The ideal temperature, a movie beach, the blue sea before you and, oh no, dozens of jellyfish on the shore.Not everything was going to be idyllic in the Summer and if you are one of those who enjoy the coast during this time, you may suffer some sting of this marine animal.
How relieve swelling and pain ? You will have heard that the best remedy is to urinate over of the affected area immediately. Reality or fiction? In Science Daily Online we tell you what science says about this eschatological treatment .
Those impressive creatures
With their elegant movement that induces calm, they are not you can deny these living beings that are very attractive, almost hypnotic , as those privileged who have submerged in the fascinating jellyfish lake will know...
Well, they don't really even bite or bite.type of organism is composed in part of stinging cells that contain nematocysts or, so that we understand each other, poison .Thus, the simple touch of the tentacles with some object causes the segregation of toxins and, with human skin, leads to the rash and pain immediate.
Does urine serve as a treatment?
This supposed system to relieve the jellyfish sting became popular Following an episode of the mythical television series Friends.
In one of the chapters, the group of friends visits a beach and Monica is a victim of the "attack" of the invertebrate . Joey says she saw in a documentary where it was said that the urine is an effective remedy to decrease the side effects of the itch ra.Monica, desperate, decides to try, as she confesses in the following episode.
But, what does science say? Well that if Monica had urinated in the bite in real life her screams would have been greater .
Experts in the matter , such as Christopher Holstege-toxicologist and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia-or Joseph Burnett-dermatologist at the University of Maryland and a member of the Medusa Bite Consortium-, warn that urine can potentiate poison of the affected area, increasing swelling and burning.
Urine contains salts and electrolytes that vary continuously and, if too diluted will cause a activation of toxins , causing the effect or the opposite to the one you want.
What can you do?
Scratch , obviously is not a good decision either , since we will provoke the same reaction, firing the activity of the nematocysts .And when we say scratching we also refer to sand rubbing the area , another of the urban legends about the bites of jelly-like beings.
The best option in case a jellyfish bites you is remove any remnants of tentacle that may be attached to the skin and wash the area with serum, vinegar or, as not everyone goes so well equipped to the beach, with salt water .
Yes, salty.No you get confused, because if you rinse with fresh water the only thing you will get is activate the toxins and suffer more pain.
To help you deactivate the nematocysts of your skin, you can shave the area with a blade to shave or simply pass a credit card , without falling into the temptation to scratch.In this way, you will prevent toxins from spreading through your hands.
If you follow these tips, it is likely that in a 24 hours you have won the jellyfish battle and the eruption will decrease markedly.
Now, the reaction will depend on the sensitivity of the person and the type of jellyfish that has stung you, since there are very dangerous species , such as the lion's head jellyfish, so if you see that the area swells worryingly, go to a medical center .
All this, if you are “newbie” in these lides.If you have already suffered a sting , tell us how was your experience .Did you use any false remedy? ? Did you follow the above recommendations?
And if the attacker is not a jellyfish, you can also consult 5 home remedies for bee and wasp stings.
Images: Passion Leica, Pam Link , Pekka Isomursu, Heather Harvey, Carlos .
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