Jellyfish Sting At Patong

[kirmizi]

Swimming at Patong today and I got stung on my arm and shoulder. The area covered about 25cm. It was very painful though I wouldn't describe it as agonizing. I did not go to hospital so it clearly wasn't as bad as it could have been. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't the worst of the jellies, but it was enough to get me out of the water in a hurry. It felt like fire when it first hit. I didn't see it at all, but then the water was cloudy. It left a nice red line on my arm and is still painful hours later.

I saw a dinner plate size jelly on the beach on my way out of the water. I think these are called Moon jellies. Maybe someone can confirm that. Not saying that's the kind that got me.

I went straight to the lifeguard to ask for vinegar and after some running around it became obvious that he didn't have any. Lesson learned, I'll bring my own from now on.

[Vertigotogo]

Serious answer here......

If vinegar is unavailable, urine is a second-best.

[jackdawson]

note to self; continue NOT to go to/swim in the ocean off of patong

[bunple]

Serious answer here......

If vinegar is unavailable, urine is a second-best.

.. so next the lifeguard has no vinegar ask him nicely to piss on you, say please as well.

[kirmizi]

Serious answer here......

If vinegar is unavailable, urine is a second-best.

I've heard about urine as a treatment too, but never from an official source. According to wikipedia it is not recommended. It might just be an urban legend.

[ScubaBuddha]

note to self; continue NOT to go to/swim in the ocean off of patong

Please also make a note to yourself to not to go swimming in any ocean in the world, ever.

Peeing on a jellyfish sting is an old wives tale. It probably won't help, and depending on the urine, may make it worse. Vinegar is of course the best thing to use but even that doesn't actually stop the pain, only neutralizes unfired nematocysts (the tiny poisonous harpoons that cause the stinging). Isopropal alcohol is also recommended. Even warm sea water is also good, many times better than urine. Fresh water will actually cause more nematocysyts to fire.

Also, on Portueguese man-o-wars/bluebottles stings (which aren't actually jellyfish,) vinegar will actually make it worse.

Edited June 3, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[Stjohnm]

note to self; continue NOT to go to/swim in the ocean off of patong

Please also make a note to yourself to not to go swimming in any ocean in the world, ever.

Peeing on a jellyfish sting is an old wives tale. It probably won't help, and depending on the urine, may make it worse. Vinegar is of course the best thing to use but even that doesn't actually stop the pain, only neutralizes unfired nematocysts (the tiny poisonous harpoons that cause the stinging). Isopropal alcohol is also recommended. Even warm sea water is also good, many times better than urine. Fresh water will actually cause more nematocysyts to fire.

Also, on Portueguese man-o-wars/bluebottles stings (which aren't actually jellyfish,) vinegar will actually make it worse.

you can pee on it the ammonia will help neutralise the poison but it should be your own as someone else's could cause an allergic reaction

[kirmizi]

you can pee on it the ammonia will help neutralise the poison but it should be your own as someone else's could cause an allergic reaction

Seriously, a quick net search for "jellyfish sting urine " and you'll find that not only does urine do nothing to help, but can in some cases make it worse.

[ScubaBuddha]

Seriously, a quick net search for "jellyfish sting urine " and you'll find that not only does urine do nothing to help, but can in some cases make it worse.

Correct. I'm going into way to much detail here, but for the sake of having the complete story, you'll also find sources stating that the chemical makeup of urine depends on the person, and is influenced by their diet, physical condition etc, and if you have a person with a high ammonia content to their urine, then there is a slight possibility it may actually help a little, or at least not hurt any further. The thing is there is likely much better sources, like the sea water it came from. I did also find two accounts that claimed to be from jellyfish sting victims who used urine and claimed it helped. Other sources claim it to psychosomatic.

I teach a hazardous marine life course and they really advocate using the water from the environment the jellyfish lives in as one of the best things to use if you don't have vinegar handy. It makes sense if you think about it because the nematocsyts aren't going to be triggered by the water they live in. And again, never use fresh water.

Several times in the last few weeks I have noticed a lot of jellyfish in the water in Chalong Bay. Seem to like/be brought in by the warm El Ninio waters we are having now. (I had 33.7c at the surface on my computer 2 weeks ago)

[Valentine]

I always thought rubbing lime on the sting would help which is likely to be more readily available on the beachfront.

[ScubaBuddha]

I always thought rubbing lime on the sting would help which is likely to be more readily available on the beachfront.

I'm pretty sure the "rubbing" of anything will cause worse pain if there are still any unfired nematocysyts. Maybe after all the jelly has been removed. Never heard that one.

[Valentine]

I always thought rubbing lime on the sting would help which is likely to be more readily available on the beachfront.

I'm pretty sure the "rubbing" of anything will cause worse pain if there are still any unfired nematocysyts. Maybe after all the jelly has been removed. Never heard that one.

Maybe one should just squeeze the juice of the lime over the affected area as should be done with vinegar. As I said it should be easy to find as there is always someone making somtam or lime juice nearby.

[ThaiRex]

I got stung at Nai Harn Beach a few months back. The ladies at the local restaurant poured vinegar and lime juice on me. It was amazing. What work really well after you've left the beach is this oil. Just say "yellow oil, jellyfish sting" and the pharmacist will know exactly what you're talking about. Gently apply it to the stings and it will give you a painless bliss for about an hour. It helps to heal as well.

[simon43]

The most important point for me in this post is not what is and what is not the best 'quick-fix' treatment for a jellyfish sting. It is that the lifeguard did not know or did not have the quick-fix treatment available in a location (a beach) where jellyfish stings are likely to occur.

I wonder if these lifeguards are only there to rescue people who get into swimming difficulties - if so, then that is a pretty poor show!

Simon

[sibeymai]

Thai lifeguards are only there to check out the farangs in bikinis. If you want to see a real qualified lifeguard with the skills necessary to guard life go to Australia. Visitors to Thailand may be better off if there were nobody on the beach pretending to be of assistance in an emergency. Visitors might then take more responsibility for their own safety.

[petercallen]

You can buy Thai manufactured vinegar in the super markets at about one tenth

the price of imported vinegar, in carrefour Patong its in the aisle next to the

imported foods its clear and the bottle is similar to cooking oil bottles and below

the small bottles there are much larger ones if you require it.

[ThaiEye]

Lime juice, never heard that one before. Good advise mate.

Sorry about your jellyfish sting, but that kinda thing could happen anywhere in this part of the world.