There is an opinion that if a person stung a jellyfish, you need to urinate to relieve pain on a burn. We decided to check whether scientific data confirm the effectiveness of this method.

The popularization of this folk remedy was largely contributed to the series "Friends", In one of the episodes of which Monica stung Medusa. Her friend Joya told the girl about a documentary in which they advised to urinate on the affected area. Since Monica himself was inconvenient to write on his leg, Chandler came to her aid. You can also meet such tips on many tourist sites, forumsdedicated to rest at sea, in social networks And Blogs.

Medusa - Invertebrate marine animals of the Scyphozoa class, which are a little less than 100% of the water. Although it is customary to talk about jellyfish bites (and this word will also be used in this analysis, in fact, they do not bite, but sting. On their "skin" are the so -called Stripping cells - The compartments in which the tiny needle -like poisonous sting are located. Under the influence of the external environment (for example, due to the touch or changes in the chemical composition of the water), these compartments open, releasing the sting outwards. Moreover, this happens in a fraction of a second, that is, a enough fleeting random touch so that the jellyfish “stung”. Although the poison of some species of these animals is deadly dangerous, most jellyfish do not pose a serious threat to humans, and the bite leads only to slight irritation on the skin, which takes place within a few days.

In a collision with a jellyfish on the skin Appear Acute burning or stitching sensations that may be accompanied by pulsating pain spreading through the affected area of the body. The place where the jellyfish stung, it can turn red, often on it remain prints of the tentacles of red, brown or purple. The first thing you need do After the bite of the jellyfish, it is to wash off the tentacles of the jellyfish from the skin on it, which may contain unsuccessful stinging cells. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is necessary to wash off them with sea or salted water, because they can calculate the fresh (including bottled) and release the sting. The myth that you can relieve pain by urging the place of the bite, apparently Display Just from this recommendation-in urine due to the content of ammonia and urea more alkaline pH than in fresh water. However, experts note that these substances in the urine are strongly diluted and the difference is not so significant, which means that watering the place of the bite will most likely provoke the release of poisonous pity from the still unsuccessful cells.

After washing need to Inspect the place of the bite and, if visible parts of the tentacle remain on the skin, carefully remove them with thin tweezers or hands in gloves. Then, to relieve pain, it is recommended to hold the affected area in hot (about 40–45 ° C) water for 20–45 minutes. Urine is also poorly suitable for this procedure, since its temperature at the moment of urination is approximately equal to body temperature (that is, about 37 ° C), when watering the affected area for 20 minutes, the liquid will cool to the ambient temperature. Some experts are also Consult In front of the baths with hot water, wipe the place of burden with vinegar, noting that this recommendation is not universal. For example, in the case of a Portuguese boat, which, strictly speaking, does not apply to jellyfish, but it looks very like that vinegar will only aggravate the situation.

“Verified” could not be found in specialized literature and on authoritative specialized sites tips to use urine as first aid methods or treatment of jellyfish bites. Reviews of scientific works on this subject, published by Belgian scientists in 2016 and American c 2023, did not confirm that urine has any positive effect on damaged areas of the skin. The National Health Service of Great Britain (NHS) directly Calls Refrain from the use of urine in this context.

As for the subsequent healing of the affected area, there is no reason to expect that the urine can in any way accelerate it. "Checked" already It wrotethat it does not help heal thermal burns and other wounds, and it is not worth it to apply it to damaged skin because urine can contain pathogenic bacteria that will only aggravate the position.

Specialists Markthat the best medicine for the bite of the jellyfish is the time, since most of the damage disappear on their own in a few days and leave no traces behind. When meeting with deadly species (for example, cubs), on the contrary, you need to consult a doctor as soon as possible, because their poison can lead to paralysis and cardiac arrest within a few minutes after a bite. Also go to the medical institution necessaryIf the bite is located close to the eyes, if a large area of the skin is affected or if a person has a heavy allergic reaction.

Thus, there are no scientific data that urination at the place of the jellyfish bite helps to relieve pain or accelerate healing. On the contrary, the composition of urine and the possible presence of bacteria in it can worsen the situation, enhance pain and inflammation. No authoritative medical organization recommends urine as a means of alleviating symptoms or healing of jellyfish bites.

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