Be careful at the beach

Last week when I went snorkeling I noticed a few orange jellyfish. They are interesting to watch but they can sting so you have to be careful not to get too close. The tentacles are long and hard to see so you really have to keep a safe distance. For some reason along the coasts of Libya the jellyfish population explodes in mid to late August every year.

Today the kids got up early and went to the beach with their father. While swimming they all managed to get stung. They had fun regardless of their encounters.

So what do you do if you happen to get stung?

• rinse the area with sea water. Do not scrub or wash with fresh water which will aggravate the stinging cells. Do not pour sun lotion or spirit-based liquid on the area.
• deactivate remaining cells with a vinegar rinse. If no vinegar is available use urine! Really! Preferably male urine as it's considered to be more sterile.
• lift off any remaining tentacles with a stick or something similar.
• if cells still linger, dust with flour and carefully scrape off with a blunt knife.
• after all tentacle sections have gone, pain can be treated with a cold pack and/or a local anesthetic such as a sunburn lotion or insect bite treatment that lists '...ocaine' as an ingredient.
• if there is continued swelling, or itchiness, apply a light steroid cream e.g. Hydrocortisone eczema cream.
• if muscle spasms persist see a doctor.