Rinse with seawater (never fresh water, which fires remaining stinging cells), scrape off tentacles, then soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes - heat deactivates the venom and relieves pain best.
Skip the urine myth entirely. Afterward, acetaminophen or ibuprofen plus an antihistamine covers most stings, which settle over days to a couple of weeks. Call an ambulance for any whole-body reaction: face, lip, or tongue swelling, breathing or swallowing trouble, dizziness, vomiting, chest pain, or widespread hives - venom can trigger anaphylaxis. Get seen for face or genital stings or later infection signs. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you judge the reaction.
What to do
Common questions
How do you treat a jellyfish sting?
First, get out of the water. Rinse the area with seawater - NOT fresh water, which triggers remaining stinging cells to fire - and pluck or scrape off any visible tentacles with a stick, card edge, or tweezers (not bare fingers). Then soak the sting in hot water, as hot as is comfortable without scalding, for at least 30 minutes: heat deactivates the venom and is the best-evidenced pain relief. The famous urine cure is a myth - skip it, and skip vinegar unless you are in specific tropical-box-jellyfish waters where local guidance says otherwise. Afterward, acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain and an antihistamine for itching cover most stings, which settle over days to a couple of weeks. Call an ambulance for any whole-body reaction: swelling of the face, lips, or tongue, difficulty breathing or swallowing, dizziness, vomiting, chest pain, or widespread hives - jellyfish stings can trigger anaphylaxis like any venom. Get seen for stings to the face or genitals, or signs of infection days later. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can help you judge the reaction.