Peeing on sister's jellyfish sting?
Here's the story - my sister, mother and I were at a beach just relaxing, sunbathing and swimming. Me and my sister decided to go for a swim in the sea and we were there for about 5-10 minutes. Suddenly my sister (age 13 by the way, and I am 15) started screaming and thrashing around. I pulled her out of the water to see that she had what looked like a huge jellyfish sting across her chest and it was spreading around. I remembered that I heard somewhere that you are supposed to pee on jellyfish stings as this calms them down. I pulled my sisters top off (the sting had spread underneath) and took my bikini bottoms off then peed on top of her. This seemed to work and the sting soon calmed down. However what we hadn't thought about was that we were on a public beach and everyone had their attention drawn by my sister screaming. We are both really embarrassed now. Was this the right thing to do and what would you have done?
Let me preface this by saying that if you come in contact with a jellyfish’s tentacles it stings you - period.That said, it entirely depends on the species of jellyfish and your own sensitivity.I’ve been stung by dozens of different jellyfish species and only two had any effect.A Siphonophore of undetermined species - Resulted in an almost immediate burning sensation that was very localized to the two lines where the tentacles contacted my skin. The discomfort went away in under an hour.Lion’s Mane Jelly (Cyanea capillata) - A less intense burning sensation that totally covered both arms from my elbows to my fingers. It started slowly (took 5 or 10 minutes before I knew there was a problem) but persisted for about seven hours. All in all, an experience I would rather not repeat.Neither experience left any visible sign - no welts or blisters - so, that was good.The thing is - That information is anecdotal and not particularly useful:There are a number of jellyfish with much nastier stings than what I experienced. The Portuguese Man of War is occasionally fatal and often leaves permanent scars; Some Box Jellyfish just kill you.I know a number of people that are far more sensitive to jellyfish stings than I am; including one guy that went into convulsions from Lion’s Mane stings. I also know some folks that are less sensitive and can handle with impunity jellyfish that would cause problems for the rest of us.
Extremely rarely.Jellyfish sting with a non-living structure called a nematocyst which is essentially a microscopic harpoon gun firing a venomous harpoon. Jellyfish tentacles can have as many as 6,000,000 of these things per square inch. When you contact a tentacle a whole lot of these harpoons stick to your skin; sometimes enough of them are stuck to you that their grip is stronger than the tentacle and it breaks off of the animal.So, there you are with a bunch of stingers already pumping venom into you and even more of them prepared to sting you further as they come in contact. As you can imagine, this sucks. What to do? Removing the tentacle is a fine idea but be aware that it’s going to keep stinging you while you’re removing it. White vinegar has a low enough pH that it will deactivate the unfired nematocysts, allowing for a safer removal of the tentacle bits.Peeing on the affected area is 90+% old wives tale but on rare occasions it can work. Urine is extremely variable in pH and is only rarely acid enough to deactivate the nematocysts.Most experienced divers keep vinegar in their first aid kits; especially if they anticipate being around jellyfish.As to the stingers that are already in you: You’re mainly screwed, although there are antivenins that a doctor might be able to administer for the really nasty jellyfish such as Box Jellies or Man O’ War jellies. There is also anecdotal evidence that enzyme based meat tenderizers or really hot water may be able to denature the venom/protein. A friend that spent his career working around jellyfish and other cnidarians tells me that:He doesn’t believe this butHe always keeps meat tenderizer in his first aid kit.
Scientists are still debating whether urinating on a jellyfish sting can do any good. According to Lisa-Ann Gershwin, one of the world’s leading experts on the subject, urinating on it has about a 25% chance of doing some good, depending on how acidic the urine is, but it’s not clear what happens the other 75% of the time. It could be that it actually makes it worse.https://www.researchgate.net/pro...Lisa-Ann Gershwin - WikipediaThe concern here is not so much the pain, but the stinging cells embedded in the skin, which can continue to deliver more venom. For certain kinds of box jellyfish, envenomation can lead to Irukandji syndrome, which can be fatal. (Irukandji syndrome - Wikipedia)The recommended treatment is vinegar.Some research suggests that a slurry made from baking soda might be effective. Also, papain (papaya enzyme used as meat tenderizer).Alcohol makes it a lot worse.
