Jellyfish Sting: Therapy

General measures

  • Leave the water immediately after jellyfish injury.
  • Rinse the affected area without rubbing (see table below for this).
  • Helpers should protect themselves with rubber gloves.
  • Remove tentacle remnants
    • Before removing the tentacle remains inactivation of remaining intact cnidocytes by rinsing with household vinegar (5%).
    • Mechanical removal of the cnidocytes:
      • Apply sand or shaving cream to the skin; gently peel dried shaving cream from the skin with the back of a knife or a credit card.
  • Pain relief
    • Cooling can relieve pain (use of a cold pack).
    • Analgesics (painkillers) if necessary
  • If shock symptoms occur, see below “Shock”; see below “Anaphylactic shock“.
Jellyfish species Flushing liquid Other therapy
Hair or nettle jellyfish(yellow hair jellyfish; colloquially “fire jellyfish”)Fire jellyfish in the North Sea and Baltic Sea (luminous jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca), the yellow hair jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella)) Rinse active nettle capsules for about 30 seconds with household vinegar (5%);if necessary, also with seawaterBeachte: Never rinse with fresh water or alcohol, as these liquids will cause more nettle capsules to burst.
  • Cooling by means of ice cubes, cold packs or packaged ice cream.
  • If necessary, glucocorticoids (eg, hydrocortisone or prednisolone) apply locally.
  • In case of severe itching: antihistamine (block the histamine receptors in the tissue and thus stop the allergic reaction).
  • In case of extensive nettling → intensive medical monitoring.
Fire and luminescent jellyfish (Mediterranean jellyfish).
Fire jellyfish/yellow hair jellyfish (Cyanea capillata)
Foxglove jellyfish (Linuche unguiculata)
Compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella
Luminous jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca)
Portuguese galley (Physalia physalis; Man-o-War)
Cube jellyfish (Cubomedusae; synonym: sea wasp; English box jellyfish).