Home Remedies for Boils: What Works and What to Avoid

Turmeric

Posted by Mel (British Columbia, Canada) on 04/05/2014
★★★★★

This was a number of years ago now (i just realized that I have used many remedies from this site- always turn to it first- but never posted any of my results), I was in the last month of my pregnancy and I became afflicted with 2 boils, one beside the other, grew to about the size of golf balls; located right in the crease of my groin. It was sooooo painful I could barely walk and cried often (I'm not much of a crier, but I was so frustrated too). I didn't want to take antibiotics b/c of the baby, but I had to do something..... so I went to the Dr.and they prescribed a week of antibiotics which didn't even phase the boils. Then they say my only option is to lance them. I'm weeks away from giving birth! I do not want open wounds there while I'm trying to push a child out of me!!! Omg, this was a nightmare!

I turned to Earthclinic (which I should've followed my instincts and done it first! ) for a natural and safe for the baby remedy. Turmeric was it. Read a lot of positive reviews so I decided to try it. I couldn't handle taking it in warm water like suggested and found another person had buried it in a spoonful of yogurt. Tried that and down the hatch it went, painlessly. And within 15 - 20 minutes I got the tingle inside the boils. They started to drain almost immediately. I kept taking the turmeric about 3x daily. The boils continued to drain for 4 days, with such relief!!!! I never forced anything, just let it do its own thing and they were gone within a week, with barely even a red mark to show for it. Natural, cheap, effective, safe home remedy with no side effects or scarring!!!! It was amazing! I have used it a couple of times since as well, actually as soon as I feel a little bump that might turn into a boil, I use the turmeric and it goes away before it gets to a point of having to drain. I LOVE Earthclinic, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Turmeric

Posted by Perry (Chicago, Il) on 07/05/2013
★★★★★

Spent hundreds of dollars, every kind of boil meds on the market. Turmeric is amazing. I took 1500 ml a day for one week boils are gone! Turmeric is the best way to get rid of boils.

Turmeric

Posted by Debbie (Tulsa, Oklahoma) on 06/10/2013
★★★★★

Turmeric for Boils: For a year boils have been coming to the surface on my belly in the fatty tissue. They never come to a head but they come up and turn black and, then, they are reabsorbed into the body. At first I thought this was okay. Then, I saw they kept returning again and again, but never to come to a head or heal completely in any way. They would remain dark blue and black for weeks but never do anything but gradually fade away leaving black scars.

I tried a warm tincture of charcoal and ground flax seed as a compress atop the boils. That did not draw out the toxins by bringing it to a head but helped reduce the boil and left black markings like a tattoo. I remember they would remain black for weeks at a time never coming to a full head! Eventually, they would disappear but new boils returned again and again, but never came to a head. It has been an endless cycle.

This time I ingested 1 tsp. Turmeric in about a cup of warm water with a dash of black pepper before bed. I thought, "Why not give it a try?" I covered them with sterile gauze and taped down with duct tape. The next morning I was shocked to find the the boils were extremely swollen and had come to a head! I really was lazy with it and forgot to drink again until that afternoon. Thi time I applied clean gauze and a compound mixture of 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal and 1 tsp of turmeric in the water. I heated this up and used a dropper to soak the gauze pads with it. Then, I taped these soaked gauze pads over the boils with duct tape to keep steady. By evening they had burst on their own and were draining profusely. 24 hours! The boil in the area known for frequent recurring boils seems like a very deep wound indicative the turmeric worked from the inside out. It hurts very much as though I've been stabbed, but I'm glad to know it is truly healing for a change. I will continue to drink the turmeric water daily until all sign of them are gone and maybe occasionally just for good measure. Boy, I'm glad I found this remedy! I have even tried silvadene in the past with no luck. Turmeric works!

