Got a Boil? Try These Alternative Treatments to Heal Them

What is a boil? A boil is a bacterial infection of a sweat gland or hair follicle, which is formed on the face, armpit or groin. The pore or follicle is blocked by dead skin cells causing the immune system’s white blood cells in that area to die. Boils cause large amounts of pus along with redness, swelling, and pain. The cause of boils is not really known but most doctors believe that boils are caused by gastrointestinal bacteria that enter the bloodstream and causes the infection. Eating too much sugar can also cause them. You should never pop or press a boil because that will cause the infection to spread.

There are some alternative treatments you can use to heal those boils. These treatments called hydrotherapy techniques help to heal your body from those unsightly boils. Hydrotherapy consists of using hot compresses on the boil, which will bring blood to the infected area and help diminish the bacteria. Using a hot cloth and placing it on the boil for 20 minutes twice a day can treat some boils. After the first couple of days using hot cloth on the boil, start using hot and cold compression to draw the pus out. Place a hot cloth on the boil for 10 minutes. Then apply an ice-cold cloth for another 10 minutes. Repeat these steps three times and do the complete treatment twice a day.

Another alternative treatment to heal those boils is taking Echinacea and goldenseal to help eliminate the bacteria in the boil. Recommended use is to take one tablespoon of a very small amount of each herb three times a day until the boil disappears. The taste is bitter but the results are better. Turmeric can be used as a cooling herb that can reduce the swelling of the boil and prevent any reoccurrences. Take 450 mg of standardized extract of turmeric and use it three times a day. You can also use the turmeric as a paste and apply it on the boil to bring quick results. What you do is use a blender and combine one teaspoon of turmeric powder, one teaspoon of Epsom salts, and a baked onion with enough water to make a thick paste.

Before you go to sleep at night, spread the paste substance on a cloth and put the cloth over the boil. Cover the cloth with a wrap and bandage to secure in place. Leave it on overnight for two nights. The results will quickly heal the infection and remove the boil.