What to do if stung by jellyfish

If you’ve been stung, the safest immediate steps are to **get out of the water, rinse the area with seawater, remove any tentacles carefully, and seek medical help if symptoms are severe**. For many common stings, **hot water** can help with pain relief, but **fresh water can make the sting worse**.

Quick Scoop

• Rinse with seawater, not fresh water. Fresh water can trigger more venom release.

• Remove tentacles carefully. Use tweezers, a card edge, or gloves if available; avoid touching them with bare hands.

• Use hot water for pain. Soak the area in very warm water that is tolerable, usually for about 20 to 30 minutes or more if needed.

• Get urgent help right away if there is trouble breathing, chest pain, vomiting, fainting, severe swelling, or if the sting may be from a dangerous species like box jellyfish.

Do this now

1. Leave the water immediately.
2. Rinse the sting with seawater.

3. Remove visible tentacles with tweezers, a card edge, or by washing them off with seawater.

4. If available and appropriate for the species, apply hot water for pain relief.

5. Monitor for worsening symptoms for the next few hours.

Get emergency help

Call emergency services or go to urgent care if the person has **difficulty breathing, chest pain, seizures, severe swelling, vomiting, dizziness, or loss of consciousness**. If the sting is from a **box jellyfish** or another potentially lethal species, treat it as an emergency.

Avoid these mistakes

• Do not rinse with fresh water.

• Do not rub the sting.

• Do not touch tentacles with bare hands.

• Do not wait for symptoms to “just pass” if breathing or whole-body symptoms appear.

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