2023-08-11 09:21:54
The injuries caused by these organisms are usually mild: itching, pain and inflammation of the affected area.
Holidays on the beach are not without their dangers, especially those coming from the fauna that inhabits the sea, such as jellyfish and spider fish. And it is that a chance encounter with these organisms can ruin a day at the beach, so knowing how to act in these cases is not necessary.
For this, those who know the most about this type of accident are the SEMES Animal Help Group, of the Spanish Society of Emergency and Emergency Medicine.
The first thing that Beatriz Rodríguez, a doctor and veterinarian, explains is that generally, the injuries that jellyfish and spider fish can cause us are mild and will be limited to feeling itching, pain and inflammation of the affected area.
Serious reactions to these bites are very rare, adds the doctor, and in the event that they do appear, we can recognize them by the following symptoms: “seizures, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, fever or other systemic symptoms such as anaphylactic shock ”. In these cases, what we must do is “activate the Emergency Services and transfer the victim to a hospital where he will be treated.”
HOW TO ACT BEFORE A JELLYFISH STING?
The most feared protagonist and the one that can most frequently cause injuries is the jellyfish. These account for more than 60% of the incidents that occur on the coasts. “The area of the jellyfish that can give us problems are the tentacles, where it houses the nematocysts loaded with their toxin. Therefore, in the event that it is necessary to manipulate her in an essential way, we have to do it for her body”, warns the doctor.
In any case, the most sensible thing to do is to avoid bathing when there is an alarm from the authorities of their massive presence, or to be vigilant to avoid contact. “It is also not uncommon to see dead animals washed up on the shore. In this case, we must also avoid touching them because their toxin may continue to be active and cause injury,” says the expert.
If, despite all the precautions, an encounter with a jellyfish occurs, the general recommendations are:
Clean the area with seawater or 50% diluted vinegar. “It is also important to remove foreign bodies (tentacles…) with tweezers or any other object, although we should not manipulate them directly as we can increase the lesion”, explains Dr. Rodríguez. “In the same way we will avoid direct scratching and we will apply indirect local cold without rubbing (ice wrapped in a cloth)”.
In addition to all this, the expert insists that the lesion should not be washed with fresh water, or put compression bandages on it. If the reaction that occurs after the bite does not stop or worsens, it should be a doctor who determines if “analgesics, antihistamines, creams for symptomatic relief, antibiotic therapy, as well as tetanus vaccination can be taken if indicated”.
THE SPIDER FISH, THE RAYA OR THE SEA URCHINS
There are two other marine species that can also cause us trouble this summer. They are the spider or scorpion fish and the stingray. “They are usually buried in the sand, so it is not difficult to step on them and for them to stick their 4 dorsal fin spines in the case of spiderfish, and in the case of rays, the serrated sting of their tail,” explains the coordinator of GRAAN SEMES.
If either of these two fish bites us, what should be done is “remove the foreign body and to neutralize its thermolabile toxin (neuro and cardiotoxic), we must introduce the affected member in hot water at 45ºC for between 60-90 minutes”.
But we must not stop there. It is best to go to a health service where they assess “the patient’s vaccination status due to its potential tetanogenic effect.”
Another type of stingray is the torpedo fish or the electric or stinging stingray, common on the Andalusian coast and which can generate discharges that are not usually fatal.
In this case, Beatriz Rodríguez says that these spikes should be removed, as far as possible, with tweezers. This is important since, if all the pues cannot be removed, they can be reabsorbed.
In addition to all these animals, the specialist warns that in deep areas we can also find invertebrates such as anemones (sea noodles), corals, sponges, starfish or sea cucumbers, which can cause injuries to fans of scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing. .
These types of species usually cause minor injuries such as irritant contact dermatitis and, on occasion, conjunctivitis. M.T.T. (SyM)
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