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First aid for stings
Swimming in the sea puts you at the mercy of everything floating around you. Be informed and stay safe

Jellyfish, abundant in Oman, come in all shapes and sizes and although all are equipped with stinging cells supplied with venom, only a very few are potentially harmful to us humans. Treat them with extreme caution.

The number of tentacles on a jellyfish can vary from just two to several hundred, and they are armed with minute but plentiful stinging cells known as nematocysts. It is these that can make some jellyfish such disagreeable swimming companions. Nematocysts contain a coiled, thread-like tube, commonly armed with spines, which can be actively fired through use of hydrostatic pressure. The thread can penetrate and bore into prey, before delivering a toxin that results in paralysis.

The toxic effect of jellyfish is not normally perceptible to people and only very few species are to be feared. Some cause a burning, stinging sensation and minor skin irritation that the less fortunate among us have experienced. Others can be very painful and some may even be fatal. Australia's Sea Wasp (Chironex fleckeri) is probably the most dangerous of the jellyfish and among the most toxic creatures on earth. Its sting is said to result in death in less than 20 minutes. Fortunately, raised awareness of the danger, broadcasted warnings of the possible presence of this species in bathing areas and the development of an effective antidote have minimised the number or recorded fatalities in recent years.

Prevention

• Be familiar with the likely marine risks in the area where you plan to swim, snorkel or dive.
  
• Watch out for jellyfish when there are strong onshore winds.
  
• Look out for the bluish floats of the Portuguese man-of-war, and avoid the poisonous trailing tentacles.
  
• Watch for beached jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-wars. Their tentacles may still sting.
  
• Do not rely on clothing or on coating the skin with petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline) to prevent stings. Wear a wet suit to reduce your risk of getting stung.
  
• Wear protective shoes when walking on the beach.

Jellyfish sting treatment

• Rinse with seawater. Avoid fresh water because it will increase pain. Do not rub the wound or apply ice to it.
  
• For classic box jellyfish stings, apply topical acetic acid (vinegar) or isopropyl alcohol.
  
• Chances are that parts of the tentacles, at least the stinging nematocysts, will have broken off and are on your skin. It is wise to remove them as soon as possible, but in doing so, rubbing should be avoided as it may spread the stinging cells to other areas of skin. Remove the tentacles with tweezers.
  
• Apply shaving cream or a paste of baking soda or mud to the wound. Shave the area with a razor or knife and then reapply the vinegar or alcohol. The cream or paste prevents the nematocyststhat have not been activated from discharging toxin during removal with the razor.
  
• Immobilise the extremity. Motion may cause venom to spread.
  
• Hydrocortisone cream may be applied a couple of times daily to relieve itching. Discontinue immediately if any signs of infection appear later.
  
• Eye stings should be irrigated with up to four litres or a gallon of fresh water.
  
• Mouth stings should be treated with quarter strength vinegar. Avoid vinegar if difficulty to swallow occurs.
  
• For a box jellyfish sting, after treatment with vinegar or alcohol, use the pressure-immobilisation technique: The extremity should be wrapped with a bandage in a style similar to wrapping a sprained ankle. Bind the limb firmly but do not stop circulation. The fingers and toes should remain pink. Leave bandages intact until medical personnel are available for treatment.
  
• CPR may be necessary.