THE best way to relieve the pain of a jellyfish sting is not vinegar as commonly thought, but hot water immersion, according to research undertaken by the University of Sydney, published in the Cochrane Library.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Senior author of the paper Associate Professor Angela Webster, from the University’s School of Public Health, said that jellyfish stings were a common problem in Australia, particularly in the summer months.
“Between 2010 and 2011, there were 40,000 cases of marine sting emergency care around Australia, as reported by Surf Life Saving Australia.
“A hot shower following bluebottle stings is the best treatment for pain,” she said.
“Treating the sting with vinegar or Adolph’s meat tenderiser compared with hot water actually made the skin appear worse.”