The bunko of a jellyfish comes from specialized cells in the aerofoil of its tentacles calledcnidocytes . Each small , incandescent lamp - shape cubicle holds a barbed , threadlike tube , called anematocyst , filled with venom . On the outside of each electric cell is a petite haircloth called acnicocil . When this “ hair trigger ” is interrupt , the cell ’s toxic harpoon explodes from its capsule and into the skin of the jellyfish ’s prey , or an unlucky natator .
The amount and eccentric of spite , and the result that it causes , depends on the case of man-of-war , the number of nematocysts involved , and the area and thickness of the skin they strike . Whatever the variables , a bunko game is never on the nose pleasant .
Often , after a human get stung , there ’s a tentacle or two that gets ripped off and left behind on their skin . The first step to treating the sting is removing the tentacles without triggering any unfired nematocysts and making things forged .
press triggers the cells , so you ca n’t just pick them off ( whoever is doing the picking is just going to get stick on the finger , too ) . Certain chemical change , like throwing off the salinity balance between the outside and interior of the cell , can also can also have the stingers to flaming . This is why urine is often no good . certain , urine contains salts , but it ’s just too varying . Concentrated urine might do the trick , and there are anecdotal reports from sting victim that it helps take over some of the annoyance , but if the peeing rescuer is well - hydrous , the urine will be too diluted with piss and make the stingers fire . What ’s more , while urine is uninventive , it has to come about through the germ - laden urethra to get out , and can conduct to a bacterial infection of the sting wound .
What You Can Do Instead of Urinating on Your Friends
So , ifFriendslied to us ( gasp ) and pee-pee on a bunco runs the jeopardy of make matter worse , what should you employ to clean and treat the injury ? Vinegar is unremarkably the way to go – just the manifest snowy hooey with 5 % acetic acid . It neutralizes unfired nematocysts so they ca n’t twinge anymore , and research ( seehereandhere ) has shown it to be one of the better post - sting rinse , particularly when combined with the topical anesthetic lidocaine .
When the one - two punch of acetum and lidocaine is n’t available ( and who brings acetum on a swim ? ) , sea water ( the warmer , the good ) is also good for rinsing aside the remain nematocysts . Once the stinging cells are deactivate , the stuck spot of tentacle can be pick off or scraped off with a recognition card .
A word of caution , though : vinegar might not be the best treatment reckon on the creature that stung you . Acetic Zen can actually have theoppositeof the intend effect on bunko from the jellyfish lookalikes in the genusPhysalia , like the Lusitanian man o ' war . If you ’re not certain what stung you , stick with sea water or seek help from a lifesaver or medical professional .
