**8 March 2008 UPDATE - New Reader Submissions
______________
If you’ve ever had a boil anywhere on your body, you know how painful these suckers can be.
You can take antibiotics to get rid of the infection, but sometimes going the natural route is much more effective, especially when the bacteria has for some reason grown resistant to regular antibiotics (which is happening more and more often).
Turmeric is an extremely effective cure for boils and is found to work well when all other methods fail.
You can use turmeric two ways.
Method 1: Eat it, or drink it. Simple enough, but most of us might have trouble swallowing raw turmeric. So do what suits you.
Some suggestions include adding the turmeric to:
- water
- tea
- chocolate milk
If you’re able to cook, add it to some:
- broth
- vegetable/chicken/beef soup
Whatever method you choose to take the turmeric, the dose is 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder three times a day, and more if you can take it.
Method 2: Apply turmeric paste over the boil. You can either use water or milk to make the thick paste. Keep it covered with a bandage. (Be prepared to see a temporary yellow tinge on your skin from the turmeric, though! This will fade in a couple of weeks, and I think its a small price to pay for getting rid of the boil.)
Although there’s two popular methods here, I would recommend using both at the same time.
This way you’re attacking the infected boil internally, by cleaning your body and skin of infection, and even more importantly, preventing the boil from re-infecting the surrounding skin (one boil can sometimes spread to more, or recur after some time elsewhere).
And the turmeric that’s applied externally would hasten the drainage of the boil.
Why turmeric works: Turmeric contains curcumin, which has antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin is a remarkable substance that scientists have studied for its abilities to fight cancer.
This page has received some useful information shared by generous commenters. To help you find this information easily, I’ve created a “linked list” of selected comments according to topic.
I will update this list periodically as more comments come in.
Thank You to all the commenters for sharing!
[TIP: For easy navigation, click on the link to read comment, followed by the Back button on your browser to return to the list.]
Alternative methods to curing boils submitted by commenters
- Turmeric and Honey
Henrietta successfully drained her boil with a honey and turmeric paste left on overnight.
- Boil Ease or Draw Out Salve (commercial product)
Nik used Boil Ease which made his boil recede in 3 days (it costs about $10 and can be bought over-the-counter at CVS, Rite Aid, Eckard in the First Aid section).
- Potato or Peach Tree Leaves
Sheila mentions her father’s remedy of using a scraped potato or peach tree leaves.
- Tea Tree Oil and Spirits of Camphor
Sage mentions putting tea tree oil and camphor on boils. She also describes mixing turmeric with black seed oil and yoghurt to avoid constipation.
Special Medical Conditions
- Kidney transplant patients
Vicky asked if turmeric is safe for kidney transplant patients such as herself. My detailed answer here with links to external studies.
- Pregnant women
Catherine asked if turmeric is safe to eat during pregnancy. Small amounts like those used in cooking appears to be safe but larger amounts is not advisable as not much is known about the effects to the mother and infant.
More information found on external sites: here and here (the second is a forum where some Indian ladies share their experiences with pregnancy and eating turmeric)
Viruses can not be killed by antibiotics therefore do not respond to antibiotics anyway. boils are most often caused by a bacterial infection of the hair folicles.
can this be used by a pregant woman
my grandaughter has several under her arm she can not take script because of pregancy is this safe
PS you didnt say how much to take with a drink
Hi catherine, I found contradicting views when checking on whether or not turmeric is safe for pregnant women.
On one hand, turmeric is used in so many Indian dishes that many Indians ingest turmeric everyday.
On the other hand, I also found a quote that mentions how turmeric cannot be recommended during pregnancy or breast-feeding in large amounts (greater than what is normally found in food) as turmeric may stimulate contractions of the uterus and may alter menstrual periods.
To give you an idea of how much is in “foods” - in most Indian dishes, very little turmeric is actually added (usually a pinch or half a teaspoon). But so little an amount may not have much of an effect to clear your daughter’s boils.
You can go to this page
to read up more on using turmeric. There are many user accounts of it.
But I can’t tell you for sure whether or not it is safe for your daughter to take turmeric as I don’t know myself. Perhaps its better to err on the side of caution and at least wait until she has given birth and stopped breastfeeding?
