Dalian: Spike in jellyfish stings

The reporter recently interviewed and found that the number of stinging patients in the dermatology department of Dalian hospitals has increased suddenly. According to the doctor of the dermatology department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, a week ago, there were only one or two cases of jellyfish stungs per day in the outpatient clinic, while there were 16 cases the day before yesterday, especially the patients who received emergency treatment at night were more concentrated.

This year entered the peak of jellyfish stings early

A few days ago, the reporter saw in the dermatology clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University that between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., three people came to the clinic because of jellyfish stings.

Yu Chao, a dermatologist at the hospital, mentioned that in the past week, there have been more than a dozen patients every day, and from the perspective of the situation every year, this number is relatively high. Moreover, due to the impact of temperature this year, the peak period of jellyfish sting injuries has entered earlier, and the peak is expected to continue until the end of August.

The most clinical feature of jellyfish dermatitis is that the rash is cord-like and whiplash-like arrangement. If people are stung, after 3 to 5 minutes, there will be a local itching, tingling or burning sensation, followed by local erythema and blisters. If the sting area is large, feelings such as fatigue, muscle pain and uneasiness may occur, and symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest tightness, thirst, and cold sweats may also occur. People who are sensitive to toxins can spit out white or pink foam about 2 hours after being stabbed, and have difficulty breathing, pulmonary edema, decreased blood pressure, and even death.

The severity of stings varies from person to person, which is closely related to the type of jellyfish, the location of the sting, the treatment of the site, the morning and evening of the visit, and the individual's own constitution.

If you have allergies, you must not rinse the wound with fresh water

At 8:00 p.m. on July 24, Mr. Cao, a citizen, came to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University for treatment. He was stung by jellyfish while swimming in the Xiajiahezi Sea, and after landing ashore, he rinsed the wound with mineral water, but he did not expect that in less than 10 minutes, the local burning, stinging pain worsened, and there were dizziness, chest tightness, nausea, fatigue and other systemic symptoms. Fortunately, Mr. Cao did not develop pulmonary edema or heart failure, and his condition gradually stabilized after treatment.

Yu Chao, a dermatologist at the hospital, introduced that every year, patients enter the ICU for rescue because of improper treatment, aggravation of the condition, and even symptoms of pulmonary edema such as chest tightness and cough pink foam.

Yu Chao reminded that when symptoms such as allergies occur, the wound must not be rinsed with fresh water, which will prompt the thorn cells left on the skin to continue to release venom. You can rinse with seawater, or gently wipe off the tentacles or venom that stick to the skin with a towel, clothing, or sediment, and cannot be wiped directly by hand. If possible, baking soda or alum water can be used to apply cold compresses to the affected area, which can significantly reduce the symptoms of stinging.

It should be noted that some patients also have symptoms such as fever and muscle pain 3 days or more after being stung by jellyfish. Cases of such delayed allergic reactions are also frequently encountered in outpatient clinics, and patients should seek medical attention promptly.