I finally got the DAN article I wanted to offer....
It's still not available online. I called DAN today about that and Wayne was also surprised, but very helpful. I think he said that IT told him that the person who loads those is on vacation and the article will be online in 10 days or so. But he emailed me a copy - attached. It's really a good read, informative if you're not already knowledgeable about jellyfish and other stings that can even require extreme first aid in rare cases, and a new updated
recommendation from DAN to not use vinegar on most JF stings...
Check your training: New recommendations advise against using vinegar for jellyfish injuries, with the exception of treating the sting of Chironex fleckeri, better known as the box jellyfish. DO use vinegar for this sting.
Hot water is now the remedy of choice for most jellyfish stings. Studies have found that hot water (113_F/45_C) can neutralize the venom in common jellyfish, fire coral, hydroids, Portuguese man-o-war and anemones. These toxins are heat-labile, which means they break down chemically with sufficient heat.
Use the following steps to treat stings from common jellyfish, fire coral, hydroids, Portuguese man-o-war and anemones.
To dislodge any remaining tentacles, flush the area with large amounts of sea water. Note: Using fresh water can trigger any undischarged nematocytes.
To neutralize any undischarged nematocytes, immerse the affected area in hot water and/or a hot shower for 30 to 90 minutes.
Remove the tentacles with tweezers or forceps.
Shave the area with shaving cream and a safety razor. If these are not available, scrape the area with a credit card or tongue depressor.
Apply topical hydrocortisone lotion or cream.
Monitor for allergic reaction or infection.
If hot water is unavailable, apply warm packs to control the pain. If hot water is available, repeat immersion in hot water as necessary to help control pain.
If warm packs are not available, apply ice or cold packs to help control pain.
As a general recommendation, do not rub the area and get to medical attention as soon as possible.
Now, the
Chironex fleckeri is not found in the Atlantic at all. From Wiki:
"The polyps are found in estuaries in northern Australia, the medusa is pelagic and is found in the coastal waters of northern Australia and adjacent areas of the tropical Indo-West Pacific, and are also found in southeastern Asia. They are not usually found on the reef."
I did stumble across one site that said they were found in the Caribbean, but all the others contradicted that. You can find
anything somewhere on the net; always good to use reputable sources and confirm.
On the other hand, there are
box jellyfish in the Caribe, just different species. from one source:
"The Sea Wasp found in the Caribbean is a box jellyfish with a small, four-sided, bell- shaped body, up to 2 x 3 inches..."
From another: The box is identified as
"Tripedalia cystophora."
Since I lost the magazine and DAN was late making it available online, I didn't remember this generalization that would seem to allow that maybe vinegar is still suggested for other than the
Chironex fleckeri, as whatever exact specie is there, it is a
"box-type" that causes the most problems when rarely appearing.
V is for vinegar
For box-type jellyfish stings, soak the affected area in household white vinegar or any other mild acetic acid (a 3-5 percent solution is recommended). This neutralizes the undischarged nematocytes on the skin.
I certainly wasn't going to argue with such very experienced Coz divers like Christi and Betsy, but I was bothered by the possible conflict in experienced and educated options. Nice to have it straight now, sorry about confusions, and - do enjoy the informative article.
Anyway, I carry a beanie and gloves in my BC pocket just in case, and keep the bubble purge trick in mind - either from the reg still in your mouth, or from your alternate.
