Staph infection is an infection caused by a Staphylococcus bacteria, also known as staph bacteria. Generally speaking, over 25% of people all over the world carry the bacteria in their mouth, nose, genitals, or in the anal area, they can have no symptoms of an infection whatsoever. Additionally, a large portion of society can pick up the bacteria on their feet by simply walking barefoot on the floor.

How the infection usually begins is when a person has a small cut, scratch, or a pimple on their skin, so staph germs can crawl inside and cause problems. Most of the time, these infections are quite harmless and usually stay in the skin, however, the infection can spread deeper and affect other parts of the body such as joints, bones, lungs, blood, heart, or brain. Some serious cases of staph infection can even be deadly.

Luckily, most of the staph infections do stay on the skin is recognized at the early stages and they can include:

• Impetigo, a painful, contagious rash which usually manifests in blisters that can ooze fluids and have a honey-colored crust.
• Boils, the most common type of staph infection. Boils are pockets of pus that occur in an oil gland or a hair follicle in the skin, and when they develop the area becomes swollen and red. If the boils are broken, they will most likely ooze with pus, and they most commonly develop around the groin and buttocks, and under the arms.
• Cellulitis is an infection of the deeper layers of the skin. Redness and swelling can occur, and additionally, ulcers and oozing discharge can happen as well. Most commonly it develops in feet and lower legs.
• Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome happens when the toxins affect an individual, mostly newborns and children, and can result in fever, rash, or blisters. When those blisters break a raw and red surface emerges under it.

Treatment Options

Boils. One of the ways to treat boils is with a warm compress. To do this, soak a washcloth with warm water and apply for about 10 to 15 minutes several times a day until you start seeing results. Using a compress, you will encourage a boil to burst, however, do not try to pop the boil yourself. Do not squeeze it because you can cause further damage to the skin and encourage more bacteria to enter and cause an infection. When the boil bursts, make sure to clean it thoroughly with a mild soap, apply some antibacterial gel, and cover it with a bandage. If the boil does not burst after some time, consult with your doctor who can remove it in another way.

Impetigo. Impetigo can be treated with a topical antibiotic cream which can help with the infection, and most commonly your doctor will prescribe either mupirocin or retapamulin for this. In some more severe cases, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic. Always make sure to take a full course of an antibiotic and follow your doctor’s advice.

Cellulitis. In most cases of cellulitis, doctors will advise the elevation of the area and an oral antibiotic. If cellulitis does not change or respond in three days after the treatment, consult with your doctor who may advise one dose or more of IV antibiotics.

Natural Remedies

There are many natural and alternative remedies for staph bacteria caused infections, however, not all of them work as well as conventional medicine does. Some of these remedies are simply not potent enough to solve the infection issues, and in most cases, a staph infection can only be diagnosed by a professional who will conduct special tests. Also, most of the time, staph infections will require an antibiotic treatment, and since in severe cases they can even be life-threatening, it is very important to go to your doctor and deal with the problem professionally.

However, if you do decide to help the antibiotics with the use of some natural elements, here are a few methods of treatment at home:

Tea Tree Oil has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which makes it effective against staph infection. According to the study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, tea tree oil proved to be a good antimicrobial for the treatment of staph infections. You can put 2 to 3 drops of tea tree essential oil on a moistened cotton swab and dab it on the area. Leave the oil on for a couple of hours and then wash it off. You can also mix a couple of drops of tea tree oil with one teaspoon of honey or aloe vera and apply to the affected area.

Turmeric. Another antimicrobial and an anti-oxidant with anti-inflammatory properties which can help with the staph infection. You can simply apply turmeric powder on your skin several times a day, or boil 4 cups of water in which you will add one teaspoon of turmeric, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain and drink three times a day.

Manuka Honey. A type of honey originating from New Zealand has antibacterial and natural healing properties which can help with the staph infection by sterilizing the wound and speeding up the healing process while getting rid of the infection in the process. You can apply Manuka honey on the affected area and let it sit for a few hours. Wash it off and repeat several times a day.

Garlic. Being a natural antibiotic, garlic can fend off bacteria and help diminish the symptoms of the infection. Start by cleaning the affected area and smearing some garlic oil on it. Cover with a bandage and let sit for a few hours. Remove the bandage and repeat several times a day. Additionally, you can include garlic in your daily diet and eat raw garlic cloves on an empty stomach each day.

Oregano Oil. Oregano oil has antibiotic properties, and its chemical makeup is great when it comes to reducing infections. You can mix 8 to 10 drops of oregano oil with two tablespoons of olive oil and apply to the affected area and leave on for a couple of hours. Rinse off and reapply a few times a day. Alternatively, add about five drops of oregano oil to a glass of fruit juice and drink twice a day for about a week. Take note that if you are pregnant, you should avoid taking oregano oil.