Urine for a Jellyfish Sting

Many types of jellyfish can sting humans, and different species of jellyfish have different toxins in their stingers. Many, if not most, toxins are mild, while others are extremely poisonous. The Portuguese man-of-war is not a jellyfish, but its stings can be treated in much the same way as jellyfish stings. The Portuguese man-of-war and the sea nettle, though, have much more serious, and more painful, stings than other jellyfish. These stings should receive serious medical attention. The box jellyfish or sea wasp is one of the most poisonous creatures on Earth. Its sting is excrutiatingly painful and can be life-threatening.

Urine is a commonly recommended remedy for jellyfish stings. But it does not work well. In fact, depending on the type of jellyfish, the type of toxin that was released, and the salt content of the urine, scientists beieve that urine might make the stings worse. Although urine worked well for Monica, one of the main characters in the TV sitcom Friends, real life is not the same as television. Many doctors say that urine would make a jellyfish sting worse, not better. Vinegar is a much safer first treatment for a jellyfish sting, according to recent studies. While no studies suggest the use of urine as a jellyfish sting remedy, anecdotal reports suggest that it may be moderately helpful in some cases. To be helpful, though, urine needs to be more concentrated, so that it adds necessary salts and electrolytes. If the person providing the urine has been drinking plenty of fluids, and has clear watery urine as a result, the urinary concentration of salts will be different, and will feel like freshwater to the stingers, causing them to fire more toxins.

Would it be better to use urine to treat a jellyfish sting than to use no remedy at all? It is hard to say. Most jellyfish stings are very mild and wll heal on their own within about 24 hours.

Using Urine to Treat a Jellyfish Sting

Method

• Do not rub the tentacles.
• Urinate, or have a friend urinate, on the affected area.
• If urine is not available at first, you may rinse the area with salt water, but do not rinse with fresh water, as fresh water may cause a release of venom from any remaining tentacles.
• Try not to get any sand into the wounds.
• Rinse off the initial application of urine, and then resoak or reapply the compress for another 30 minutes.
• If you have stings around the eyes, dab the skin around the eyes with your urine-soaked cloth. Be very careful not to get any urine into the eyes.
• Pick off tentacles using a stick, or your toweled or gloved hands. Be very careful as you do this, and do not rub or press the tentacles, as this may cause them to release more venom.
• If possible, apply shaving cream or soap, or a paste made of baking soda, flour, or talc to the skin. Any remaining stinging cells will stick to these substances. Wait for the coating to dry, and then you can use a safety razor, the edge of a knife, or the edge of a credit card to scrape them off.
• After all the tentacles and stinging cells have been removed, immerse the whole area in very hot water, as hot as you can stand, for another 20 minutes.
• Take an antihistamine for itching. You can also apply a corticosteroid topically for itching.
• Apply ice as needed for pain.
• If there are open sores, clean them three times a day, applying an antiseptic ointment and covering the sores with a light bandage.

Why It Does Not Always Work

Unlike vinegar, urine does not contain enough acid to deactivate the barbs of the jellyfish. Instead, urine can aggravate the tentacles, causing any remaining stingers to release more venom and putting the sting victim into more pain. Some jellyfish sting victims, though, do anecdotally report that they experienced pain relief upon the application of urine.

Precautions

Jellyfish stings can, in some cases, be very serious or fatal. Call the National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) if you have any questions about the situation--the hotline is NOT reserved only for emergency calls, but can also be used to provide general information.

If you have been stung by a box jellyfish or sea nettle, you should go to the hospital for a dose of antivenom. Also consider going to your hospital emergency room if you have stings that cover large areas of skin, or if you have any of the following symptoms: muscle pain, backache, tightening of the throat or airway, trouble breathing, weakness, or nausea, or if you have a level of pain that is not manageable at home.

If cardiac arrest occurs, give CPR.

More Remedies

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