Jellyfish Stings and Other Beach Hazards Jellyfish can be more harmful than they appear with long, spindly tentacles that can inflict red welts and severe pain. If you should happen to come into unfriendly contact with one, however, here are some remedies to ease your pain, provided by Beebe Medical Center Emergency Department. Wash the area with sea water Apply vinegar, or if it is unavailable, rubbing alcohol or baking soda Remove tentacles with tweezers Apply shaving cream and shave area with a butter knife or tongue blade. Reapply vinegar and apply cortisone cream A physician should be contacted immediately if any of the following symptoms develop: nausea, vomiting, joint pain, headache, shortness of breath or a stumbling gait. One of our visitors raves about the benefits of pressing a fresh slice of papaya on the sting. Welts are supposed to disappear within minutes. Coping With Stings Bees, hornets and wasps are among the more common stingers in our area and their stings can cause pain, swelling and redness for up to 2 days. Here are some ways to relieve the discomfort. To avoid stings, walk calmly away from insects and avoid wearing perfume or bright yellow clothes when outdoors. Drag the stinger and sting sac out of the wound with a needle. As a last resort, a credit card can be used. Do not use tweezers because they could cause more venom to be squeezed out. Wash the wound with soap and water and apply cold compresses to reduce the swelling. Take an aspirin or Tylenol if you feel continuing discomfort. If you experience dizziness or difficulty breathing, get emergency help immediately. Please Note: This information is provided as a guideline and not intended as medical advice. If complications arise due to a jellyfish or insect sting, contact your doctor immediately. BEACH-NET! HOME PAGE | OCEAN SAFETY The Ocean | The Bay | Things to Do | Dining Real Estate | Lodging | Shopping | Our Towns