No, urinating on a jellyfish sting does not cure it and can actually make the pain and injury worse. The idea is an old wives' tale, popularized by shows like Friends, that has no scientific basis.
Urine is actually water-based, so it doesn't contain enough ammonia to deactivate the toxin. In other words, pee will not help the pain. It's unsanitary and can make the pain worse, because pressure from the urination can cause the barbs to release more toxins.
Use water that's 110 to 113 F (43 to 45 C). It should feel hot, not scalding. Keep the affected skin immersed or in a hot shower until the pain eases, which might be 20 to 45 minutes. Apply 0.5% to 1% hydrocortisone cream or ointment twice a day to the affected skin.
Urine contains urea, which softens the skin and is contained in many creams, such as those for cracked heels. It is also an antiseptic, which is why some people find it helpful to bathe leg ulcers in urine. But even these qualities are not enough to help neutralise the toxins in snake venom.
In an iconic episode of Friends, Monica gets stung by a jellyfish at the beach and Joey informs the group that urinating on the sting will help to relieve the pain.
DON'T wash the area with fresh water, as that encourages more cells to fire! Vinegar, though, doesn't help with the pain of the sting. Once the venom is in your skin, research has shown that many common remedies are useless: alcohol, Epsom salts, and peeing on the area do nothing – or even make the effects worse.
The Portuguese Man O' War, often mistaken for a jellyfish, is actually a siphonophore - a colonial organism composed of specialized individual animals working together as one. On a pain scale from 1 to 10, these rank at about a 9. They can sting even after being pushed up on shore.
There are less bacteria in urine than in tap water, for example. But drinking tap water is (generally) safe because it contains no toxic substances. Urine is actually pretty toxin free as well, but does contain plenty of waste products and some salts.
(Some beaches post a warning flag when jellyfish are reported.) If you surf or dive in the ocean, wear a protective bodysuit. Never touch a jellyfish that's washed up on shore. Dead jellyfish still have venom in their tentacles that can sting on contact.
What to avoid
Among the predators of the jellyfish, the following have been identified: ocean sunfish, grey triggerfish, turtles (especially the leatherback sea turtle), some seabirds (such as the fulmars), the whale shark, some crabs (such as the arrow and hermit crabs), some whales (such as the humpbacks).
Others suggest wearing a waterproof moisturizer such as zinc oxide or thick layers of Vaseline to block the stings. Israeli researchers have also developed a lotion that, they say, borrows from mechanisms found in the clown fish and can prevent jellyfish stings.
Do not rinse with fresh water (like tap or bottled water) because that can make more stingers fire. Rinsing a sting with seawater may prevent stingers from releasing more venom. Also, do not scrape off any stingers still in the skin. This used to be recommended, but now is thought to make stings worse.
If stung, don't pee on it
“I would not recommend that, that would not alleviate your pain,” Barnes said. Given the myth around peeing on a jellyfish's sting to alleviate pain, I had to ask. Not only does urine not help remove venom from a ray's barb, it also should not be used to treat a jellyfish sting.
Left untreated, some fragments may cause granulomas (lumps) or joint issues over time. Do NOT pee on the wound: Despite popular myths (borrowed from jellyfish stings), urinating on a sea urchin sting does not help and can introduce bacteria, worsening the risk of infection.
Victims usually survive minor stings from box jellyfish. Experts say that Rachael is the only person to survive such serious stings. The jellyfish's venom quickly attacks the heart and muscles. It also attacks the nervous system, which contains your brain, spinal cord, and other nerves in your body.
Australian schoolgirl survives deadly box jellyfish stings. Doctors in Australia have described their amazement at the recovery of a girl who was left unconscious after swimming into the tentacles of a box jellyfish.
Since we know the venom is a protein that has been micro-inoculated superficially, application of heat may help by denaturing these toxins. Immerse the affected area in hot water (no hotter than 113°F/45°C) for 30 to 90 minutes. If you are assisting a sting victim, test the water on yourself first to assess heat level.
If possible, swim calmly away from the jellyfish towards shore. If there is no escape, tread slowly and hope that the jellyfish passes you by. Most jellyfish only sting when they are provoked.
Between 91% and 96% of healthy urine is excess water. The rest consists of: Salt (sodium) Urea (a protein waste product)
Bacteria were detected in 90.5% of urine samples and identified in children as young as 2 weeks of age. Microbial communities and compositions of the female bladder and other urogenital niches (urethra, perineum, and vagina) differed significantly by age.
Urine with a lot of water and little waste has little to no odor. If urine has a lot of waste with little water, also called concentrated, it might have a strong odor from a gas called ammonia.
They don't have a brain like we do – just a network of nerves with sensory receptors that detect changes to their environment. So, when a jellyfish moves or reacts, it's largely driven by automatic reflexes, not the kind of conscious decision-making we associate with sentience.
The Bluebottle, Pacific man-o-war, is found in marine waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Among the most dangerous are the Asian giant hornet, the paper wasp, and the yellow jacket. These wasps not only pose a risk due to their stings but also because they can attack in swarms, making them a serious threat to anyone who disturbs their nests.