What to do in case of a jellyfish sting?
On the beach
- Rinse with sea water
Warning ! no fresh water! (this causes the stinging vesicles to burst and worsens the burn)
- Apply sand (flour or shaving foam)
- Gently pass a rigid cardboard (postcard, bus card ...), without rubbing, to remove jellyfish debris
- Rinse again with sea water
Do not hesitate, of course, to approach the aid station if you have the possibility.
Once home...
- Wash the area with vinegar (cider ideally, but the others can also do the trick). Vinegar may sting, but it removes small stinging vesicles that are left on the skin.
- If it remains painful, hot water can ease the pain because the venom is degraded by heat. You have to stay there for about 30 minutes.
Jellyfish sting
The jellyfish has stinging filaments at the end of its tentacles which, in contact with a "predator", send a poisonous liquid. The pain caused by the sting of a jellyfish is similar to an electric shock. It is immediately accompanied by a burning sensation, of varying intensity depending on the person and the species, followed by itching.