question for Hawaiian/Australian/other coaster members

[Lani]

this one has me stumped-- not much in PubMed'smedical literature or google, so I will see if anyone has experience

I have been asked what treatment would be for a jellyfish sting to an arm which had a lymph node dissection for breast cancer. There is some preexisting lymphedema it seems.

Literature merely says not to get a jellyfish sting.

Otherwise all articles are on treatment of jellyfish stings in general

Seems it was a Portugesse man of war with long clear tentacles although NOT impossible it was a box jellyfish(off coast of Big Island)

I seem to remember there were several Big Island members here.

Interestingly, I read about clinical trials of a lotion/gel developed in Israel to PREVENT jellyfish stings and an article saying topical lotions with lidocaine may prevent ongoing action from the toxin

Anyone have more to contribute??/

THanking you in advance

Lani

[Laurel]

Good question, Lani, but nothing to contribute.

[Jackie07]

She needs to be in the hospital and get some I.V. antibiotic to treat/prevent cellulitis. I had only two cancer-affected lymph nodes after 11 nodes had been removed on my right arm. And I had a bad case of cellulitis after a tiny bug bite on one of the fingers while picking figs in the back yard.

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2007 Jun 28;127(13):1777-8.
[Health damage after jellyfish stings].
[Article in Norwegian]
Tønseth KA.
Source
Plastikkirurgisk avdeling, Sykehuset Telemark, 3710 Skien. kim@tonseth.no
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Stinging jelly fish are found in most open waters and may vary in size from a few millimetres to many meters. Periodically they are found in large numbers and contact with people occurs frequently. Reactions may vary from mild skin rash to life-threatening symptoms.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
This article is based on the author's clinical experience and search of current literature on Medline and www.google.com using the following keywords; jellyfish sting, nematocyst, skin, allergy, health damage.
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION:
Contact with stinging jellyfish on the Norwegian coast lead to minor skin rashes that usually disappear within a few hours. Contact with species in tropical seawater or with jellyfish in general by children or allergic persons may result in serious systemic reactions and permanent skin lesions. It is important in such cases to rinse the affected area carefully with seawater or vinegar, which inactivates the toxins. Patients with systemic reactions must be observed or hospitalized. The skin rash may be covered with topical anaesthetics. Analgesics, antihistamines and steroids are options if vigorous local reactions occur. Infection and hypertrophic scarring is managed according to general guidelines. Hyperpigmentation may be removed with topical bleaching agents.

[karen z]

Like Laurel I do not have an answer but an interesting question.

[KDR]

Portuguese men-of-war have invaded our Hamptons beaches this year. Even if you can't see the tentacles, they can still sting you. The beaches are one big blue and purple bubble.

I remember this massive die-off happening only once before, when I was a teenager. It was phenomenal to witness.

One thing I remember from spending lots of time in Jamaica: urine kills the sting from prongs of the sea urchin. I'd want more information on whether this is the case with jellyfish, especially if my life and/or health might depend on it.

Karen

[SoCalGal]

Watch and wait. Treat sting like any other. Wear compression sleeve during healing time of sting. Manual lymph massage during healing. At first sign of cellulitis, call doc to begin IV antibiotics. If lymphadema was preexisting then call doc right away.
Wear wet suit to avoid sting to begin with? Surf mall- safest of all!

[Lani]

a quick review of recent literature found the folowing:

Apply a topical gel with xylocaine--the calcium channel blocker stops the jellyfish toxin's effect (just published this year)

there seems to be a product available on Amazon which was developed to prevent the jellyfish sting--it is from Israel and one or two trials have found it to be effective one in Norway (don't know what kind of jellyfish they have, but sounds like I have more reading to do!)

Sounds like both these bits of info might help those who plan to play mermaid.