Taking the sting out of jellyfish season

With the relatively mild summer we're having, you'd think jellyfish would take their vacations elsewhere, in warmer waters.

Not happening, said Beth Firchau, curator of fishes at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach.

"It's cool out there this year... lower than normal," Firchau said.

But when it comes to sea nettles and moon jellies, two of the most common varieties floating where we swim, we're getting no apparent reprieve, Firchau said. "We saw them at the exact time we have in previous years, and we've seen them in the relative numbers we've seen in previous years."

Jellyfish bob along on a more complicated set of conditions than mere water temperature. Salinity, wind direction and currents affect the gelatinous crowd, too.

All of this means that if you're dipping in the waters around Hampton Roads, you'd better know how to treat jellyfish stings.

Here's the real skinny on remedies recommended by everyone from the stranger on the next beach towel to the online landlubbers.

Wet sand It's tempting because the sand is cool and the grains rub in a lovely way against skin that's itchy under the sting. But don't go there. You don't want to rub the nematocysts - the stinging cells - because they'll retaliate by firing.

Vodka Although the entertaining folks from the Discovery Channel's "Mythbusters" pronounced vodka a good sting antidote on a 2006 episode, there was a little online controversy over whether their test held scientific water. Jellyfish experts also would tell you it's not a good idea to pour liquor on a sting, because it most likely will irritate the stinging cells. The same goes for rubbing alcohol.

Commercial sprays Some companies are marketing over-the-counter jellyfish sting remedies, which generally involve a topical anesthetic. But Dr. Joseph W. Burnett, a dermatologist who founded the International Consortium for Jellyfish Stings based at the University of Maryland, doesn't endorse them. Nematocysts embed themselves far enough into the layers of skin that a topical treatment won't give real relief. Burnett says you're better off taking ibuprofen or aspirin and waiting for the pain to go away.

Cold water This one’s instinctive, right? But be sure before you pour. Cold, fresh water may deaden the pain for a moment, but it can irritate nematocysts, or stinging cells, still embedded in the skin. That will cause them to release more toxins. A better bet is salt water that’s on the warm side. A study published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine in 2002 found that the best remedy of all for minor stings was immersion in very hot water – the hottest you can stand. Most folks don’t carry hot plates to the beach, but a clear bottle left in the sun for a couple hours might do the trick.     

Urine Someone will be unable to resist offering this solution. We’re happy to help you avoid such a disgusting recourse. You have much better options.     

Home remedies that help Stopping the pain means stopping the stinging cells. Some experts recommend toting a can of shaving cream to the beach. When you get a sting, spread the cream over the site, and “shave” it with a credit card to scrape off nematocysts. Hold a towel doused with vinegar over the spot; the mild acids are believed to neutralize the toxins. Or dab on a paste of plain meat tenderizer or baking soda. Don’t rub.