Natural Cures for a Staph Infection

The staphylococcus bacteria can cause nasty infections on our skin or in our bodies, and can be difficult to treat, especially if the patient has had multiple treatments and is resistant to antibiotics.

The human body typically carries staph bacteria on its skin, and a small cut allows it to enter the body and erupt into an infection. Variations of the staphylococcus bacteria can cause skin infections, endocarditis (heart infection), food poisoning, pneumonia, blood poisoning, meningitis and toxic shock syndrome.

As staph bacteria has become more difficult to treat, alternative medications have become more important.

Precautions

• The best line of defense is a good offense. Wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water, and carry a small container of no-rinse antiseptic cleanser to use before and after public places such as grocery stores, hospitals, the library and school. When you wash your hands in a public place, use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and turn the door knob.

  Keep wounds covered, and take care to keep wounds clean.

  Keep healthy, and strengthen your immune system by using probiotics, eating properly, and getting adequate sleep and exercise.

  If in doubt, don't eat mayonnaise-based products. Staph bacteria may be waiting in it.

  If you are prone to staph infections and need dental work, talk to your physician about using an antibiotic before the dental work to prevent a staph infection of the heart, which is very difficult to treat with alternative and natural cures.

  Limit tampon use if you know the tampon will be in the vagina for a long time and could possibly cause toxic shock syndrome.

When to See a Physician

• If you suspect a staph infection, you should be tested. That doesn't mean that you have to take a prescription. You can use natural treatments that may work better than a prescription.

  Staph infections are serious. They have evolved to be resistant to most antibiotics, and the infection could become very dangerous very quickly. Don't take chances. MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is very dangerous and is becoming very common, especially in hospitals and nursing homes.

Topical Alternative Treatments

• One of the best things to have in your medicine cabinet is tea tree oil. In medical studies, tea tree oil has proven successful in wiping out staph bacteria quickly. Simply use a cotton ball or swab to apply tea tree oil to a skin infection, and cover with a clean bandage. Repeat two or three times per day until the infection is gone.

  Another natural treatment is to make a paste of baking soda and apple cider vinegar, and apply to the infection with a cotton ball or swab. Cover with a clean bandage. Repeat several times a day.

  Mix 1 tbsp. of honey with 1 tsp. tea tree oil, and cover the infection with the sticky paste. Cover with a clean bandage, repeating several times per day.

  Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp. honey and 1 cup hot water. Soak a clean cloth in the solution, and wring out. Use as a hot pack three times per day, using new solution and a clean cloth every time. Be sure and launder these cloths with bleach after use to keep the infection from spreading.

  Cut a piece of bacon or salt pork approximately the size of the skin eruption. Place the pork directly on the infection, and secure with a heavy tape. Leave for 12 hours, and it should bring the infection to a head. Then use bandages lightly soaked in tea tree oil, changed three times per day until the infection is completely gone.

  Buy colloidal silver in a spray, and apply several times per day to the infected area.

Internal Alternative Cures

• Mix 2 tbsp.of honey and 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar in 2 cups of very warm water. Stir and drink. Do this morning and night.

  Take acidophilus twice daily.

  Supplements of olive leaf extract, oregano oil, grapefruit seed extract, turmeric and iodine have been shown to help heal staph infections.

Be Quick About It

• No matter how you choose to treat a staph infection, the sooner you start treatment the better chance you have of gaining the upper hand. If you've had a boil before, you know how it feels at the first sign--start treating it right then. Work diligently at keeping your body healthy so it can fight the infection. Avoid stress, get plenty of rest, and do your best to keep it to yourself. Don't let others use skin products you use, such as soap, razors and towels. Discard bandages in a bag, roll the bag up tightly, and put it in the trash--then wash your hands.