Boils

Updated on October 31, 2007
S.B. asks from Saint Louis, MO
17 answers

Hey ladies, it's me again. Do anyone have a home remedy for boils? I see all these products on the internet, but I'm scared to try them. I usually take antibotics, but I don't want to get resistant to them. I even heard when you get them lanced, they still can come back. Any suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated!

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L.D.

answers from Kansas City on

My husband kept getting a boil and I used the information at this website. It's home remedies.

http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Boils.html

We found that if he soaks in a very warm tub with Epsom Salts it helps most if he has developed a boil. He quit drinking sodas and did the orange juice fast and then started eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. This kept the boils from repeating. Good luck!

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K.P.

answers from Kansas City on

In my Prescription for Nutritional Healing it says that boils are results from a staph bacteria infection.The infection begins in the deepest portion of a hair follicle, or in an oil-producing sebaceous gland, and works it's way up to the skin's surface. Poor nutrition, illness that has depresssed immune function, diabetes mellitus, poor hygiene, and the use of immunosuppressive drugs are common contributing factors. Boils are contagious. The pus drains when a boil opens can contaminate nearby skin, causing new boils, or can enter the bloodstream and spread to other body parts. A carbuncle is a cluster of boils that occurs when the infection spreads and other boils are formed. The formation of a carbuncle may be an indication of immune depression. Without treatment, a boil usually comes to a head, opens, drains, and heals in ten to twenty-five days. With treatment, symptoms are less severe and new boils should not appear.

The Nutrients you should be getting daily that is essential are as followed: Colloidal Silver-Apply topically as directed on label(A natural antibiotic and disinfectant.Destroys bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Promotes healing),Garlic-2 capsules a day 3 times daily(A natural antibiotic that potentiates immune function). Some Very Important Nutrients you should be getting as well are Vitamin A, C, and E; zinc.

Recommendations:
-Use a cleansing fast to clear the system and rid the body of toxins that may cause boils.
-To relieve pain and help to bring the boil to a head, apply moist heat three or four times a day. Wet a clean towel or sterile gauze pad with warm water and apply it to the boil. Place a heating pad or a hot water bottle on top. Do this for twenty minutes 3-4 times a day. Use a clean towel or fresh gauze each time to prevent spreading the infection. Warm Epson salts baths are also good.
-Do not cover boil with an adhesive bandage, but do acoid irritation, injury, or trauma to the affected area. To avoid sweating, do not exercise or engage in strenuous activity until the boil heals.
-Keep the skin clean. Wash the infected area several times a day and swab it with antiseptic. You can also apply honey directly to the boil. Vitamin A and E emulsion, applied directly on boils, is helpful. Clay packs and/or chlorophyll are also good. Both of these can be found in health food stores. Apply them directly to the boil with a sterile gauze pad.
-Charcoal capsules made into a paste and applied to the boil will help draw out the infection. Break open 2 capsules of charcoal and mix with just enough water to make the paste.
-Belladonna, a homeopathic remedy, helps reduce swelling and inflammation. Another homeopathic remedy, Calcarea sulphurica, is useful if a boil has opened and is draining but is not healing properly.
-If a boil is very large, persistent, or recurrent, consult your physician. surgical incision and drainage may be necessary. severe cases may require bed rest.

Considerations:Boils may be symptomatic of a more serious infection within the body. They should always be treated with care, especially if they are accompanied by other symptoms, such as a fever or poor appetite. Boils should not be squeezed or punctured prematurely. In very serious cases, boils may need to be incised by a doctor. A doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic. These drugs have side effects, however, It is best not to use them unless other measures fail.The area around a draining boil (especially on the face) may be protected with a prescribed antibiotic cream to help prevent complications such as septicemia or meningitis. Over the counter antibiotic ointments are ineffective for boils and should be avoided.

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There is so much more but I just gave the basis. I can send you a scanned page if you'd like. If anyone else has an ailment I can look it up and see what it says to do as well. I have had these and they are clearing up very nicely.

