Boils or furuncles are formed when the body is fighting a skin infection. It is the body’s natural way to release toxins. They appear as round, reddened bumps with a whitish top. Boils are caused by the common Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and which is very contagious. These bacteria have over time grown resistant to anti-bacterial soaps and lotions and to antibiotics.
The usual treatment for boils with pus is to visit the doctor where you may be prescribed antibiotics. This however, isn’t such a good idea and doctors themselves are reluctant to prescribe antibiotics. This is because frequent use of antibiotics leads to resistance and they lose their efficacy.
Instead of heading to the doctor’s clinic at the first sign of a pus filled boil, you can try some of the natural cures first. There are many such natural remedies available that are preferable to the use of antibiotics. Using these natural cures requires a great deal of patience as it takes a long time for the boil to heal.
Boils usually must drain of pus before they can heal. The process takes about 2 weeks and great care must be taken to minimize the spread of infection. Here are the steps to take when trying a natural cure for boils:
- Do not prick the boil by using a needle. Lancing the boil may result in the infection spreading to the surrounding skin and causing several boils or carbuncles to develop.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with a disinfectant soap before and after you touch the boil or surrounding skin.
- Apply a warm, moist compress to the boil at regular intervals. This will help the boil to drain and speed recovery.
- Keep the boil and the surrounding skin clean by washing with warm soapy water. You may also use a disinfectant.
- Use fresh clean cloths every time you clean and wash the boil. You should disinfect the wash cloth by boiling it in water after every use.
- If the boil hasn’t drained, leave it uncovered to allow the free flow of air. This is good for healing.
- Continue to apply warm wet compresses even after the boil has drained.
- Take supplements of zinc and vitamin C. These will bolster your body’s immune system and help it to fight off the infection.
If you observe that the boil isn’t healing, getting more inflamed, spreading to other regions or you are running a temperature then you should consult your doctor for further treatment.
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answered by G R