Treatment of Portuguese Man-Of-War Stings (Jellyfish)
For the average Portuguese man-of-war sting:
1. Remove any visible tentacles with a gloved hand, stick, or anything handy, being careful to avoid further injury.
2. Rinse the sting thoroughly with salt or fresh water to remove any adhering tentacles.
3. Apply ice for pain control.
4. Irrigate exposed eyes with cool tap water for at least 15 minutes. If vision blurs, or the eyes continue to tear, hurt, swell, or are light sensitive after irrigating, see a doctor.
5. For persistent itching or skin rash, try 1 percent hydrocortisone ointment four times a day, and one or two 25 milligram Benadryl tablets every 6 hours. These drugs are sold without prescription. This drug may cause drowsiness. Don't drive, swim kayak, or surf after taking this medication.
Alcohol and human urine may be harmful on Portuguese man-of-war stings.
Most Portuguese man-of-war stings disappear by themselves, sometimes within 15 or 20 minutes. Because of this, even harmful therapies often appear to work. A key concept in the first aid of any injury is: Do no harm. Therefore, avoid applying unproven, possibly harmful substances on stings.
Seek medical attention if pain persists, the rash worsens, a feeling of overall illness develops, a red streak develops between swollen lymph nodes and the sting, or if either area becomes red, warm and tender.
Few Portuguese man-of-war stings cause life-threatening reactions, but this is always a possibility. Some people are extremely sensitive to the venom; a few have allergic reactions. Consider even the slightest breathing difficulty, or altered level of consciousness, a medical emergency. Call for help and use automatic epinephrine injector if available.
Treatment of Stingray sticks
There is really no way to treat a stingray stick on the beach. Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Keep the wound clean, and for temporary relief, place your foot in hot fresh water (if available). This will help with the pain, but you will need to have x-rays to determine if the barb is broken off inside your foot/leg/etc. All participants are encouraged to bring first aid supplies.
Please dispose of all registration materials properly and remember to remove more trash than you bring!