Tumeric is probably helpful externally and internally. One does not need to eat a jar full to get benefit. better yet, ask “why am I getting a boil?” Answer in almost every instance is too much rancid oil in the diet, or just too much oil, usually complicated by other poor quality food being eaten such as white flour and sugars. Result is over-burdened lymphatic system and hyper-stimulated immune system. Easy way to clear the system is to eat nearly zero fat diet of organic brown rice and steamed vegetables. For meat, eat only steamed fish high in omega 3 with fat and skin trimmed off. One does not need a pound a day. 4 ounces per day is more than enough. Then eat some boiled beans or lentils with this. This type of eating will restore a clogged lymphatic system in a week in most cases and will result in cleaner blood not clogged with fat. Insulin levels will return to normal also. Key is getting guts clean, which will clean blood and lymph systems. If these systems are clogged with fat and excess protein and sugars, over-refined food, then that person should expect to be sickly and infected all of the time. Tumeric will not rescue a person from a bad diet. No magic bullets for poor eating habits.
It works: I had a strange boil for over 4 weeks, it kept getting bigger until I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to take action. I’m seeing my doctor Monday but on Friday I started applying Hydrocortisone cream…with no effect. Then, Saturday night, I made a topical paste of honey and turmeric, left it on overnight with gauze bandages…in the morning, I felt that the boil was smaller, and when I looked under the gauze–it was a miracle! The boil had started to drain! Definitely a very effective home remedy. Strongly recommended.
Hi,
Before you apply the spices please take five minutes to read the “paper” at:
http://www.bobpark.com/Articles/SevenSigns.htm
I’m not going to say more but you need to read this. I am a science teacher, not a doctor.
Before you post crap like that vodoo medicine piece maybe you should give some facts instead of give us this anti-natural bs that your doctors and pharmaceutical companies push. If you have facts against this working post it otherwise shut the F up!
Thanks for summing up the load of shite that painful article was. BTW have read it before too. I am a Scientist and Naturopath…..and proud of it. (lots of)Pharmadrugs are so anti-health. Turmeric rocks for more than a boil do a simple pub med search for evidence… you will become a fan.
A few points:
1. The original article wrongly mentions about viruses causing boils. AFAIK, they are caused by a bacterial infection. Someone correctly commented above “viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics”
2. True, more and more bacteria are becoming resistant and that is mainly due to antibiotics abuse.
3. I have bad boils (some really painful ones) and although antibiotics and turmeric have cured it, they somehow do reappear once in 1-2 months, which puzzles me since I thought antibiotics would get rid of them once and for all. Thanks to the Very good comment above on “preventing” boils, I realized that the main reason is my poor diet (too much oil, white flour & sugar).
4. The biggest boil I had was of nearly an inch in diameter in my armpits. Don’t know if its true but somewhere I read that boils in armpits can be caused by anti-perspirant deodrants.
5. Last but not the least, turmeric stains on clothes will not go! So us gauze or bandage to cover the turmeric paste applied on the boil.
how do u make this tumeric powder?
Most people would buy the powder than making it themselves. You can buy turmeric powder in most good supermarkets, look either under the spice section, or the Asian food section. If you can find it where you live, ethnic Indian food stores will also sell turmeric cheaper and in bulk.
To make the paste, just add water to the turmeric.
I want to say that I am so glad for this article and all the comments that everyone has left. I have suffered from hydroatnitis (boils) since I was about 10 years old. I have seen them progress into the monsters that they are now. I have done the hot towels, the peroxide baths, injections from the dermatologist, plastic surgery in my arm pits. I still get them in other areas and sometimes more intense. Thank you guys for the information. With changing my diet and stuff I need some help for when they do come up. I also have to thank my friend for giving me this site information. And it’s nice to know that I am not alone. This sounds so much better than going to the hospital everytime they don’t go away.
Oh by the way, where would I but this?At a grocery store or like a Trader Joes
Hi Adrienne, grocery stores with a large spice section might have it. Good luck!
I am a kidney transplant patient and have suffer from boil for quite sometimes. Is tumeric powder is safe for me to take?
Hi Vicky, turmeric seems to be okay and may even be beneficial for kidney transplant patients. However, its still best if you clear it with your doctor first.
Below are some extracts from the web. You can click on the links to read the original text in full.
