Summer Myth Busters: Find Out the Facts

July 4, 2007 — -- Summer just doesn't usher in longer days, sun rays and warm nights. It also reprises a host of myths associated with the season. People question how long they should wait to swim after eating and whether urinating on a jellyfish sting will work.

Before you prepare to let a friend relieve you from that jellyfish sting, take a look and find out what is fact and what is fiction.

You always hear: It's dangerous to swim on a full stomach, you could easily cramp up.

Instead: If you have a cramp, swim sideways back to land. If you're really incapacitated, float on your back. Cramps don't have to do with the time of your eating, but more likely dehydration, especially in summer.

You always hear: You need to urinate on a jellyfish sting to soothe the intense pain quickly.

Instead: Rinse the area with saltwater to remove the stinging cells and keep the ache from worsening. The burn should begin to subside after five minutes, but discomfort can linger. An over-the-counter painkiller or cortisone cream will help in the meantime.

You always hear: After a snakebite, you should suck out the venom to keep it from spreading.

Instead: Remove any constricting jewelry, wrap a loose dressing around the area and maintain it above heart level, if you can. Head to the hospital. Trying to suck out venom won't help and can damage soft tissue around the bite, says Edward J. Wozniak, an ophiologist at the Texas A&M University Institute for Biosciences and Technology in Houston.