Essential oils instead of antibiotics?

[emmiedahl]

This is a sucky war. No one is being called a boar? No one is pulling out anecdata of a friend who DIED because of or for lack of neosporin? I'm disappointed.

[clibbyjo]

This is a sucky war. No one is being called a boar? No one is pulling out anecdata of a friend who DIED because of or for lack of neosporin? I'm disappointed.

Should we liven it up? I just gargled with peroxide. :dance:

[kaetrin]

Yeah, this is the only way I know that works well :D

That is a good idea! my OB gave me a little plastic applicator for that very purpose but I think I threw it out when I purged the bathroom cabinets.

[Buzzard]

This is a sucky war. No one is being called a boar? No one is pulling out anecdata of a friend who DIED because of or for lack of neosporin? I'm disappointed.

Boar

[2xx1xy1JD]

Skipping antibiotics after major dental surgery is just stupid.

You have bacteria in your mouth. There is no way to treat the wound with antiseptics and dressing alone that would prevent that bacteria from coming into contact with the wound.

The mouth is also a bad place for an infection. It can spread through the mouth, and in really scary cases, can cause an infection in the jaw bone or even in the brain.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency ... 001060.htm

In general, I'll also point out that penicillin is essentially a herbal treatment that has become a drug, since it comes from moldy oranges. Herbal medicines are still MEDICINES, with all the risks and benefits that entails.

[urban teacher]

Well, I had a friend of a friend who died using neosporin. She put in her vagina to kill off her yeast infection and then put it in her mouth to kill off her tooth ache. So there! Where's my cake?

[dairyfreelife]

Not true according to the CDC:

[emmiedahl]

Well, I had a friend of a friend who died using neosporin. She put in her vagina to kill off her yeast infection and then put it in her mouth to kill off her tooth ache. So there! Where's my cake?

For you, a boar cake :lol:

[Burris]

Skipping antibiotics after major dental surgery is just stupid.

You have bacteria in your mouth. There is no way to treat the wound with antiseptics and dressing alone that would prevent that bacteria from coming into contact with the wound.

The mouth is also a bad place for an infection. It can spread through the mouth, and in really scary cases, can cause an infection in the jaw bone or even in the brain.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency ... 001060.htm

Just my two cents: Skipping antibiotics after oral surgery is a bad idea. I know this because my dentist forgot to prescribe some after a recent root canal (following treatment for an abscess) and I forgot to ask. A couple of days later I had what they used to call a "grand mal†seizure – I don't have a seizure disorder – that has tentatively been tied to an infection from the dental work.

That was a couple of weeks ago – and it's a mistake I won't be making twice.

Secondly, most of the antibiotics being prescribed in North America are going to farm animals in their feed.

Our individual efforts to avoid antibiotics will avail us nothing for so long as that trend continues – which is why I fully intend to continue using Neosporin, without guilt, on bad cuts and burns. (And yet I don't use anti-bacterial soup in my hands during the day-to-day. *shrug*)

[chiccy]

I don't think there is any evidence to link neosporin to antibiotic resistance to things like MRSA because the three drugs wouldn't ever be used to treat a staph infection.

Yeah, I was going to mention this too. One reason I doubt somewhat that resistant strains of staph are developing as a result of Neosporin overuse is that Neosporin has never been effective against staph, as far as I now. Because of that, I don't think it could really contribute to resistant strains of staph in particular.

[Deleted03]

This is a sucky war. No one is being called a boar? No one is pulling out anecdata of a friend who DIED because of or for lack of neosporin? I'm disappointed.

they can't post about it, they just all died! :P

[Deleted03]

Yeah, this is the only way I know that works well :D

does the freezing kill the acidophilus cultures?

[emmiedahl]

does the freezing kill the acidophilus cultures?

I don't think so. You can buy it freeze dried.

[Arete]

OK, I'm someone who does try to avoid chemicals as much as my budget will allow, but when the doctor says I need antibiotics, I take it and do not go looking for alternatives. That said, when the special itch is upon me, I have soaked tampoons in tea tree oil and inserted for 2-3 hours. I do it twice a day, and it gives me symptom relief on the same timetable as Monostat. This is only me and don't take this as medical advice. Other times I have found that antibiotics will do a wretched number on my stomach, in which case 2 cups of yogurt a day usually sets me and keeps me straight for the duration of the treatment. While I like doing it nature's way when possible, I thank God every day for modern western medicine.

[ADoyle90815]

I'm also one of those who gets yeast infections every time I use an antibiotic. While I only use them if the doctor prescribes them when medically necessary, it means that I'm picking up yogurt and other items to treat the inevitable infection on my way back from the pharmacy.

[clibbyjo]

For you, a boar cake :lol:

OMG, I NEED that cake. I am the original boar. I know who needs to share it with me and she knows who as well. :dance:

[NurseNell]

That said, when the special itch is upon me, I have soaked tampoons in tea tree oil and inserted for 2-3 hours. I do it twice a day, and it gives me symptom relief on the same timetable as Monostat.

