![]() It is currently the primary recommended treatment by the Australian Resuscitation Council, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. For this reason, vinegar has been the go-to emergency response to box jelly stings for more than twenty years. Luckily enough, scientists discovered early on that vinegar (~5% acetic acid solution) irreversibly prevents nematocysts from firing, allowing people to rinse off tentacles without causing more trauma (which is also how the folk remedy of peeing on a sting originated, though vinegar is more effective and far less gross). The best course of action is to remove any tentacles quickly to ensure that nematocysts that haven't fired don't get the chance to add their venom to the sting, and then treat for pain. More than 60 deaths from box jelly stings have been reported in the last forty years. The pain is not only debilitating, it can also be deadly. Long tentacles are packed with millions of stinging cells, called nematocysts, each with its own microscopic, needle-like harpoon-tipped tubule waiting to plunge into your flesh and inject the animal's intense venom. These somewhat squarish shaped cnidarians are armed to the bell with some of the most painful venom in the world. Robert Hartwick When you're stung by a box jellyfish, you know it almost immediately. Does new research change everything we thought we knew about how to treat stings? Experts don't think so. ![]() ![]() Apply calamine lotion or lidocaine to help relieve itching and discomfort.The dreaded Chironex fleckeri, responsible for some of the worst stings in the world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |