In a medical world where antibiotics are increasingly struggling to hold their own against bacterial-induced infections, Public Enemy No. 1 might be staph infections – ‘staph’ being short for that nasty nemesis known as Staphylococcus aureus, which is actually just one of more than 30 strains of staph but the one most common among human pathogens.
Of particular concern is the staph infection known as MRSA, the acronym for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which is immune to most antibiotics.
Staph infections account for more than a million hospital visits a year in America. That isn’t surprising considering that about a third of us routinely carry staph germs around on our bodies, including inside our mouths, even though they typically are passive, not infecting us. These microscopic bugs are highly contagious, however, easily passed through skin-to-skin contact among other transmission means.
Staph Infection Targets and Symptoms
Various types of staph infection show up all around the body, its target areas including the skin (accompanied by redness, boils, and blisters); the breasts/chest area (inflammation, swelling, and gatherings of pus known as abscesses); your digestive system, in which food poisoning can result in vomiting and diarrhea; bones (pain and inflammation); lungs and heart (pneumonia and other breathing issues, or damage to heart valves); and bloodstream (think blood poisoning induced by toxins produced by invading bacteria).
Take some consolation in that most cases of staph infection are mild and can still be treated with antibiotics. Another dose of good news as that there are a number of natural remedies that, while not possessing the potency and overall effectiveness of prescription antibiotics, can still help fight and fend off staph.
5 Natural Remedies that Could Help Treat Staph Infections
Vitamin B3. This member of the B family of vitamins, also known as nicotinamide (“niacin,” for short), has been shown by studies able to bolster the population of a certain type of white blood cell that can kill and eat harmful bacteria. Early studies have shown, though, that it takes a high dose of B3 to help stimulate this “Pac-Man”-like property in these white blood cells, but it shows encouraging potential in finding substitutes for antibiotics that have lost efficacy in defeating staph. It’s at least worth having a discussion with your personal physician or other healthcare professional about using vitamin B3 in such a manner.
Garlic. This common and popular spice – alert: keep some breath mints handy – is known for its robust antibacterial characteristics. Chalk that up principally to it active ingredient of allicin, giving garlic its antimicrobial one-two punch (and you don’t lose any teeth in the process). In fact, crushed garlic has been applied by dentists directly to bacteria-infected areas to diminish dental pain, such as that experienced around the teeth and gums.
Honey. To say that honey is a time-tested remedy suitable to treat much of what ails us is definitely an understatement. It has been used for a variety of medical treatments since ancient times, dating back many centuries, for its wound-healing properties and antimicrobial effects, suggesting it could be useful against drug-resistant bacteria. A published 2021 study attributes honey’s antibiotic powers to components such as its sugar content, polyphenol compounds, hydrogen peroxide, and bee defensin-1, among others, which work “synergistically.” This permits honey with the ability to suppress an array of microorganisms.
Oregano oil. Sourced from a flowering plant that belongs to the same family as mint, this essential oil’s key antibacterial compounds are carvacrol and thymol. These oregano oil ingredients can fight infections and their accompanying symptoms, putting this natural remedy in line to help pinch hit for antibiotics that have lost effectiveness against staph infections. For good measure, oregano oil also possesses antifungal and antiviral activity.
Witch hazel. One of the reasons antibiotics have been increasingly ineffective against staph infections (as well as other types of infections) is because these infections can be accompanied by bacterial biofilms that bolster bacterial survival and persistence. Well, it so happens that scientific studies have shown that witch hazel extract possesses an abundance of a phenolic compound named hamamelitannin that is anti-biofilm as well as anti-toxin. Witch hazel is not only antibacterial and antimicrobial, it also is an astringent that can sterilize affected skin areas from additional bacterial intrusion. This is one witch we can call “friend.”
Other natural remedies that have been singled out as potentially useful against staph infections, and worth researching, include turmeric, basil, castor oil, tea tree oil, and apple cider vinegar, as well as others. Be sure to discuss in detail with your personal doctor or other healthcare professional how best to safely use any of these supplements, herbs, or nutrients as needed for any staph infections. Keep in mind that too much of anything good for you in moderation could very well turn out bad for you.