What Kind of Home Treatment Can Help MRSA?
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection that mainly begins on the skin, but can spread to inside the body causing life-threatening infections of bones, lungs, heart valves and blood. The following home treatments have limited studies regarding their effectiveness to treat MRSA. Manuka honey has been studied the most extensively of the following unconventional treatments. This article is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat MRSA. Please review all treatment options with your doctor.
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Facts
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HA-MRSA or healthcare-associated MRSA occurs most frequently among those in medical facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals. Patients with weakened immune systems are more likely to contract this potentially deadly bacterial infection. CA-MRSA or community-associated MRSA occurs in people who have not had contact with a medical facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, within a year of acquiring the infection. Those most likely to contract CA-MRSA include people whose lives are in close contact with others such as athletes or those living in crowded facilities such as a dormitory or prison.
Manuka Honey
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Wound dressings made with manuka honey have been used to effectively control MRSA in a variety of patients. In the study, "Antibacterial Activity of Honey Against Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)" done at the Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory in Belfast, MRSA bacteria was completely eradicated in cultures within 24 hours with four different strains of honey. This suggests that other types of honey are effective at reducing or eliminating MRSA from infected wounds.
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Essential Oils
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A few studies show a few essential oils may be helpful at reducing MRSA colonization. However, study results are conflicting. Inconsistent potency between batches and brands of essential oil reduce the ability to create conclusive findings between the studies. Of the numerous essential oils studied, tea tree, lavender and a combination of Citricidal grapefruit extract and geranium were shown to be the most promising in the reduction of MRSA colonization.
Prevention
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promotes proper hand washing as the most effective strategy to preventing the spread of MRSA. To effectively clean hands, wet hands with clean water and apply soap. Rub hands together for at least 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a paper towel. Use the paper towel to turn off the water. Then discard the paper towel. If soap is not available, hands can be sanitized with alcohol. Rub the alcohol-based sanitizer on your hands and allow to dry.
Warnings
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Do not treat MRSA with any home treatments without approval and monitoring by your doctor. This bacterial infection must be monitored by a medical professional to reduce the risk of serious, and potentially fatal, spread of the bacteria to internal tissue. If you have a MRSA infection, prevent the spread of the bacteria by keeping the wound clean and covered at all times. Wash your hands before and after changing the dressing.
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References
- Antibacterial Activity of Honey Against Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)
- The Effect of Essential Oils on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Using a Dressing Model
- Susceptibility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus to the Essential Oil of Melaleuca Alternifolia
