MRSA Treatment: Alternative Options
MRSA Treatment: Alternative Options
"It's not the germ, it's the terrain." Pasteur agreeing with Bernard
That's a MRSA bug. If I had it, I'd consider the following alternative MRSA treatments. I wouldn't leave out a single thing and I'd jump in with both feet. In fact, I already do/eat/drink most of this and have for years. Not saying any of it is preventative (wouldn't that be nice?), just that I have no hesitation sharing these ideas online.
Btw, I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice. My only blanket medical advice is, if you want to stay healthy, stay away from doctors. And hospitals. Hospitals are where you catch MRSA.
What is MRSA?
MRSA is a bacterial staph infection created by the overuse of antibiotics, says the Mayo Clinic.
Seriously, you can't make this stuff up:
Antibiotic resistance MRSA is the result of decades of often unnecessary antibiotic use. For years, antibiotics have been prescribed for colds, flu and other viral infections that don't respond to these drugs. Even when antibiotics are used appropriately, they contribute to the rise of drug-resistant bacteria because they don't destroy every germ they target. Bacteria live on an evolutionary fast track, so germs that survive treatment with one antibiotic soon learn to resist others.
If I got MRSA, I'd be hard pressed to continue any antibiotic treatment. Especially if I'd done that treatment once and MRSA came back. That means the antibiotic didn't get it all.
Besides which, "antibiotic" means anti-life. It kills everything in the gut: all the bad and all the good. This does not leave us healthy enough to fight any infection or inflammation on our own.
Symptoms of MRSA in humans and animals include:
Skin and soft tissue lesions, like boils
Necrotizing fasciitis (necrotizing means tissue-killing)
Necrotizing pneumonia
Sepsis (a septic infection)
UPDATE: Bacteriophage
4/26/21 Most Recent UPDATE
I've stumbled across some excellent info on a treatment called bacteriophage: using bacteria to CURE bacterial infections. Fascinating!
Video: The Virus That Cures (40 min), a 1997 BBC documentary, is an excellent primer on the topic. Unfortunately, this video was scrubbed from the internet. It occasionally pops up. If you search "the virus that cures" you may find it. TOTALLY worth the effort.
Video: Nature of Phages (9 min)
Video: The Forgotten Cure (13 min)
Article: Excellent basic phage info here
Lyme article: Using bacteriophage to treat borrelia naturally. Comments are excellent also -- tons of good info! The above 3 videos are embedded in this article.
Lyme article: Phage Therapy and Borrelia burgdorferi
Treatment can be had in Russia at The Eliava Institute
2007 BBC article: 'Red Army' virus to combat MRSA
Bacteria-Killing Phages Could Be An Alternative To Antibiotics
Interactions between Bacteriophage, Bacteria, and the Mammalian Immune System
MRSA Treatments
Oregano Oil
(10/20/13 UPDATE) Oregano Oil has been found to be effective against MRSA. Here's a study conducted in Europe: "In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicate that oregano oil, in addition to other properties, has a potential as a topical antibacterial agent against MRS strains."
Milk of Magnesia
Use for a poultice. This kind is the cleanest I've found.
Iodine
Internally (see supplements above) and Lugol's externally on the infections
Essential Oils
Essential oil diffusion: An in vitro study on the inhibition of MRSA by essential oil diffusion found that 72 of 91 investigated essential oils exhibited zones of inhibition in soy agar plates streaked with MRSA (strain ATCC 700699). The most effective being lemongrass oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus), lemon myrtle oil (Backhousia citriodora), mountain savory oil (Satureja montana), cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum verum), and melissa oil (Melissa officinalis) essential oils. Of these, lemongrass essential oil was the most effective, completely inhibiting all MRSA colony growth. ... Tea tree oil also kills all MRSA strains that have been tested.
Since MRSA begins in the nasal passages, I would definitely be investigating lemongrass oil. Cuidado! Essential oils are very powerful medicine. We use several essential oils now for a variety of things, but I researched as well as I could first.
Psilocyben
The psychedelic mushroom Psilocybe semilanceata has been shown to strongly inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus.
Allicin (found in Garlic)
Initial studies at the University of East London have demonstrated that allicin exhibits a strong antimicrobial response to the bacteria, indicating that it may one day lead to more effective treatments.
Garlic Baths, 2-3x per week: Crush 4-6 cloves of organic non-irradiated garlic (look for white/green sprout in middle of each clove). Let stand 20 minutes to allow allicin to develop. Add garlic to warm bath. Submerge as much of the body as possible. I'd soak as long as possible, two or three times a week. I've been told that a garlic bath may make skin condition appear worse after the first bath. But that is my experience with many of my alternative remedies: sometimes things get worse before they get better. I have learned not to be scared off and I've learned to trust my instincts.
Hydrogen Peroxide
A report released in 2010 details the efficacy of the active ingredients of a new composite dressing (hydrogen peroxide, [bunch of pharmaceuticals], and silver) against MRSA.
A 1990 study tested MRSA isolates obtained from veterans and found they could be killed by several substances ... and suggested that topical applications of hydrogen peroxide may be useful to reduce MRSA on skin and some mucous membranes. [There is a wealth of information regarding H2O2 treatments for a variety of ailments. On my list to research along with colloidal silver.]
Manuka Honey
You can take internally and apply to lesions. A 2010 study noted significant antimicrobial action of Ulmo 90 and manuka UMF 25+ honey against several microorganisms, including MRSA. The investigators noted the superior antimicrobial action of Ulmo 90 honey, and suggested it be investigated further.
