11 Natural Remedies for Staph Infection + Causes & Symptoms

Staphylococcus bacteria are commonly found on human skin. However, sometimes it may cause staph infections. Minor cases of staph infection can be easily treated with natural home remedies. The number of people with bloodstream staph infections in 1_2013.pdf' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >2017 was more than 119,000, and nearly 20,000 of them died (1). In addition, the US, Canada, Japan, and Indonesia have experienced epidemic levels of MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) as reported by WHO (2).

  • What Is A Staph Infection?
  • Staph Infection Types And Symptoms
  • What Causes Staph Infections?
  • 11 Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of A Staph Infection
  • How To Prevent A Staph Infection

What Is A Staph Infection?

Staph infections are bacterial infections caused by different strains of the Staphylococcus bacteria. These bacteria are commonly found on the skin and inside the nose of healthy individuals. They hardly cause any issues most of the times, excluding some minor skin infections in some people.

However, if the staph bacteria enter deeper into your body, the situation can turn deadly. They can invade your bloodstream, joints, bones, lungs, and heart. Of late, a growing number of otherwise healthy people have been developing lethal staph infections.

The signs and symptoms of a staph infection may vary depending on the type of infection it triggers.

Staph Infection Types And Symptoms

The common skin infections triggered by the Staphylococcus bacteria are:

  • Boils They usually develop as pockets of pus in the hair follicles or oil glands. The skin surrounding the infected area tends to look swollen and red.
  • Impetigo It is a contagious infection characterized by painful rashes and large fluid-filled blisters that develop a honey-colored crust.
  • Cellulitis This staph infection occurs in the deeper layers of the skin. It causes redness, swelling, and, in some cases, oozing ulcers on the skin.
  • Staphylococcal Scalded Skin Syndrome Staphylococcus bacteria can produce toxins, which results in staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome. It is quite common in babies and children. This infection is characterized by fever, rashes, and blisters. In some cases, the topmost layer of the blistered skin may come off to reveal a raw surface that resembles a burn.

A staph infection may also trigger the following conditions:

  • Food Poisoning One of the leading causes of food poisoning is staph bacteria. Its symptoms usually include nausea, vomiting, dehydration, diarrhea, and/or low blood pressure.
  • Septicemia This condition is also known as blood poisoning. It is caused as a result of staph bacteria entering a persons bloodstream. The symptoms are fever and low blood pressure. Septicemia can also result in infections that affect the internal organs (like the brain, heart, or lungs), bones, muscles, and surgically implanted devices (like artificial joints).
  • Toxic Shock Syndrome This condition is also triggered by the toxins released by some strains of the Staphylococcus bacteria. It has been linked to certain kinds of tampons, surgery, and wounds. The symptoms of toxic shock syndrome are: High fever Vomiting Nausea Diarrhea Stomach pain Confusion Muscle aches Rashes on the palms or soles
    • Septic Arthritis It targets the knees, fingers, toes, hips, and shoulders. This type of arthritis is caused due to the invasion of the joints by infectious agents like staph bacteria. The symptoms of septic arthritis may include: Swelling in the joints Pain in the affected area Fever
  • High fever
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain
  • Confusion
  • Muscle aches
  • Rashes on the palms or soles
  • Swelling in the joints
  • Pain in the affected area
  • Fever

Let us now understand the main cause of this infection.

What Causes Staph Infections?

As already discussed, staph infections are caused by Staphylococcus bacteria. Many people carry these bacteria without even realizing it. If you have developed a staph infection, there is a good chance that you have been carrying these microbes around for quite some time.

These bacteria can easily spread from person to person and may also live long enough on inanimate utensils like towels or pillowcases to infect the next person who touches them.

Staphylococcus bacteria are known to be able to survive extreme temperatures and high levels of salt as well as stomach acid.

If you have been diagnosed with a staph infection, your doctor may either put you on appropriate antibiotics or discuss other treatment options like wound drainage or removal of infected devices. Treatment often depends on the type of infection you are battling.

Listed below are some all-natural remedies that can assist ongoing medication in managing staph infections.

11 Natural Remedies To Get Rid Of A Staph Infection

1. Essential Oils

a. Tea Tree Oil

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The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of tea tree oil can help treat skin infections triggered by Staphylococcus bacteria. It works best as adjuvant therapy to existing treatments (3).

b. Oregano Oil

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Oregano oil exhibits bactericidal activity on some strains of Staphylococcus bacteria and may be used to treat wound-associated skin infections (4).

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

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The antimicrobial properties of apple cider vinegar can help eliminate microbes like staphylococcus and can thus help in the treatment of infections triggered by them (5).

3. Basil Oil

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Basil oil shows a powerful inhibitory effect against microbes like Staphylococcus and may be a great option to treat staph infections (6).

4. Vitamins

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Deficiency of vitamin D has been associated with an increased risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage (7). Vitamin C has an inhibitory effect on the bacteria (8).

Hence, increasing the intake of foods rich in these vitamins like dairy products, citrus fruits, green leafy veggies, and egg yolks can help in battling staph infections. Talk to your doctor if you want to take additional supplements for these vitamins.

5. Aloe Vera

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Aloe vera possesses antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus bacteria (9). These activities may be used to treat staph infections.

6. Probiotics

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Probiotic lactobacilli exhibit immunoregulatory activities that can help in eliminating staphylococcus infections from within (10).

What You Have To Do

Take any probiotic supplement daily. Make sure you consult a doctor before taking any additional supplements.

How Often You Should Do This

You may take this once daily or as advised by your doctor.

7. CBD Oil

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CBD oil exhibits antibacterial activities against many Staphylococcus bacterial strains and can thus be used in the treatment of staph infections (11).

How Often You Should Do This

You may do this once daily or as directed by your physician.

8. Garlic

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Garlic extracts enhance the antimicrobial activity of antibiotics used on methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Hence, garlic can work well as adjuvant therapy in treating staph infections (12).

9. Goldenseal

Goldenseal exhibits antimicrobial properties against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and may thus be able to treat staph infections (13).

10. Ginger

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Ginger exhibits antibacterial properties that may be used against bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus bacteria (14).

11. Cranberry Juice

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The antibacterial potential of cranberry juice can work wonders against staphylococcus infections (15).

How Often You Should Do This

You may drink this juice once daily.

In addition to the above remedies, here are some tips that can help prevent the recurrence of staph infections.

How To Prevent A Staph Infection

The remedies discussed above can work wonderfully in battling staphylococcus infections. However, you must avail medical intervention for such infections and use the home remedies only to assist ongoing medical treatments.

Hope you found this post helpful. Do you have any more queries related to staph infections? Get in touch with us through the comments section below.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a staph infection to go away?

The healing of staph infections may vary depending on the type of the infection. For example, a boil may take anywhere between 10-20 days to heal completely. Availing treatment may speed its healing.

What is the difference between sepsis and staph?

MRSA or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a strain of Staphylococcus bacteria that has become immune to many antibiotics. Unchecked or undiagnosed MRSA is at a high risk of developing into sepsis, which is a life- threatening condition triggered by your bodys response to an infection.

Does hydrogen peroxide kill staph?

Yes, hydrogen peroxide can kill Staphylococcus bacteria like S. aureus by forming a hydroxyl radical post reaction with staphylococcal iron.

What kills staph bacteria on the skin?

The home remedies mentioned above, like topical application of tea tree and oregano oils as well as aloe vera gel are some of the best natural remedies that can help in the treatment of bacterial skin infections.

Is staph infection contagious?

Yes, Staphylococcus bacteria are highly contagious and can easily spread by direct contact with an infected person or utensil.

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