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L.M.

answers from St. Joseph on

Try some Tea Tree Oil. It's in a little bottle in the vitamin section. I like the smell, my son hates it. We put it on acne, boils and scrapes, cuts, etc.
Works remarkable.
L

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T.M.

answers from Oklahoma City on

hello, this one hits the spot. My mother kept getting boils. I thought it may be because she is over weight and all. My mother got theses boils she would irritate and squeeze. Wrong thing to do..see your doctor and get the right medication. What ever you are on is not working for you the reason why I say this My mother almost died this bacteria consquently turned to spaph infection, which she still was stubborn and didnt get it treated right away turned to flesh eating disease. My mother inner thigh had to be cut off and then she had a skin graph to replace the other bad part. When my mother was being treated they gave her some medication for everything that was wrong. Still she was gettings boils when she got out of the hospital. Only now that she changed doctors and he gave her some cream and anibotic and its GONE!!My mother is so relieved and so much more cheerful. Im so glad the doctor got her on the right stuff. I will find out more what its called if you would like. But just a suggestion. We had a hard time with this so I know how unbearable they can be.

What is MRSA?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.

The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, causing pimples or boils. But it can also cause more serious skin infections or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract.

Understanding MRSA
MRSA is called a "super bug" because infections are resistant to many common antibiotics. Here's what you need to know about drug-resistant staph:

MRSA: The Basics
MRSA Prevention
MRSA Symptoms
MRSA Detection and Treatment
Though most MRSA infections aren't serious, some can be life-threatening. Many public health experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA. Because it's hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a "super bug."

What causes it?
Garden-variety staph are common bacteria that can live on our bodies. Plenty of healthy people carry staph without being infected by it. In fact, 25-30% of us have staph bacteria in our noses.

But staph can be a problem if it manages to get into the body, often through a cut. Once there, it can cause an infection. Staph is one of the most common causes of skin infections in the U.S. Usually, these are minor and don't need special treatment. Less often, staph can cause serious problems like infected wounds or pneumonia.

Staph can usually be treated with antibiotics. But over the decades, some strains of staph -- like MRSA -- have become resistant to antibiotics that once destroyed it. MRSA was first discovered in 1961. It's now immune to methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, oxacillin, and many other antibiotics.

While some antibiotics still work, MRSA is constantly adapting. Researchers developing new antibiotics are having a tough time keeping up.

Who gets MRSA?
MRSA is spread by contact. So you could get MRSA by touching another person who has it on the skin. Or you could get it by touching objects that have the bacteria on them. MRSA is carried, or "colonized," by about 1% of the population, although most of them aren't infected.

Infections are most common among people who have weak immune systems and are living in hospitals, nursing homes, and other heath care centers. Infections can appear around surgical wounds or invasive devices, like catheters or implanted feeding tubes. Rates of infection in hospitals, especially intensive care units, are rising throughout the world. In U.S. hospitals, MRSA causes up to 40%-50% of staph infections.

Community-Associated MRSA (CA-MRSA)
But MRSA is also showing up in healthy people who have not been living in the hospital. This type of MRSA is called community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA. The CDC reports that in 2003, 12% of people with MRSA infections had CA-MRSA.

Studies have shown that rates of CA-MRSA infection are growing fast. One study of children in south Texas found that cases of CA-MRSA had a 14-fold increase between 1999 and 2001.

look on WEBMD FOR mrsa, I think once one person gets it everyone around them is sceptible=)

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S.B.

answers from Tulsa on

A boil is staph infection hon and you need to at the very least use antibiotic cream but with all that is going on right now with staph infections you should have it looked at.

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R.

answers from Kansas City on

Are you sure it's not an MRSA staph infection?

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M.F.

answers from Springfield on

I take a chinese herb that works like an antibiotic. It works great for upper respitory, urinary tract, and skin infections. It has actually cleared up alot of my cystic acne. My brother has been taking it for his boils and he has not had near as many and it has cleared up several. He also mashes one of the pills and adds enough water to make a paste and applies it to the boil. I tried the same thing for a zit and it was gone by the next day!!! The FDA is currently researching it! It is called Chuan Xin Lian. I am sure you could order it off of the internet. I can only find it at one pharmacy in Springfield, Il. Not sure where you are, but if you are around here, message me and I will tell you where to find it!