Interesting, I'll remember that if I get a yeast infection again. Fortunately now that I have no estrogen I don't get them, which my doc says is pretty standard. The last time I had a yeast infection I made the mistake of taking a 1 day Monistat treatment. Holy Mother of God, don't ever take that 1 day treatment. :oops: It very nearly killed me with more intense itching and swelling than I've ever had in my life. I think it should be taken off to the market.

[kaetrin]

Interesting, I'll remember that if I get a yeast infection again. Fortunately now that I have no estrogen I don't get them, which my doc says is pretty standard. The last time I had a yeast infection I made the mistake of taking a 1 day Monistat treatment. Holy Mother of God, don't ever take that 1 day treatment. :oops: It very nearly killed me with more intense itching and swelling than I've ever had in my life. I think it should be taken off to the market.

You don't do straight tea tree oil, do you, AreteJo? I always understood that was too strong and could damage the lady parts. I do the same thing but with just a few drops of tea tree in some neutral carrier oil.

And Monistat is the devil.

[Arete]

kaetrin,

Yes, I use it straight up in that treatment. Has not irritated or burned the the lady bits. I had found enough references in some essential oil books and web sites to indicate that tea tree is safe to use "neat" this way, and I went ahead and took the plunge.

Disclaimer: I would never, EVER use any other essential oil straight up this way, only tea tree. None of this is meant to be medical advice, just my personal experience.

Edit to add when I do it, I usually put about 20 drops on.

[PBrooke]

Skipping antibiotics after major dental surgery is just stupid.

You have bacteria in your mouth. There is no way to treat the wound with antiseptics and dressing alone that would prevent that bacteria from coming into contact with the wound.

The mouth is also a bad place for an infection. It can spread through the mouth, and in really scary cases, can cause an infection in the jaw bone or even in the brain.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency ... 001060.htm

In general, I'll also point out that penicillin is essentially a herbal treatment that has become a drug, since it comes from moldy oranges. Herbal medicines are still MEDICINES, with all the risks and benefits that entails.

When I had my wisdom teeth out, the surgeon gave me not only antibiotics, but also a pill to take if I developed any yeast issues from the antibiotic. Because let's jsut say thrush in the mouth plus wisdom teeth pain would be horrific.

[LadyBlue]

Only taking antibiotics when the dr prescribes them is good in theory, but even drs who are bright enough to not give them for colds or other really obviously pointless reasons often prescribe them unnecessarily. I usually only end up filling antibiotic prescriptions about half the time I'm given one, if that. Getting swabs done and waiting for the results may be a little tiresome, but avoids unnecessary drugs.

Luckily we haven't required antibiotics very often, except for the 15+ different ones my husband was on a couple years ago when he spent a few months trying to die from pancreatitis & a multitude of infections.

[Soldevi]

That said, essential oils can be very good antiseptics. Lemongrass and cinnamon bark oil are even more potent than tea tree oil and kill many, many types of bacteria and viruses including MRSA/staph and strep.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try to find cinnamon bark oil and test it :)

Cystitis runs in my family and that is the infection I never try to heal myself and wish it will go away on its own. Never. I learned it the hard way. When the first symptoms start, I will go directly to doctor and get my antibiotics. Drinking excessive amounts of fluid, eating/drinking cranberries and consuming vitamin C is not helping. Once I have the infection, it will stick without antibiotics. Same goes with my relatives, some can get rid of infection, but not my family :? . I have had preventive medication (6 months a time) a few times and I have learned all kind of things to avoid infection and I haven't had one for years, luckily.

[Sola]

When I had my wisdom teeth out, the surgeon gave me not only antibiotics, but also a pill to take if I developed any yeast issues from the antibiotic. Because let's jsut say thrush in the mouth plus wisdom teeth pain would be horrific.

Wow, they don't do that in the UK. When I had mine out I didn't get antibiotics, neither did my brother who had his out a couple of weeks ago (and still looks like he's been in the ring with Mike Tyson). Obviously if you develop an infection you get them, but you're just told to gargle with salt water here.

Can you buy antibiotics over the counter in the US?

[Elle]

I didn't get antibiotics or anything when all my wisdom teeth came out. Seven minutes start to finish, a few dry sockets, and not even pain meds in case of pain. It sucked worse than childbirth and I refused to eat for a week.

No, antibiotics (other than topical) are prescription-only in the US.

[apple1]

Can you buy antibiotics over the counter in the US?

No!

As for antibiotics after wisdom teeth extraction- seems to vary. Sometimes the teeth might be abcessed- then they probably give antibiotics.

My daughters did not have antibiotics with their wisdom teeth extractions.

They did have clove oil packing. That's actually pretty standard around here.