How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Health Editor
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Jellyfish, anemone and coral all sting when disturbed. Sting symptoms, and their severity, will vary; localized pain is the most common reaction. Treatments are similar for all three types of stings.
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Comments
Anonymous said
on 9/17/2006 Hot (not burning) water was found in an Australian study to be more effective at stopping the pain of the sting than ice packs. Remove stingers, immerse body part in 45 C/113 F water for 20 or so minutes (do not scald), and take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Don't rub the site, and seek medical attention if things get worse.
Anonymous said
on 1/26/2006 The reason the meat tenderizer (and make sure it's the unseasoned type) works to neutralize the jellyfish sting (used in conjunction with urine, not just separately) is that together they make an effective alkali treatment to neutralize. The animal-based poison you're dealing with is thus acid/protein-based.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Meat tenderizer works very well for Portuguese Man-O-War jellyfish stings. The papin in the meat tenderizer deactivates the nematacysts from the tendicules. I'm a paramedic on the east coast of Florida and we use it all the time with great results. Mix it in a solution or spinkle it on. Warning--don't leave the tenderizer on for an extended period of time(hours/days)---it is meat tenderizer and you skin is part of your meat.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 First of all, urine does not always contain mass amounts of ammonia. Urine's pH varies from 5-8 depending on the human and their metabolic profile that day. Vinegar (acetic acid) has a pH of about 3-4 depending on the dilution (most grocery store shelf versions are pretty diluted so it'll end up with a higher pH). Therefore ammonia (as a base) and vinegar (as an acid) have totally opposite effects.
Secondly, meat tenderizer has no scientific basis. Whether or not it works all the time has not been proved. If you wanna use it, go ahead, but most jellyfish stings go away within a day anyways.
Thirdly, alcohol is not advised on pouring onto stings, in some species, this can actually make it worse.
And lastly - use vinegar. If you have no vinegar, get some. Otherwise try some sort of acidic compound you can get your hands on (dissolved aspirin or lemon juice may work).
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Apply meat tenderizer to the affected area and gently rub in. Meat tenderizer contains an enzyme called Papain that greatly reduces the discomfort of the sting. The front desk of a resort hotel we recently stayed at keeps meat tenderizer on hand for just this purpose.