Each year jellyfish stings kill more people than shark attacks. Although most jellyfish stings are not lethal, their stings can lead to a painful lasting burn.
There are also conflicting opinions on how to properly treat them. But researchers from the University of Hawai‘i’s Pacific Biosciences Research Center say soothing a sting with ice may not be the solution.
Dr. Angel Yanagihara is the director of the Pacific Cnidaria Research Laboratory. While researching the project she found there was a large amount of incorrect information and urban myths surrounding treatment. So they back tracked, sifting through more than 2000 scientific sources, as well as their own testing to find a solution. They’ve settled on a two-part solution of vinegar and heat. After getting stung, douse the wound in vinegar to counteract the sting, and then treat the area in warm water.
Yanagihara’s team is currently doing more tests about jellyfish sting treatment. They’ve also released a sting relief product called Sting No More, which is available locally and on line. The findings were recently published in the science journal called “Toxins”.