Does Peeing on a jellyfish sting make it feel better?
It worked for Monica on Friends, but I forgot why. Oh right, there's ammonia in that and it will help neutralise the poison or something. From Wikipedia: "Inactivating the nematocysts, or stinging cells, prevents further injection of venom into the patient. Five percent acetic acid solution (white vinegar) is the preferred method, although meat tenderizer, or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) will neutralize any nematocysts that have not yet discharged into the skin. ...Salt water may also be used in case any of these compounds are not readily available, but fresh water should never be used. Rinsing the sting site with fresh water, rubbing the wound, or using alcohol, spirits, ammonia, or urine will encourage the release of venom." There you go.
How long does a jellyfish sting last?
there are special medicine you can get for jellyfish stings. go to a local drugstore to get them. i got one when i was in the Bahamas and it lasted for about 7-8 days with the special medicine. if its still painful in a few more days then go to your doctor because you might have been stung by a poisonous jellyfish, or your sting might have gotten infected. but good job with the neosporin!
I was diving off of Belize and got stung repeatedly … basically going into the water…dove right into them…I…nor anyone with me…incredibly hadn't seen them deckside.I wasn't alone…second and third and fourth in.Painful yes…in a different way…”electrified” stings…more wasp like… I suppose…and they were painful for a long, long time. I was in fact bearing those souvenirs…jellyfish tats… on my left arm for sometime…which eventually went away.I have never gotten I'll from a wasp or bee sting…with these I got stomach cramps and vomiting getting back in the boat. Not fun.Our crew…offered marijuana…their cure for everything, and outdated by at least three years from the look of it…sea safe jellyfish salve and vinegar and baking soda…Those jellyfish nematocysts..the stingers… are wicked…barbed short syringes complete with full bulbs of toxin they leave quite a raised puncture site…what a memorable departing “gift" leaving Belize.Probably not a fair question for me…I have bees so I've been stung many times…never been stung by a swarm of wasps just individuals :) thankfully…A school of jellyfish in already infested waters however pristine…repeatedly stinging you is nothing to mess with… also thankfully…I was at least ‘half dressed’ (not a full wet suit).. my mid bicep down was only exposed… so I only got forearm…diver… tats…
Severe joint pain. Jellyfish sting + Tick bite?
About 5 weeks ago I was stung by a jellyfish on my right arm after a night of camping and bush walking. The sting burned, swelled and I became nausious. The symptoms subsides after applying some cream. One week later I began to experience severe joint pain and a rash spread from the sting over my entire body. The next day I discovered a tick in my left shoulder after pulling it out the joint seemed to subside. Many doctors and dermatologists could not explain the rash. So with steroid cream and antihistamines it eventually subsided. A blood test for Lyme disease and the results came back negative. I am still experiencing severe joint pain. It is continuous, restricts me from all forms of exercise and makes simple tasks such as cleaning my teeth excruciating. I am training to become a personal trainer so cannot wait to be able to feel like a 24 year old again. Not sure I want to go to the doctors and pay them to say they don't have a clue again. I have started taking fish oil tablets in the morning and I am trying to exercise through the pain. I often collapse half way through a move as simple as a press up where only a few months ago I could do about 100. Any ideas would be much appreciated?
Jellyfish sting with a structure called a nematocyst and there can be as many as six million of these per square inch. Thy can be thought of as microscopic venomous harpoons that stick to your flesh with enough tenacity that the tentacles can be ripped free of the jellyfish and remain stuck to you such that you will continue to be stung by the remaining nematocysts. The accepted treatment for that is vinegar be cause acid neutralizes the unfired stingers. The thing about urine is that its pH can vary drastically according to what you’ve been eating and drinking; at times it might be acid enough to work but more often it won’t do anything about shutting down the unfired stingers.Neither vinegar nor urine can do anything about the stings you have already received - Those are either going to hurt or not according to the species of jellyfish and your own sensitivity.