If you’ve been swimming in the sea, there’s a good chance you’ve spotted a jelllyfish before. Most people know you shouldn’t touch a jellyfish, as they have tiny stining cells in their tentacles.
But might have thougt that if a dead one happens to brush up against you, you’d be fine – but that isn’t the case. Jorge Ángel, a Spanish nurse and TikTok content creator has issued a warning to those you are visiting beaches this summer – as you shouldn’t touch them.
In a recent video, which has accumulated more than 3.7 million views, the nurse revealed that “even if you see a dead jellyfish, do not touch it because it can still release its toxins and you could be in serious pain, like this guy.”
Following this stark warning, the popular nurse revealed that if we get stung by a jellyfish, no matter how, we should never “rub the area” and we should “always rinse with salt water, never with fresh water.”
His warning was in response to a man who had been stung by the jellyfish he was holding because “he jumped right into the sea”. Jorge added: “This is also not right as he didn’t even check the sea bottom.” He also pointed out that “if he suddenly had an allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock, he could lose consciousness and drown, so it’s much better to rinse the area and not jump directly into the sea.”
After the video was published, social media users did not miss the opportunity to share their thoughts about the nurse’s warning in the comments. One social media user said: “Damn, you have to be pretty brainless to pick up a jellyfish, especially when it’s as big as a dog… no matter how dead it looks.” Meanwhile, another person confessed: “My daughter was stung by a jellyfish; we went to the hospital and they helped her with vinegar. They said that’s enough,” while another wrote with irony: “You have to be a true genius to grab a jellyfish with your bare hands.”
According to the NHS, you should speak to a lifeguard or someone with first aid training if you’ve been stung by a jellyfish. If help isn’t available, you should rinse the affected area with seawater (not fresh water), remove any spines using tweezers or the edge of a bank kcard, and soak the area in very warm water for at least 30 minutes. You can also take paracetamol or ibuprofen.
You should not pee on the sting, use vinegar, apply ice, touch the tentacles with your bare hands, or cover the wound. If you star to experience difficulty breathing, chest pain, start to swell or bleed, you should go to A&E or call 999 in the UK.