Australia’s waters are home to many interesting and fascinating creatures, including jellyfish, some of which can be the cause of painful stings! Although they are generally quite easy to avoid, they can cause discomfort if you are stung. The intensity and severity of a sting varies on a range of factors including type of stinger, location of the sting, and the health and fitness of the victim.
Top safety tips about non-tropical marine stingers:
- Look for marine stinger signs at patrolled locations
- Ask a lifeguard/lifesaver if marine stingers are present
- Treatment:
- Wash off any remaining tentacles or pick off with your fingers (they can’t usually sting through the tough skin on your fingers!)
- Immerse the sting in hot water (no hotter than can be easily tolerated)
- If local pain is not relieved or immersion facilities are not available, the application of cold packs or wrapped ice is also effective.
- Refer to medical aid for further treatment if condition deteriorates.
Find out more at https://beachsafe.org.au/
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