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Man-o'-wars

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Man-o'-wars  Empty 2013-2014

Post by dean Wed Jul 24, 2013 3:04 pm

they are back... last three days have seen them in force. Up to this point there had not been many.

Man-o'-wars  Th?id=H.4955053316770139&pid=1
find it at local drug stores and on line

works on fire ant, bees, sting rays, and so on and on.

dean

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Join date : 2008-01-01

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Man-o'-wars  Empty 2012-2013

Post by dean Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:39 am

have not seen one in about 3 months... they were there early May.

also at that time in May there were the most sting rays i have ever seen 50 or more in view a day. Now I have not seen one in 4-5 months.

dean

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Man-o'-wars  Empty for 2011-2012 none around at this point

Post by dean Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:43 am

this was a very strange year, I have not seen one man-of-war since may. Generally when I walk the beach about every other day I see from 2-200 of them. This year not one. and I am now snorkling much more about every other day and no shirt and no hits, and have not seen even a jelly fish on the same time frame. none of those floating little stings either....

I am guessing from the way hurricanes did not come our way at all that the sea of cortez water was cooler than usual. It seemed that way to me snorkeling. but I did not have a thermometer to have scientific data.

dean

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Post by dean Tue Jun 15, 2010 7:50 am

this year 2010 seems to be a nasty year for man-o'-wars.   The record setting attempt was cancelled because of them and they nailed me very bad not long ago putting me into respiratory arrest.    Luckily I keep Benadryl tablets in the fridge.    

Generally I use a newer product of Benadryl gel spray for localized man-of-war hits, jellyfish hits, bee stings, but these do not work for respiratory problems but can stop you before you get to that point..    maybe other antihistamines would work.    but if used right away it has stopped me from going into the second stages of respiratory problems.  

I have used the Benadryl for ant, bee and man-of-war with great success on me when normally a bee sting can send me to the doctor.    I have used this on children that were violently crying, and in 5 minutes they were  fine and willing to go back to the water because they knew relief was so fast.    

I gave some to the local clinic if you need help, our former doctor reported to me it worked with similar results on her patients, even a tough male with severe man-of-war stings was tearing and it was over in 5 minutes.    

I would even try this on a scorpion and a stingray to see if it was effective.   If anyone gets hit if the clinic is not open call me and will see if it works.    

  I have only found this in the USA stores.  

Here are some more methods, they do include using heat to breakdown the toxins, but first is to use vinegar.    From what I read in several sites is do not use fresh water unless hot.  

http://firstaid.about.com/od/bitesstings/ht/06_jellyfish.htm

 
1. Stay Safe. As always, safety is the most important step. Jellyfish tentacles (nematocysts) may still be on the skin. Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if available.

     If the species is known to be box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) or Irukandji (Carukia barnesi), get emergency medical help immediately. For box jellyfish stings, vinegar may help (see tips).
  2. Rinse the tentacles off. Rinse away the tentacles using hot water if possible (see step 5 for how hot). If heated water isn't available, use salt water rather than fresh. Fresh water may worsen the stinging pain.
  3. Peel off the tentacles. Remove any remaining tentacles with a gloved hand, stick, shell or tweezers. Be careful not to get the tentacles on yourself or on clothing.
  4. Watch for anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can result in:
         * itching
         * hives
         * shortness of breath
         * wheezing
         * tightening of the throat
         * flushed skin
         * weakness
         * dizziness
     Anaphylaxis can also cause a drop in blood pressure known as anaphylactic shock.
  5. Immerse the stung area in hot water. How hot is hot? There isn't too much evidence that water under 102 degrees is going to help much, and a lot of evidence that water over 122 degrees is extremely effective. Since it's unlikely you'll have a way to truly gauge the temperature of water in a shower or a hot bath, the general rule is to have the victim either shower or immerse the sting in the hottest water he or she can stand. Work up to the heat and be careful not to scald (burn) the victim.
  6. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen will help relieve pain. Ice or heat may also help. Mild itching may be helped with diphenhydramine.

Tips:

  1. The Portuguese or Pacific man-of-war and the bluebottle are technically not jellyfish, but treatment is the same. Remove all tentacles from the sting site and rinse thoroughly, preferably with hot water. Watch for confusion, chest pain, and weakness. Always seek emergency medical treatment for these. Man-of-war stings can be very serious.

  2. Urine will not work on a jellyfish sting. Some victims have reported pain relief, but urine does not always have enough acid to neutralize the venom. Use hot water.

  3. Plain white distilled vinegar (acetic acid) like you would find in your kitchen has long been the standard first aid treatment for jellyfish stings. Its use has become controversial in the last few years and several studies leave us questioning whether vinegar really works. Vinegar is still recommended for use on box jellyfish stings, so if it's available, I'd give it a try.

     Source:

     Atkinson, P.R.T., et al."Is hot water immersion an effective treatment for marine envenomation?." Emerg Med Journal. 2006 July; 23(7): 503:508

http://chemistry.about.com/od/medicalhealth/a/treat-jellyfish-stings.htm
http://www.elenas-vieques.com/jellyfish.html


Last edited by dean on Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:46 am; edited 3 times in total

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