their bites can make our bathroom bitter and cause a strong itch.
However, if you take into account a series of tips, the presence of these animals does not have to make us bitter the trip to the beach. Keeping these recommendations in mind is essential for not returning home with ajellyfish sting, which become so popular in summer.
How does a jellyfish sting?
Thejellyfish It is a being that has tentacles where they have capsules with a very irritating liquid. When the extremity of this animal touches a hot surface like the skin,This stimulus is enough for the poison to shootand and embed itself in the skin. Even if the jellyfish is dead, this mechanism still works.
Therefore, it is evident that you should never touch a jellyfish with your hands even if she is dead in the sand. In the same way, since they tend to release this liquid in the water that surrounds them, it is necessary to avoid bathing in these areas since the contact with the skin of this poison will cause a irritation and stinging sensation.
How to prevent the sting of jellyfish?
In the first place, under no circumstances should you touch a jellyfish with one of our limbs, whether it is alive or dead. Taking into account other recommendations we will also avoid that these animals ruin our visit to the beach:
1. Attend and pay attention to the recommendations of the vigilantes on the beaches. Sometimes the red or yellow flags Not only do they warn of the swell, but they can be a reason for the bad water conditions and indicate jellyfish danger. There are beaches that even use specific indications to warn of the presence of these animals.
2. Use sun creams that isolate lto body surface of substances like jellyfish tentacles. Be careful, the use of this cream does not mean that jellyfish can be touched.
3. If there are a large number of jellyfish, it is best not to get in the water, not even on the shore, since the waves can bring pieces of tentacles to this area.
4. In case of seeing a jellyfish bank and not observe any signs, you have to warn the nearest guard to alert the rest of the bathers.
5. The area where the waves break is dangerous in case of jellyfish, as with the shore many remains of these animals with stinging ability can get there.
6. Wear protective clothing such as neoprene suits when you are going to stay in the water for a long time to avoid contact of the jellyfish with the skin.
How to act before a jellyfish sting?
If you have unfortunately received the sting of a jellyfish, you have to know how to act since a bad procedure can further aggravate the person's discomfort:
1. Do not scratch or rub the area where the bite has occurred, or try to wash it with a towel or sand.
2. Seawater must be used to wash the bite. never sweet. Of course, use liquid that is not from the area where jellyfish have been sighted.
3. After the bite, go to the rescue center closest to us to apply a palliative. Unfortunately, if there is not one nearby, it is recommended to remove the remains of jellyfish with tweezers or scraping with a hard plastic, such as a credit card.
4. To relieve pain, it is recommended to apply cold for 15 minutes. If ice is used, ice cubes should not have direct contact with the skin.
5. Do not apply ammonia or urine. This is a false myth that only aggravates the problem
6. If symptoms are observed As nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle cramps, headache or generalized malaise, it is essential to go to the nearest hospital and inform. All the information that can be provided about the jellyfish will be of help so that the doctors can diagnose what this malaise is due to.
Damián Montero
