Why pee when stung by jellyfish

In a best-case scenario, pee will act as a neutral solution that just moves the tentacles around, says Wilcox. Instead, heat permanently inactivates the venom, she says. In two separate studies published in the journal Toxins, researchers looked at treatments for both the box jellyfish some species of which can be fatal in severe cases and the Portuguese man-of-war. They found that the same advice applies, regardless of which type of animal caused the sting.

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It neutralizes unfired nematocysts so they can't inject venom. When vinegar is not available, most research suggests using sea water to rinse away the remaining nematocysts. Freshwater is no good; it triggers nematocysts to inject venom. A word of caution about vinegar: Studies suggest that vinegar actually worsens the pain of Portuguese Man of War, bluebottle, and other Physalia stings. These creatures are dangerous look-alikes to jellyfish.

Which brings us to urine. Urine consists of water and waste products of the body's bloodstream, which includes ammonia. Depending on the person and whether he or she is dehydrated, diabetic, on a protein diet, or dealing with myriad other conditions, urine may or may not be about as good as fresh water. In fact, urine contains so much fresh water that stranded folks can drink their own urine to survive.

Since we know fresh water will often make nematocysts fire, the logical conclusion is that urine will do the same thing. Research does not support the claims that urine can help treat jellyfish stings. On the Internet, you may find many anonymous bloggers sing praises of this readily available wonder tonic. Others tell stories of urine not working at all. Related Articles. Pool Chemical Safety Tips.

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