When Antibiotics Fail: Alternative MRSA Treatment Options for You or Someone You Love  

When antibiotics fail, there are two primary types of alternative MRSA treatments.  The first is to treat the infection, itself.  The second is to enhance the condition of your body to help to make sure that it is as strong and able to combat infection as possible, by boosting overall wellness as well as the immune system.

Here are some of the most common alternative MRSA treatment options 

Raw garlic – Although many people swear by garlic supplements, the majority of research has been conducted on raw garlic that has been freshly crushed and consumed, to ensure the highest concentration of the antibacterial and immune system-supporting substance called “allicin”. This natural antibiotic has been used for thousands of years and is now showing to be beneficial in treating infections ranging from pneumonia to MRSA.(i, ii, iii)

Manuka honey – Different from the pasteurized, grade A honey sold in the grocery store, this special form of manuka honey has been found to provide a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and is starting to become an increasingly important focus in the medical community in research involving antibiotic resistance, as is the case in MRSA. (iv, v, vi)

Colloidal silver – Some forms of silver have been shown in studies to be helpful as an MRSA treatment when it was tested against 50 different strains of the bacteria. (vii)

Blue light therapy – When wavelengths of blue light, even those completely free of UV light, are directed at wounds with MRSA infection, the treatment has been found to harmlessly kill the bacteria.  This method works nearly as effectively as it does when combined with UV light. (viii, ix, x, xi, xii) We specialize in blue light therapy. Learn more about blue light therapy for MRSA treatment here.

UV light therapy – When blue and UV wavelengths are combined, using as little UV as possible (typically about the equivalent to a few minutes of sunlight) research has found that MRSA bacteria will die with adequate exposure. (ix)

UV blood irradiation – Used quite widely in the 1940s and 1950s, UV blood irradiation had been applied for the successful treatment of pneumonia, tuberculosis, and even some forms of cancer. It involves the insertion of a small catheter into a forearm vein, similar to the process used in blood donation. Approximately 6 ounces (200 cc) of blood is removed, treated, and returned to the bloodstream in a period of about an hour. (xiii, xiv)

Vitamin D – Studies are increasingly showing that vitamin D through sun and bright light exposure can work effectively both as an antibiotic and for additional support to the immune system. In fact, recent research has indicated that adequate levels of vitamin D can work within the body as a natural MRSA treatment while helping to prevent infection from occurring in the first place. (xv)

There are also many different types of herbal antibiotics that can be helpful; the aforementioned garlic is an example of that. There have been good quality books written on the subject, but for most of us, an appointment with a licensed herbalist could be the best route to an effective natural antibiotic herbal tincture.

Strategies in addition to using an alternative MRSA treatment

As effective as alternative MRSA treatment options can be, there are other strategies that can be used in order to make sure that your immune system is running at its best, to help those natural antibiotics to do their job most effectively.

These include:

Eating a balanced, healthful, nutritious diet – this should include lots of fresh vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats.  Every plate should be colorful from the range of different foods you’ll be eating.  Avoid anything in beige or white (aside from coconut and cauliflower).

Avoiding processed food and refined sugars – bacteria and yeast thrive on sugar. If you want to give your immune system an advantage in fighting off an infection, cut off one of the primary food sources of the bacteria behind that infection: sugar. Watch out for sneaky alternate names for sugar on ingredients labels, such as: glucose, caramel, corn sweetener, corn syrup, fructose, dextran, diastase, fruit juice concentrate, galactose, golden syrup, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), maltose, maltodextrin, rice syrup, sorghum, sucrose, treacle, and many others. (xvi)

Take probiotics and eat foods that contain them naturally – immunity begins in the digestive system.  By taking care of your digestive tract, you’ll give your immune system its best shot at fighting off infections, including MRSA.  Don’t forget about prebiotic foods, as well.  This can help you to take good care of the “good” bacteria, while your body gets rid of “bad” bacteria. Some research is showing that certain species of Lactobacillus (for example, L. acidophilus and paracasei), as well as Bifidobacteria animalis susp lactis can provide an added layer of protection to the body against infections from MRSA. (xvii)

Practice healthful stress reduction – high stress levels wreak havoc on the function of the immune system. Practice healthy stress reduction techniques such as taking time for yourself to read a book, have your hair done, or head out for a tea with some friends.  Try practicing yoga or meditation, and go for a brisk walk for a half hour every day (or two fifteen minute walks if that’s easier to fit into your busy schedule).

All of these practices will give your immune system a natural shot in the arm and will help to improve the effectiveness of any or all the alternative MRSA treatment options you choose.

More Staph & MRSA Related Posts from our Blog

Sources: 

(i) Medieval garlic and bile potion kills MRSA superbug
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/medieval-garlic-and-bile-potion-kills-mrsa-superbug/

(ii) University of Connecticut: Garlic
http://fitsweb.uchc.edu/student/selectives/atolsdorf/garlic.html

(iii) Investigation on the antibacterial properties of garlic (Allium sativum) on pneumonia causing bacteria.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12602248

(iv) Manuka honey inhibits the development of Streptococcus pyogenes biofilms and causes reduced expression of two fibronectin binding proteins
http://mic.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.053959-0

(v) The role of honey in the management of wounds
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3059452/

(vi) Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC32305/

(vii) Silvazine (silver sulfadiazine and chlorhexidine) activity against 200 clinical isolates.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9429028

(viii) Blue light eliminates community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in infected mouse skin abrasions
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23406384

(ix) Blue Light Kills MRSA: Blue Light — Without UV — Kills Drug-Resistant Staph Superbug
http://www.webmd.com/news/20090204/blue-light-kills-mrsa

(x) Blue Light Destroys Skin, Soft Tissue Infections
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/255583.php

(xi) Blue 470-nm Light Kills Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Vitro
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/pho.2008.2413?journalCode=pho&

(xii) Visible 405 nm SLD light photo-destroys methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in vitro
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/lsm.20724/abstract

(xiii) UV Blood Irradiation
http://www.patientsmedical.com/treatments/uv-blood-irradiation.aspx

(xiv) Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation – The Cure That Time Forgot
http://www.cosozo.com/article/ultraviolet-blood-irradiation-%E2%80%93-cure-time-forgot

(xv) Vitamin D and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20210515

(xvi) The 57 Names Of Sugar
http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/57-names-sugar

(xvii) MRSA: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatments
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10634.php

(xviii) Understanding MRSA — Diagnosis & Treatment
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-mrsa-detection-treatment