Your beach vacation has finally arrived. You’re in the ocean, swimming around, floating or even boogie-boarding. And suddenly, you feel a stinging sensation from a jellyfish.
Unfortunately, this is pretty common, with 150 million people worldwide getting stung every year.
The first remedy you might think of is a common one, and it was even featured in the TV series “Friends”: peeing on the sting.
If this comes to mind, you’re in good company: According to a national survey by MedStar Health, 44% of people believe that peeing on a jellyfish sting will help soothe it. In reality, though, doctors say it can cause more problems.
“We’ve all heard the myth about peeing on a jellyfish sting, but it’s not just unhelpful — it can actually make the pain worse,” said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, the chief medical adviser for Sleepopolis, who’s quadruple-board certified in internal, critical care, pulmonary and sleep medicine.
