Can urine effectively treat jellyfish stings?

Many people believe that urine is an effective treatment against jellyfish stings.

However, as reported by Kuya Kim on “24 Oras” Wednesday, dermatologist and aesthetic surgeon Dr. Grace Carole Beltran said urine could in fact “further infect the injury.”

“Ang reason nila dati, dahil may ammonia ’yung urine, nakaka-neutralize ng toxins ng jellyfish. That’s not true,” she said.

Some of jellyfishes’ skin cells have stinging cells called cnidocytes, which has the organelle nematocyst. This contains the venom, which the sea creatures use as defense mechanism or when getting food.

Beltran advised pouring vinegar and even sea water on the area stung by a jellyfish as first aid.

“It inactivates the nematocyst. Ito ’yung nagco-contain ng poison. First of all, buhusan mo ng sea water kasi ang fresh water can also trigger the activation of the nematocyst,” she said. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News