First Aid When Stung by Aquatic Animals

While the fun of snorkeling, sometimes the feet can be accidentally stung by sea urchins or other poisonous aquatic animals. But do not panic quickly, do the first aid stung by the following aquatic animals. There are many dangers that lurk when enjoying snorkeling, ranging from bumping into coral reefs, stung by jellyfish and stingrays, stepping on sea urchins, until bitten by sea snakes. Sea animal stings can cause symptoms such as stinging at the location of the sting, redness of the skin, swollen skin, fever, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, sweating. Sometimes the sting of aquatic animals can even cause seizures, difficulty breathing, paralysis to heart rhythm disorders.

Various First Aid Stung by Marine Animals

If your friends or family get stung by sea animals, take it to the nearest hospital or doctor immediately. In addition, do the first aid stung by the following marine animals:

• Jellyfish

When stung by a jellyfish, the first aid stung by marine animals that can be done is to wash the stung area with vinegar (acetic acid) water. Vinegar is known to kill nematocytes (poison cells in jellyfish) and stop the flow of poisons. If not available, wash the stinging body parts with sea water or warm water. Avoid washing the stung area with cold water, because it will only make the pain worse. After that, take it to the nearest hospital to get the right treatment.

• Sea urchins

Don't panic if you have a sea urchin. Stay calm and remove the broken bones stuck in the skin using clean tweezers. After that, clean the injured area using warm water and soap as a first aid stung by aquatic animals. Make sure if the thorns are completely removed. If not, the sting wound can become inflamed to cause joint and muscle pain. To help reduce pain you can take painkillers, such as paracetamol.

• Stingray

You can get a stingray sting when you accidentally step on its tail. If that happens, immediately call an ambulance or go to the nearest hospital. Expert medical personnel are needed to extract stingray bones embedded in the skin. The first aid stung by marine animals you can do is clean the injured area using sea water or warm water.

• Coral reefs

Enjoyment when snorkeling can be a little disturbed if accidentally scratched by coral reefs. The first aid that can be stung by marine animals is to clean the wound with soap and fresh water. If it hurts, you can use vinegar (acetic acid) or isopropyl alcohol to reduce pain. Don't forget to wash the wound daily with an antiseptic or apply antibiotic ointment 3-4 times per day. If signs of infection appear, immediately visit a doctor to get the right treatment.

• Sea snakes

There are more than 52 species of sea snakes and all of these species can give out when biting. If bitten by a poisonous sea snake, it is advisable to immediately close and gently wrap the wound, try not to move the bitten part of the body. Do not suck snake venom from snakebites because this has not been proven to have a good effect. Immediately to the nearest hospital after the wound is bandaged for further treatment.

Before you start snorkeling, it's a good idea to find out in advance any dangerous animals in that location. After that, know also the first aid stung by aquatic animals to overcome them. The important thing is, do not move too much after being stung by sea animals, because this will only accelerate the spread of toxins in the body.