Treating sea creature stings

You can treat some stings yourself using first aid . But if the symptoms are serious such as severe pain, swelling or difficulty breathing dial 999 to request an ambulance immediately.

However, be careful not to burn your skin. This can be repeated if necessary.

You can use simple painkillers such as paracetamol to relieve any remaining pain.

Any large spines should be carefully removed from the wound using tweezers (avoid touching the spines with your bare hands). Clean the wound using soap and water, and thenrinse it with fresh water. Don't cover the wound.

Spines embedded in or near joints or tendons should be assessed in A&E. X-ray may be required and the spines may need to be surgically removed.

A severe allergic reaction ( anaphylaxis ) needs to be treated in hospital immediately.

Anti-tetanus prophylaxis (an injection) may be needed if you or the affected person isn't fully vaccinated.

Aftercare

If there's itching,hydrocortisone cream can be applied up to two to three times a day. However, this should be stopped immediately if thereare any signs of infection, such as severe inflammation andredness.

Pain and inflammation can also be treated with painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen .

If an infection develops,a course of antibiotics may be prescribed. They should be taken for a minimum of five days after the signs of infection have disappeared.

Sea urchins

Sea urchin puncture wounds and stingsare treated in a similar way to weever fish stings. If there are signs that you or someone you're with has had a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), dial 999 to request an ambulance.

Immerse the affected area in hot water (as hot as can be tolerated) for 30-90 minutes. Again, be careful notto burn your skin.

Any large spines should be carefully removed from the wound using tweezers. The small venomous organs (pedicellariae) can be removed by using a razor blade to gently scrape them out. It may help to apply a small amount of shaving foam to the area first.

Scrub the wound using soap and water, and then rinse it with fresh water. Don't close the wound with tape.

Aftercare

Pain and swelling can be treated with painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.

If the skin is red and badly inflamed, a topical antibiotic cream or ointment should be applied three times a day.

Stingrays

Alert a lifeguard and dial 999 to request an ambulance if you're stung by a stingray.

There's no antidote to stingray venom, but thepaincaused bya sting can be relieved by:

• immersing the affected area in hot water (as hot as can be tolerated) for 30-90 minutes
• pain-numbing medication ( local anaesthetic )
• pain-relieving medication given directly through a vein (intravenously)

Once the wound has been cleaned and the sting is removed (if necessary), the doctor will be able to look for further damage. You may need a tetanus booster if it's more than five years since your last tetanus injection.

After being stung by a stingray, you'll usually be given antibiotics, as there's a high riskof the woundbeing contaminated by bacteria in the sting and the seawater, which could lead to an infection.

The wound willinitially be left open, before being closed with stitches after about 48 hours, if it hasn't become infected. In rare cases, surgery may be needed if the sting affects the tendons or blood vessels.

Jellyfish

Most jellyfish stings are mild and don't require treatment, oryou can treat themyourself.

However, dial 999 if there are severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing orchest pain, or if a large or sensitive area of the body such as theface or genitals has been stung.

Someone stung by a jellyfish should be treated out of the water.

Any remaining tentacles should be removed using tweezers or a clean stick (wear gloves if they're available).Applying a heat pack to the affected area, or immersing it in hot waterhelps toreduce pain and inflammation.

Vinegar has been shown to help prevent further nematocyst discharge from box jellyfish, which are found in tropical areas - but doesn't provide any pain relief from already injected venom.

Ignore any advice you may have heard about urinating on the sting. It's unlikely to help.

After a jellyfish sting, any pain and swelling can be treated with painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Portuguese man-of-war

Portuguese man-of-war stings can be treated in asimilar way to jellyfish stings (see above).

As with jellyfish stings, don't use vinegar or alcohol to wash the affected area, asit can make the pain worse .

Instead, after carefully removing any remaining tentacles from the skin(see above), thoroughly wash the affected area with seawater (not fresh water).Afterwards, soak the area in hot water to ease the pain.

Pain from aPortuguese man-of-war sting usually lasts about 15-20 minutes. Seek immediate medicalassistance if you experience severe, lastingpain, or if the affected area becomes infected.