How to properly handle cramps and jellyfish stings while swimming in the sea
(Baonghean.vn) - When going to the beach, in addition to worrying about jellyfish stings, you also have to pay attention to the phenomenon of cramps. Because if you do not know how to handle it in time, it can lead to drowning and death.
When stung by a jellyfish
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Stings and bites caused by some fish (such as stingrays), jellyfish and other marine animals are very painful and can cause serious complications such as necrotizing dermatitis, hemolysis, muscle and nerve paralysis or heart and respiratory problems. The best way is to follow the following method:
- Quickly wash the wound with seawater to clean out unactivated venom-releasing cells (do not wash with fresh water or hot water as this will cause more damage).
- Remove the body part of the biting object.
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| Jellyfish sting. Illustration photo. |
- Mix a solution of 10 parts water with one part ammonia, vinegar, soda or MSG then apply to the injured area (if the above chemicals are not available, you can use lemon to rub on the wound).
- Use a knife or an object with an edge (spoon, ice cream stick, etc.) to scrape the burned area.
- Jellyfish stings are often red, straight or twisted, causing severe pain. When encountering this type of injury, it is necessary to limit movement, avoid touching the injured area, and apply cold compresses to the wound within the first hour to reduce pain. After the sting area has dried, use local cordicosteroid therapy, antihistamines, or apply anesthetic cream every 4 hours for several days.
- Seek medical help if the victim: has an allergic reaction to the sting, is stung in the face or neck, or the condition worsens (e.g., has difficulty breathing).
Note In case of stinging and itching in many places on the body, take a bunch of sea spinach, crush it, mix it with clean water and filter the concentrated solution. After bathing with fresh water, use this solution to apply on the body to prevent swelling, redness and itching. |
When having cramps
Even the best swimmers fear cramps. The pain of cramps can reduce your ability to swim or, in more serious cases, can cause drowning.
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| Illustration photo. |
The phenomenon of recognition: Cramps are sudden pain in the calf, abdominal muscles or arms that you cannot flex or stretch normally because of the pain.
Reason:Cramps can be caused by many reasons such as exercising too hard without warming up first, causing the muscles to be affected, or it can also be caused by low blood salt levels.
The risks of hypothermia, cold, and hypoglycemia leading to "cramps" often occur to those who stay in the water for a long time, or go into the water at dawn or dusk, or skip meals beforehand.
How to handle:
If this happens while you are in the water, remember, when you are unable to swim to shore, the more you panic and thrash around, the faster you will sink. Therefore, if the waves are not too big, calmly float your body on the water surface and wait for someone to come and rescue you.
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| When raising your hand for help, only raise one hand. Illustration photo. |
When raising your hand for help, raise only one hand and use the other hand to splash water to keep your body afloat. If you have a cramp, do not go back into the water, rest and go swimming the next day.
- If your abdominal muscles cramp (very dangerous), you must calmly relax your whole body with your arms and legs spread out, slowly take a deep breath and use your hands to press the surrounding acupoints, gently rub the cramped area and then ask someone around to help you to shore.
- When having cramps in other muscle areas, you need to find a way to get to shore or at least try to crawl to shallow water, then yourself or ask friends to help you treat the cramps in the following ways:
+ Calf cramps (most common) try to stand up and straighten your legs, stand on your heels and toes to help stretch your calf muscles. You can ask for help by lying down with your legs as straight as possible and ask someone to push your toes back towards your knees.
+ Thigh cramps, should sit down, help pull the victim's leg straight, at the same time lift the heel up while using the other hand to press down hard on the knee.
- In case of rib muscle cramps, you must take deep breaths to relax the diaphragm and gently massage the muscles around the chest. Drink hot tea with sugar, sweetened coffee, oresol, orange juice, lemon juice... After the pain has passed, you can take a hot bath at home to relax the muscles.
Note:
- Muscle cramps due to lack of oxygen can be treated by deep breathing and muscle relaxation.
- Cramps caused by lack of water and salt can be cured by stretching the muscles, drinking more water and eating more salt.
How to prevent cramps when swimming in the sea - Compliance is to exercise and practice some basic movements before getting into the water. If you do not warm up and run into the water immediately, the muscles in the body will not have time to adapt and can lead to cramps. Simple warm-up movements such as rotating your wrists, ankles, neck joints, jogging in place or light short-distance running. Do not overexert yourself, exercising too hard will affect your health when swimming. Warming up for 10-15 minutes is enough. - In addition, you can drink more mineral water and lemon water. Remember to drink enough water every day and do not let yourself get thirsty when going to the water. - Do not go swimming or bathing in the sea on an empty stomach, after motion sickness, when the body is sick or tired. In addition, when full, you should not go into the water because at this time it is easy to lack oxygen to the muscle groups, so cramps can easily occur. - After warming up, when entering the sea, you should take it slow and not rush. Entering the water slowly will help your body gradually adapt to the underwater environment more easily. - When feeling tired, swimmers need to gradually reduce speed, swim closer to shore or near rescue vehicles, then relax the whole body in a floating position for 3-5 minutes and then get back to shore. - If you feel cold while swimming, you must go ashore immediately, find a place sheltered from the wind or have a fire to warm up; you can drink some hot tea with sugar. |
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