How to Treat a Portuguese Man O' War Sting (Bluebottle Sting)

Symptoms

You’ll first notice the sting by a sharp, intense pain. Bluebottle stings are often classified as one of the most painful stings from any jellyfish or siphonophore. Thankfully, the pain usually fades within an hour, but it may ebb and flow until then.

You may notice a red line where the stinger touched you. The mark left by the sting often looks like a string of beads underneath your skin. It might be swollen and itchy, and it may hurt to the touch, but the mark usually fades within 1 to 2 days.

Burning, prickling, itching, swelling, and pain are common symptoms. These will probably be most intense right after you get stung. The symptoms usually fade within hours or a few days, especially if the sting was mild.

Cramps, fever, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea are less common. These symptoms often happen if the sting is severe. You may also experience sweating, faintness, or dizziness. The severity of your symptoms depends on your age, how long you were exposed to the stinger, and how much of your skin is affected.

Treatment

Rinse the area with saltwater and remove the stingers. Saltwater will deactivate the stingers and stop them from injecting more venom into your skin, so do this right away for some relief. Then, put on thick rubber or leather gloves and gently peel the stingers off of your skin. Try to do this as soon as you possibly can to lower your pain levels. It’s very important to put gloves on before removing the stingers. If you don’t, you could sting yourself again. If you’re having trouble removing the stingers by hand, use tweezers instead.

Soak the affected area in hot water for 20 minutes. This will help soothe your skin and reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation. Make sure the water is between 110 and 113 °F (43 and 45 °C) so it feels hot but not scalding.

Use an ice pack every 2 hours. Wrap an ice pack or a bag of ice in a towel and press it against the affected area for 20 minutes at a time. You can do this 3 to 4 times per day for the next few days to reduce the pain and swelling.

Reduce your pain with oral antihistamines. Medication containing diphenhydramine can help reduce itching, swelling, and pain. You can find these medications over-the-counter at most drug stores and pharmacies. If you have glaucoma or prostate issues, talk to a doctor before taking antihistamines.

Get medical attention if you have a severe reaction. If you experience cramps, fever, weakness, vomiting, or diarrhea, you might need medical treatment. Severe reactions like these can indicate an allergic reaction, so it’s important to get help as soon as possible.

Avoid rinsing with vinegar or urine, which could make the sting worse. These common at-home remedies are often recommended for washing jellyfish and siphonophore stings; however, studies have shown that vinegar, urine, baking soda, and shaving cream can actually intensify your pain levels. You should also stay away from rinsing with alcohol or ethanol, since those can make your pain worse.

What to Expect if You Get Stung

Bluebottle stings usually heal within a couple of days. Keep practicing at-home care, like using ice packs and taking oral antihistamines. The pain and swelling will most likely go down after a few hours or a few days.

You might have a recurring rash for up to 6 weeks. This is especially true if your sting was severe. If you have a rash that lasts for more than 6 weeks, talk to your doctor.

More Information on Man O' Wars

The bluebottle is actually a siphonophore, not a jellyfish. Siphonophores work together in colonies to swim, eat, and reproduce. This means that when you see one bluebottle, you’re most likely going to see a group of them not far behind. Siphonophores are closely related to jellyfish, which is why they look so similar.

You can recognize a bluebottle by it’s blue, gaseous sac. The sac floats up to the water’s surface, so you can spot a bluebottle when they’re in the water. When they’re washed up on shore, bluebottles often look bright and iridescent.

Bluebottles are common in tropical and subtropical seas. They’ll often float in groups of 1,000 or more in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Bluebottle stings are very common during the summer in Australia, since strong winds carry them to the shore of sandy beaches.

Touching a bluebottle tentacle causes it to release its stinger. If you brush up against it in the water, you’ll feel the pain almost immediately. Touching the top of a bluebottle is okay, as long as you stay away from the tentacles on the bottom.

Prevention

Check your local beach for warnings before swimming. If the report says that bluebottles are in the area, try to avoid it until further notice. Remember: they’re most common in the summer and during strong tides.

Don’t touch dead bluebottles. They can sting you even if they’ve been dead for weeks! Watch where you’re walking on the beach, and give washed-up jellyfish and siphonophores a wide berth.