There was an article in Readers Digest several years ago about Box jellyfish stings. An advisory said all should carry vinegar as it neutralizes sting and can save your life- See wabsite below:
What is the best way to care for a jellyfish sting?
A:
Jellyfish describes an enormous number of marine animals capable of inflicting a painful, and occasionally life-threatening, sting. These include fire coral, hydroids, jellyfishes (including "sea wasps") and anemones. The stings occur when the victim comes into contact with the creature's tentacles or other appendages, which may carry millions of small stinging cells, each equipped with venom and a microscopic stinger.
Depending on the species, size, geographic location, time of year and other natural factors, stings can range in severity from mild burning and skin redness to excruciating pain and severe blistering with generalized illness (nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, muscle spasm and low blood pressure). Broken-off tentacles that are fragmented in the surf or washed up on the beach can retain their toxicity for months and should not be handled, even if they appear to be dried out and withered.
The dreaded box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) of northern Australia contains one of the most potent animal venoms known to man. A sting from one of these creatures can induce death in minutes from cessation of breathing, abnormal heart rhythms and profound low blood pressure (shock).
The Treatment
BE PREPARED TO TREAT AN ALLERGIC REACTION FOLLOWING A JELLYFISH STING. If possible, carry an allergy kit, including injectable epinephrine (adrenaline) and an oral antihistamine.
The following therapy is recommended for all unidentified jellyfish and other creatures with stinging cells:
If the sting is believed to be from the box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), immediately flood the wound with vinegar (5 percent acetic acid). Keep the victim as still as possible. Continuously apply the vinegar until the victim can be brought to medical attention. If you are out at sea or on an isolated beach, allow the vinegar to soak the tentacles or stung skin for 10 minutes before attempting to remove adherent tentacles or to further treat the wound. In Australia, surf lifesavers (lifeguards) may carry antivenin, which is given as an intramuscular injection a first aid measure.
For all other stings, if a topical decontaminant (e.g., vinegar, isopropyl [rubbing] alcohol, one-quarter-strength household ammonia or baking soda) is available, apply it liberally onto the skin. If it is a liquid, continuously soak a compress. (Be advised that some authorities advise against the use of alcohol because of scientific evaluations that have revealed that some nematocysts discharge because of this chemical's application.) Since not all jellyfish are identical, it is extremely helpful to know ahead of time what works for the stingers in your specific geographic location. Apply the decontaminant for 30 minutes or until pain is relieved. A paste made from unseasoned meat tenderizer (do not exceed 15 minutes' application time, particularly upon the sensitive skin of small children) or papaya fruit may be helpful. Do not apply any organic solvent, such as kerosene, turpentine or gasoline. Until the decontaminant is available, you may rinse the skin with sea water. Do not simply rinse the skin gently with fresh water or apply ice directly to the skin. A brisk freshwater stream (forceful shower) may have sufficient force to physically remove the microscopic stinging cells, but non-forceful application is more likely to cause the cells to fire, increasing the envenomation. A non-moist ice or cold pack may be useful to diminish pain, but take care to wipe away any surface moisture (condensation) prior to the application.
After decontamination, apply a lather of shaving cream or soap and shave the affected area with a razor. In a pinch, you can use a paste of sand or mud in sea water and a clamshell.
Reapply the primary decontaminant for 15 minutes.
Apply a thin coating of hydrocortisone lotion (0.5 to 1 percent) twice a day. Anesthetic ointment (such as lidocaine hydrochloride 2.5 percent or a benzocaine-containing spray) may provide short-term pain relief.
If the victim has a large area involved (entire arm or leg, face, or genitals), is very young or very old, or shows signs of generalized illness (nausea, vomiting, weakness, shortness of breath or chest pain), seek help from a doctor. If a person has placed tentacle fragments in his mouth, have him swish and spit whatever potable liquid is available. If there is already swelling in the mouth (muffled voice, difficulty swallowing, enlarged tongue and lips), do not give anything by mouth, protect the airway and rapidly transport the victim to a hospital.
For more information on marine life injuries, see the complete article by Paul S. Auerbach, M.D., M.S. on Marine Life Trauma from the Jan/Feb 1998 issue of Alert Diver.
I've been told to place a cut onion on a burn to reduce the sting and swelling. Can't get near an onion without crying so never tried it myself. An old nurse told me to take a string and cut it in half. Tie one half to the wart and bury the other half. It actually worked on an old ex of mine.