Usnea
A commenter mentioned usnea and I did some research. I'm going to try it for my lungs and throat. Here's what I found helpful:
Mountain Rose Herbs to learn about and buy Usnea
SCIENTIFIC: Pubmed
TINCTURE- 2-5 ml 3 times daily. The tincture of Usnea is best used for internal problems such as colds, Lupus, Bronchitis, etc.
DOUCHE- 5ml of tincture in 2-3 ml of water, use daily for up to 10 days.
SALVE- best to use a salve of Usnea for external infections except for burns.
WASH-either 5ml of tincture in ½ cup of warm water or make infusion as a wash for burns.
INFUSION- may make infusion for internal use…1 cup 3 times daily
Experience from the MRSA Forum:
Re: 6 months of MRSA | Reply #53 by Karen R (USA) 11/3/08
It has been 3 years since the last infection of any proportion has hit my husband. He/I battled it about 2 years. It was standard treatment at first with zyvox at 30 days. This helped initially for about 3 weeks and then the nightmare started it's vicious, painfully debilitating and torture filled routine again.
Being aware of the antibiotic cycle and thanks to the internet we used several helpful natural products and stopped antibiotics, and has been symptom free for 3 yrs. To get this far took diligence and cleanliness (especially pus -- burn it if possible). Bleach was used at first along with Hibiclenz. Please deeply clean and destroy all infected bandages/clothing.
We found the following to kick it excellent...
- Usnea (herbal tincture) At first itch (max at 7 day rest 3 start again if needed)
- Wild Mediterainian Oil of Oregano (for serious immune support and anti-bacterial both topically and internally)
- Manuka Honey from New Zealand (for dressing/wound packing)How:
The first sign (of itch/redness/pain/BB feeling pimple), he took Usnea internally at 10-15 drops 3-4x a day plus a drop at sight rubbed in. It will have a feeling of tingling (eating it) from the inside/underneath. Drop back dosage to 2-3x day for day 4-5 then 1-2x day 6-7. rest 3 days (no Usnea) and repeat again if necessary.This along with a regular regime of Oil of Oregano 2-4 drops 2-3x day to boost immune has it kicked, generally without going to full boil each time. Put in shot glass of tea or juice to take.It will burn but only a few seconds (worth it)
Generally if the Usnea is taken immediately there is no issue but in case you scratched/tried to pop pimple(implodes it into sinus like cavities)and it goes to a small boil, the manuka honey will need to be packed in to help disintegrate the pus and speed heal the wound.
I am trying to quickly document our success so if there is someone looking for a natural cure this is it. Good luck
Cannabis
(9/26/13 UPDATE) Components of Cannabis sativa, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene (CBC) and cannabigerol (CBG) can kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and disrupt the progression of prion diseases such as Mad Cow disease and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, this according to a resource sponsored by the publisher of the New England Journal of Medicine. Read more here.
Improve your overall health
♥ Sleep
♥ Take supplements!!! You just won't get everything you need from food these days. Here's my current supplements list! Yes, I take it all.
♥ Vit C intravenously (usually 25,000mg to 50,000mg a shot) Takes about an hour to hour and a half. If my doctor wouldn't do this, I'd find one who would. There are plenty.
♥ If you have any stomach trouble, try a little aloe vera juice, very soothing.
Clean Food & Personal Care Products
♥ No sugar of any kind, including fruit and honey except for Manuka and only as directed
♥ No white flour products
♥ No bread of any kind
♥ NO low-fat/no-fat/skim milk products. Mainly because they are filled with chemicals and simple carbs that translate to sugar in our bodies. Sugar is BAD, especially when we are sick!!! Here's the other thing, fat is essential: our brains and bodies need this! When we want dairy, we only consume raw or cultured. Read up on pasteurized milk. It's disgusting. Raw dairy is full of the good bacteria and enzymes our guts need to fight off infection and inflammation and to properly digest food.
♥ Stop using all chemical hygiene products. I use Arbonne products for personal care. You can look at the online catalog here, ask me any questions. Love my Arbonne products: very clean and effective, I know I'm significantly reducing my toxic chemical burden!
♥ Stop using all chemical cleaning products. I use Thieves cleaner put out by Young Living for ALL my housecleaning. Baking soda when I need to scrub the tub... otherwise all Thieves. If you don't know a YL rep, I can order for you. Love my oils!
Other Links
Author's Notes
I've been obsessively reading alternative health sites for about eight years now. As a result, we've changed the way we eat and started down the road to detoxing the poisons from our bodies that our government has allowed be put there, like Click here for the basics - click "GMO Education" top left!, dangerous pesticides and whatever the hell it allows to be sprayed in our skies all day every day.
The FDA will never seriously study alternative MRSA treatments because there's no money in it for the head regulators of said agency nor for the companies they silently represent.
If I want to find any treatments outside the mainstream, I must search the world wide web and depend on anecdotal evidence. Of which there is a MOUNTAIN. Thank goodness people are eager to share. Over the years, I've learned to separate the wheat from the chaff. After a couple of years, you'd start to get good at that, too.
Here's the other thing: I won't get MRSA because my gut is getting healthier and my immune system stronger every day. I believe I can ward off any disease.
How do I stay so healthy? I do all that ^^^ stuff I just told you to do.
Do you get sick a lot? One thing after another? I've been there. Here are some reasons why you keep getting sick. Number four -- quality sleep -- is especially important for me.
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