Jellyfish, fire coral and sea urchins: first aid in the Red Sea

Most sea stings are minor and settle with first aid. Get out of the water and rinse the area with seawater. Lift off any tentacles or spines without bare hands, then soak the area in hot water. A stonefish sting, or any sting with breathing problems, chest pain or fainting, is an emergency: call 123.

Red Sea creatures that sting

The main dangers after a sting are an allergic reaction or drowning, so leave the water calmly. Many injuries happen when people step on or touch sea animals.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish recorded in the Red Sea include the moon jellyfish. Large numbers have been seen on reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba. The upside-down jellyfish is native to the Red Sea and rests on the seabed in shallow water. A sting usually causes sudden pain, an itchy rash and raised red lines (welts) where the tentacles touched. Most stings improve within hours, but a rash can last for weeks.

Fire coral

Fire coral is not a true coral. It is a stinging animal from the same group as jellyfish. Two types are common along Egypt’s Red Sea coast, often in shallow water near the top of the reef. Brief contact causes burning pain and a red, itchy rash.

Sea urchins

Sea urchins live on rocks and reefs in shallow water. Their brittle spines puncture the skin, usually on the foot, and often break off inside. The venom causes burning pain, redness and swelling. Spines left in the skin can cause inflammation and infection.

Stonefish, lionfish and scorpionfish

These fish belong to one family and carry venom in their spines. The reef stonefish lives on Red Sea coral reefs. It looks like a rock or a piece of coral, so people can step on it without seeing it. The sting causes severe pain and swelling that can spread up the limb within minutes. It can also affect breathing and the heart, so treat it as an emergency.

Lionfish are native to the Red Sea. Their stings cause pain, redness and swelling, and sometimes nausea, sweating or weakness.

First aid: what helps

1. Get out of the water and ask for help from a lifeguard or someone with first aid training.
2. Rinse with plenty of seawater. Do not use fresh water, because it can make jellyfish stinging cells fire.
3. Remove tentacles and visible spines with tweezers or the edge of a plastic card. Do not touch them with bare hands. Do not pull a spine out of a stingray wound; leave that to a doctor.
4. Use heat for pain. Soak the area in water as hot as you can comfortably tolerate, around 42–45°C. Soak for at least 30 minutes, and up to 90 minutes if needed. Check the temperature with an unaffected hand first, so you do not scald the skin. Use hot towels if you cannot soak the area.
5. Control bleeding from a puncture wound with direct pressure, using a clean cloth.
6. Take a painkiller such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if it suits you. Follow the leaflet.
7. Clean puncture wounds gently with mild soap and clean water after soaking.

Vinegar or not? It depends on the jellyfish

Advice on vinegar differs. MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, recommends vinegar for all jellyfish stings. Other sources say it depends on the species:

• Box jellyfish: vinegar stops unfired stinging cells from firing and is the first step (DermNet). Box jellyfish live mainly in tropical waters.
• Bluebottle (Portuguese man o’ war): DermNet advises washing with seawater, not vinegar.
• Some other species: the CDC notes that vinegar may increase stinging in some species from cooler waters. It says vinegar may be reasonable depending on the location and the species.
• Fire coral: DermNet says vinegar may also be used.

In the Red Sea you usually cannot tell which jellyfish stung you. Rinse with plenty of seawater first. Use vinegar only if a lifeguard or dive guide who knows the local species advises it. Then use hot water for the pain.

What not to do

• Do not pee on a sting. Urine does not help and can make it worse.
• Do not rinse the sting with fresh water or alcohol.
• Do not rub the area, rub sand on it or scrape it.
• Do not put ice or a cold pack on it.
• Do not touch tentacles or spines with bare hands.
• Do not dig for deep or broken spines. Medical help may be needed to remove them.
• Do not cover or close a puncture wound.

What you can buy at the pharmacy

Products that can help:

• Painkillers, such as paracetamol (Adol) or ibuprofen.
• Antihistamine tablets, such as Claritine (loratadine), for itching.
• Mild steroid creams for itchy, inflamed skin. Ask our pharmacist if one is suitable for you.
• First aid supplies, such as tweezers, antiseptic, sterile dressings and waterproof plasters.

See our first aid range. Pack tweezers and a few plasters in your beach bag.

How to prevent stings

• Swim where there are lifeguards, and follow beach warning signs.
• Wear water shoes on rocks, on reefs and in shallow water.
• Shuffle or stamp your feet in shallow water, so animals know you are coming.
• Do not touch coral, sea urchins, jellyfish or fish. Crown-of-thorns starfish, found on Red Sea reefs, have venomous spines.
• A full-body lycra suit or wetsuit can prevent some jellyfish stings. It also protects your back from the sun while you snorkel. See our sunburn guide.
• Take extra care in murky water, where animals are harder to see.

Children, pregnancy and older people

Children. Use the same first aid. Check the water temperature yourself before you soak a child’s skin. Get medical help early if a child has a large sting, many stings, or seems unwell. Ask our pharmacist before giving any medicine.

Pregnancy. First aid is the same. Paracetamol is usually the preferred painkiller in pregnancy. Avoid ibuprofen unless a doctor or pharmacist advises it. See a doctor after any venomous fish sting.

Older people and long-term conditions. Germs in seawater can infect cuts and stings. People with diabetes, liver disease or a weak immune system are at higher risk of serious wound infection. If you have one of these conditions, get medical advice early for any cut or sting.

When to get urgent help

Need help in Sharm?

Need painkillers, antihistamines or first aid supplies after a sting? Message us on WhatsApp or call +20 120 344 2201. Our pharmacists speak English, Russian, Ukrainian and Italian. Find your nearest branch on our pharmacies page, or use our free hotel delivery on orders from $30.