I dare you to take away grammy's rubbing alcohol. You looking to get kill!!!!!!!!! It clears the nose, cools you down on a hot day when you put it on and then sit in front of the fan, and it makes the pain in the joints go away when you rub it in. It takes the itch away from mosquito bites, or ant bites, or sandfly bites, or "what the hell was that?" bites. And it wakes up the person that just fainted in the church during a funeral. Ahhhhhh rubbing alcohol.........the wonder drug!!
I know of people with severe sinus problems who swear that nasal/sinus irrigation with a weak salt H2O solution has prevented recurrent sinus infections, DH has started this every other day and hasn't had a sinus infection since.
My allergist gave me a special olive tip attachment for the water-pik, so that I could irrigate my nose (and maybe sinus) with saline solution. I still use it occasionally.
I had a pt who had warts all over her hands....the Doctor actually wrote and order for...duct tape to warts for two weeks or until tape falls off. Supposedly the glue in the tape was supposed to do something to the warts....I was not around long enough to see if it worked...I can't imagine that it did. But then again...it was my psyche rotation!! HA HA HA
to cure hiccups in newborn, mothers placed a piece of wet cotton ball on the baby's forehead and amazingly the hiccups disappear
My baby girl was up crying with the hiccups one night. Called my parents in desperation. Dad said to rub a little sugar on her tongue. It worked! No hiccups. We've passeded this family remedy for hiccups for years and everyone who tried it had good results. Go figure!
Something potentially very silly I did when I was 14 or 15:
I developed a swelling over my left achilles tendon. I looked up a few things in the library's Merck Manual, concluded that it was bursitis, and left it alone except for icing. Well... it got bigger and redder and was hot to the touch, so now I figured it was an infection of some kind.
Please note that my mother, bless her heart, always has margarine in the house, but never Bandaids or antiseptics.
I sprayed it down with Clorox bathroom spray and lanced it with a clean sewing needle... pus began to leak out copiously, so I drained as much as I could, and kept spraying + draining until it healed over. Darned if the Clorox spray didn't work VERY well at keeping the wound clean, but it's not something I'd try again.
I sprayed it down with Clorox bathroom spray and lanced it with a clean sewing needle... pus began to leak out copiously, so I drained as much as I could, and kept spraying + draining until it healed over. Darned if the Clorox spray didn't work VERY well at keeping the wound clean, but it's not something I'd try again.
kukukajoo, LPN
1,310 Posts
There was an article in Readers Digest several years ago about Box jellyfish stings. An advisory said all should carry vinegar as it neutralizes sting and can save your life- See wabsite below:
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/faq.asp?faqid=96
Diving Medicine FAQs
Jellyfish Stings
Identifying and Treating Jellyfish Stings
Depending on the species, size, geographic location, time of year and other natural factors, stings can range in severity from mild burning and skin redness to excruciating pain and severe blistering with generalized illness (nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, muscle spasm and low blood pressure). Broken-off tentacles that are fragmented in the surf or washed up on the beach can retain their toxicity for months and should not be handled, even if they appear to be dried out and withered.
The dreaded box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) of northern Australia contains one of the most potent animal venoms known to man. A sting from one of these creatures can induce death in minutes from cessation of breathing, abnormal heart rhythms and profound low blood pressure (shock).
The Treatment
BE PREPARED TO TREAT AN ALLERGIC REACTION FOLLOWING A JELLYFISH STING. If possible, carry an allergy kit, including injectable epinephrine (adrenaline) and an oral antihistamine.
The following therapy is recommended for all unidentified jellyfish and other creatures with stinging cells:
Apply the decontaminant for 30 minutes or until pain is relieved. A paste made from unseasoned meat tenderizer (do not exceed 15 minutes' application time, particularly upon the sensitive skin of small children) or papaya fruit may be helpful. Do not apply any organic solvent, such as kerosene, turpentine or gasoline. Until the decontaminant is available, you may rinse the skin with sea water. Do not simply rinse the skin gently with fresh water or apply ice directly to the skin. A brisk freshwater stream (forceful shower) may have sufficient force to physically remove the microscopic stinging cells, but non-forceful application is more likely to cause the cells to fire, increasing the envenomation. A non-moist ice or cold pack may be useful to diminish pain, but take care to wipe away any surface moisture (condensation) prior to the application.
For more information on marine life injuries, see the complete article by Paul S. Auerbach, M.D., M.S. on Marine Life Trauma from the Jan/Feb 1998 issue of Alert Diver.