Tip for Today: Treating a Jellyfish Sting

Posted July 16, 2008 at 10:00 AM by Lindsay Hutton

Section: Her Health, Her Motivation, tip for today

With summer comes trips to the beach. Trips to the beach mean lots of sun and swimming…and sometimes jellyfish stings. How can you take the pain out of a sting if you are unfortunate enough to encounter one of these nasty creatures? First, wash the area with water. Apply vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or baking soda. (Check with the lifeguards on duty if you don’t have any of these on hand.) If there are any tentacles embedded in the wound, remove them with tweezers. Reapply vinegar or cortisone cream as needed. Contact your doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms are present: nausea, vomiting, joint pain, headache, shortness of breath, or trouble walking.