From cancer.org
“One small study of curcumin (edit: curcumin is found in turmeric), along with another antioxidant called quercetin, was done in adults who received kidney transplants. Those who received the combination in high dosages had fewer transplant rejections than those who received lower doses or placebo. More studies are needed to find out if this holds true. Curcumin may also promote the emptying of the gallbladder, but again, more human studies are needed.”
From drugdigest.com
“In addition to their anticancer effects, antioxidants in turmeric may protect the brain, kidneys, and liver from damage by alcohol, drugs, radiation, heavy metals such as lead, or chemicals such as dry cleaning fluid.”
From tcwellness.com
“Studies on diabetes induced kidney disease show promising indications that cucurmin inhibited the progression of damage. Lesions of the kidneys were reduced and the kidneys continued functioning well with a .05 percent turmeric diet.”
Anyone who is affected by LARGE, PAINFUL boils please try BOIL EASE or DRAW OUT SALVE. This is a true story. I am in no way affiiliated to this company. Boils and their treatment have a special place in my heart because I have had many, many, many large and painful boils… too many to even count. i’ve visited 5 different doctors, have a lot of medical bills from them draining my boils at the hospital, thought I had MRSA… overall, very bad experience. Like everyone said about antibiotic abuse, my doctor would refill my antibiotic Rx weithout me even seeing her EVERY MONTH! that’s how often I got them. Long story short, a friend told me that her doctor recommended BOIL EASE, an over the counter ointment that can be bought at CVS, Rite Aid, Eckard… in the FIRST AID section (i couldnt find it at first). I bought it, used it, my boil was HUGE and it did take a while but it went away in about a week and hasn’t returned. when i get boils now, as soon as i notice them, i put Boil Ease on and it goes away in 3 days. Def. try it! It’s only 10 dollars, they have the cheaper version DRAW OUT SALVE for like 7 dollars. Try it… from someone who has been suffering with this for almost 7 years, you WONT REGRET IT! I feel like I need to pass this information on because I didnt know about it and now I wish I didnt have scars from being operated on for NO REASON!! I wish i had known about this and I hope you all pass this information on as well.
when i was a kid my dad would scrape a potato and wrap it in a gauze and apply it to boils and stys to draw out the infection, it works and if in the right season peach tree leaves poltice is another good source.
I have read all the letters and comments, and nowhere can I find where you say how much turmeric to have and how often. I would like to know. ASAP.
Thank You
Hi Carole, I think you missed this line “the dose is 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder three times a day, and more if you can take it”. HTH!
I must agree with Henrietta’s statement about the importance of changing and improving your diet. Most of my issues with boils have occurred after consuming candy, cake and other sugary sweet baked goods. Dealing with abscesses too was unbearable until I totally removed soda pop from my diet, thus eliminating the abscesses. I also use turmeric (thanks to Earthclinic.com) and Black Seed Oil with plain yogurt when I have a problem. In the past I drank Turmeric with tea, but constipation sometimes resulted. So now, I mix 1 tsp of Turmeric, 1/2 tsp of Black Seed Oil with a half cup of yogurt and it has worked wonders. In addition to turmeric, I also drink Burdock and Echinacea with Goldenseal teas to help strengthen my immune system. Topically, I use Tea Tree Oil and Spirits of Camphor for boils and had great results also.
I have receding gums and finally bought Tumeric. I did find a recipe for the gums, 1 tsp. Tumeric, 1/2 tsp. salt, and you mix it with mustard oil. It makes a paste and you rub it to the gums 2x a day. I was also wondering - I heard that 1 tsp mixed with milk is good for you. How many glasses can you drink a day? And long do you do this?
Oh one more question. I heard that it is good for a face mask! What kind of recipe will work? Thanks!
yes i have many many boils that have came up on my lower belly area after i and my daughter and went to a doctor and thethey put me on bactrin and told me to bath more hello i shower 2 times a day once in the morning and once at night . doesnt seem to help i cant stand it any more i ahve gotten where i lance them my self and i scar i hate it but the doctors wont do any thing. there has to be a reason why i get these and why they keep coming back. i dont just want to drain and get rid of one i want to make them all diapper. never to return agian. they hurt and there ugly my lower tummy is nothing but boil scars. i lost alot of weight and would like to show it off but cant due to the boils and boils scars. its just a nasty sight to see. i want to know if there is a way to get help for them and the scars. i ahve tried everything and i cant handle much more so please if theres any one out there that can help me please let me know thank u