Alternative MRSA Treatment

MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, is a staph infection, resistant to many of the Methicillin antibiotics and similar drugs that treat bacterial infections. Skin boils caused by MRSA cause pain and inflammation on the skin and could spread beyond the local area, infecting skin in other locations or attacking the body's organs and vital body functions. Your health care provider may prescribe a course of antibiotics, yet alternative MRSA treatments provide additional attacks on the stubborn superbug, so you can heal quicker and prevent recurrent infections.

Garlic

You can cure and prevent MRSA by eating garlic, according to Dr. Ron Cutler, a researcher at the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of East London. Dr. Cutler, an expert on MRSA, reports that the allicin in garlic kills established MRSA, along with the new varieties of the superbug. Eat one or two garlic cloves a day, either raw or added to your food. As a topical application, apply mashed garlic clove on the boil and cover with a bandage for 24 hours, until you change the bandage again. Keep mashed garlic on the boil until the boil heals.

Turmeric

According to a study from the Institute of Hepatology, University College London Medical School, London, the curcumin in turmeric may fight inflammation and increase resistance to disease. Other research suggests that turmeric may suppress the host gene that binds to bacteria, thereby preventing bacteria from invading host cells. Make an oral turmeric remedy. Combine 1 tsp. of turmeric powder in 2 cups of warm water and drink three times a day, for current staph infections, and up to two weeks after the boil heals. If you have recurrent episodes of MRSA boils, drink the turmeric remedy twice a day to keep blood clean.

Warm Compress

A boil can cause pain and discomfort in and around the local area of the infection, taking days or weeks to drain on its own. You can encourage the boil to come to a head and drain faster so you can heal sooner. Apply a warm compress to draw out the pus. Four times a day, cover the boil with a warm, wet washcloth for 20 to 30 minutes. You can apply a hot water bottle over the wet washcloth to keep the cloth warm for the application. Wash the hot water bottle with antibacterial soap after each use and use a clean washcloth for the next application.

Mud

Use mud from a wasp's nest. The mud works as an anti-inflammatory and drying agent for the pus, while the warm mud acts as a warm compress. Be careful when gathering mud from a wasp's nest, making sure that only mud--and not the wasps--is in your collection. Scoop a handful of wasp mud and apply to the boil for up to 30 minutes. Cover the boil with a bandage to reduce mess and keep the mud warm longer. Rinse the mud off with cool water and pat your skin dry with a towel.

Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are a good source of vitamins and antioxidants for the body, especially during times of illness and infection. Vegetables contain fiber, which remove bulk toxins and bacteria from the body. Yet, fresh vegetables applied to directly to the boil may reduce pain and heal the wound faster. Onions can starve off fungal infections, while raw cabbage reduces inflammation and pain. Apply a slice of raw onion or an outer leaf of a raw cabbage to the boil for 30 minutes. A fresh warm tomato can work as a warm compress and pain reducer. Heat a slice of tomato in the microwave for 10 to15 seconds and apply directly to the boil. Test the temperature of the tomato before applying directly to the boil. If the skin on your wrist cannot tolerate the heat, the temperature is too hot to apply to the boil.

Baking Soda Paste

Baking soda can kill bacteria, but may not kill the superbug. However, baking soda paste can get rid of bacteria surrounding the boil, while reducing the pain and inflammation from the infected area. Combine 1 tsp. of baking soda with ten drops of water. Apply the paste to the boil using a cotton swab and apply a bandage. Change the bandage at least once a day and make a fresh batch of paste for each application.

Vinegar and Honey

You can mix sour and sweet ingredients together to fight MRSA. Apple cider vinegar contains good bacteria that feed off bad bacteria, removing impurities from the body and creating an alkaline environment where illnesses and fungal bacteria do not survive. Honey fights infection and soothes the skin to prevent scarring, which most MRSA boils leave behind. Combine 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar and 1 tbsp. of honey with 2 cups of hot water. Drink once a day until the boil heals. For recurrent boils, drink daily to prevent infection.