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B.H.

answers from Kansas City on

i agree with rebekah, it could be a staph infection. i would go to the dr if i were you.

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K.G.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Hello this remedy stinks beyond belief but it works. Mix up vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and a splash of water. Heat it up absorb it with a wash cloth and place where ever the boil is located. It started draining within a few hours. I don't know if those results are typical but I got it off of some website and was desperate enough to try the smelly combination. Hope you figure something out.
K.

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T.S.

answers from Springfield on

I know this will sound weird but i get them all the time and this is the only thing i have found to really work. you take tumeric and ginger,equal parts,mix with enough water to make a paste,put on boil and cover with bandage it should be completely gone in 1-2 days and wont return.hope this helps!

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S.H.

answers from Wichita on

I know you will think this is nutd, but my grandparents always told me that you could both cure and prevent boils by eating a handful of raisins every day. I used to get boils once in a while, and even my doctor confirmed that the raisins do help. Now, if they get infected, you will need to have them lanced, but before they infect if you will just eat a handful of raisins and maybe a hot compress a couple of times a day, the boil will go away.

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C.S.

answers from Lawrence on

I work with a wellness company and we have products to help with your situation specifically and will make a difference. Would be more than happy to share the info. with you more in detail, just let me know.

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C.S.

answers from Spartanburg on

As I'm reading it you get the boils not your daughter and it doesnt' sound like MRSA. geez. mrsa is dangerous and scary but everyone is going to jump to the worst conclusion. Your an EMT I'm sure you know all about MRSA. I have two boils right now on my freaking bottom, I get them my doctors tells me when I'm stressed out. I find what works for me is a retin A then I put clearasil on top that. Another thing good is bactracin [prescription antibiotic cream]if its hurting hot pack for a few minutes. good luck

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N.T.

answers from St. Louis on

They are not staph infections so do not freak out. yes, they are bacterial infections, but from the hair follicles. nothing that serious to be worried about. Now there are carbuncles that are much worse than a boil and would need drained probably by your doctor. but as long as the boils do not get any worse, there is no worry. I get boils. I was put on creams, antibiotics, nothing worked. and yes, you can get resistant to antibiotics, they are only for temporary use. There are people out there, including me, that are just prone to getting them and it sucks, but they will come back. But, I know it sounds silly but it does work. Tomato paste. if you put tomato paste on the boil, the acid from the paste will pull all the pus to the center and help form a head so it can be popped. I find the best way to apply the tomato paste is with a giant Band-Aid and keep it on for a few hours or maybe even more. go to www.answers.com and you can get all the information you need about MRSA vs. boils. people are jumping to too many conclusions about infections and guessing MRSA off the top of their heads. I do recommend that you go see your doctor and have him do a culture on it for reassurance though.

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C.L.

answers from Kansas City on

Not sure if this works, but I've heard of a Hunt's tomato paste boil cure ...cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head. Worth a try?!?

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S.H.

answers from Tulsa on

It sounds more like MRSA to me. MRSA is very dangerous and has killed 2 children this month. They are closing down schools all over the country to clean them after MRSA outbreaks. It is very contageous. My neice got MRSA after her dad got it (thought it was a boil) and kept trying to squeeze the stuff out of it. It is very serious, do see a dr. immediately. From what I understand, once you get MRSA you will always have it even if you aren't having outbreaks. I believe there is only 1 antibiotic that they can treat you will and it is becoming less effective because the infection is building up a resistance to it.

It is very important to see if it is in fact MRSA especially if you work with children or as an EMT.

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L.M.

answers from Tulsa on

Hey S.! I see a lot of references to MRSA on here, but I wanted to post another. You may already know this, but if you want to rule out MRSA, you need to have your Dr. drain the wound and run tests on the "infection" that comes out. My babysitters daughter got this twice in a row, and it cleared up the second time ( and hasn't come back) since the Dr. gave her a strong antibiotic and Bactroban cream to clear it up. She also had to lysol her house, bleach all the tubs and toilets and launder all the sheets and pillowcases. Good luck!

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