Turmeric

Posted by Marsh (Denver, Co) on 05/08/2013
★★★★★

After removal of a hemorrhoid, an abcess developed next to the end of the suture. Dealed with the intense pain for 3 days (Doc's office said to take Tylenol & a cold compress until it went away or opened - 2-7 days. Nuts to be so miserable while playing the wait & see game). Tried tumeric mid-morning and by that evening, the abcess broke, immediate relief. Another just returned and after tumeric, it again went away just as fast. This time I'm sipping the concoction throughout the day (it can cause heart palpitations and did bring mine back slightly) and taking a probiotic with high strain bacteria for lower intestine & colon in the AM, grapefruit seed extract in juice at noon and oil of oregano (ingestible only) in the evening to purge whatever bacteria I may have that's causing these PIAs - pain in the ___). Also starting 5 element acupuncture to assist in releasing stress that causes so many of these problems.

Recipe: 1 teaspoon tumeric powder, 4 cups water, 1 cup vanilla almond/soy milk and black pepper for absorption. (The recommended ratio of tumeric to black pepper is 1:1 but I sprinkle in so it won't become too spicy)

Amazing! Thank you Earth Clinic & Fans

Turmeric

Posted by Zee (New Orleans, Louisiana, United States) on 11/21/2012
★★★★★

Turmeric is AMAZING for treating boils. I felt one coming on my inner thigh and read about turmeric treatments for boils on this site and decided to try it. I mixed a teaspoon of turmeric in 8 oz of water and drank it. I also made a paste of turmeric, olive oil and tea tree oil and applied it to the area where the boil was coming in. In about 12 hours the boil started going away! The pain went away as well. I drank the turmeric and water mixture again the next morning and applied the paste again and in 24 hours the boil is virtually gone! This is INCREDIBLE!

I am also bathing with antibacterial/antimicrobial soap for the next few weeks as well. I will probably start drinking turmeric and water regularly because I can feel that it is purifying me from the inside somehow. I don't know exactly how but it's cleansing me and it feels WONDERFUL!

I am so amazed by this experience that I am thinking about studying Herbal Medicine!!!

Turmeric

Posted by Topdog (Naples, Florida) on 07/03/2012
★★★★★

I recently used a tumeric and aloe vera paste applied to MRSA boil under my armpit. Within a day, the boil decreased in size by 50%. After three days, the boil was gone. Be aware... Wrap the area well as tumeric will stain any garments you may wear! I've also mixed a quarter teaspoon with an ounce of REAL maple syrup and 8 ounces of DISTILLED water. I believe that this nasty infection travels through your bloodstream so it won't hurt to try it. You'll notice a soothing feeling in your stomach and I actually felt calmness while sleeping. I hope this helps for you as it has helped me.

Turmeric

Posted by Mike (Glendale, Az) on 05/21/2012
★★★★★

Never believed in natural cures for anything, but after one night and 4 tumeric 450mg pills... the worst boil on my butt has decreased half its size, and pain is gone.

Was just about to go to ER and get it lanced, when I woke up today I was amazed in the drastic change. I can credit nothing else, but tumeric, and this website for the info I found on it,

Thanks to all who posted their stories.....

-Mike

Turmeric

Posted by Gavin (Manganui, Northland, New Zealand) on 05/04/2012
★★★★★

I've had a boil on my pants line for a month with a small hole in it which ive squeezed out some mucky looking stuff. So I put a tea spoon of tumeric in a glass of soya milk and downed it twice a day, over a couple of days.. I also mixed some honey with tumeric and applied to the boil. It is now draining well.. Tumeric definitely works.

Turmeric

Posted by Cl503 (Portland, Or - Oregon, United States) on 04/18/2012
★★★★★

Bit of a back story.. I experienced my first boil about 1 month ago, on my inner thigh, I believe caused by an ingrown hair. I thought it was abnormally large, and drained a lot, but never thought it to be a boil, because I had never had one. Anyway, it drained and went away(leaving a scar, anyone know how to help get rid of those in the pubic region?)... But about 4 days ago, I noticed a red bump (that grew quickly, and swelled a lot) on the exact opposite spot on my other thigh... Like complelely mirrored spot. I read posts, started taking 4 turmeric capsules, and applying oil of oregano and all sorts of helpful home remedies... I didn't notice much of a difference.. So I just went to the kitchen, and used actual turmeric spice, a cap full of it in grapefruit juice. I also made a paste of oregano oil and turmeric and applied it with a bandaid. The swelling has gone down quite a bit already. I am hoping it drains tonight. If I remember, ill update. Regardless, try turmeric! Bulk spice, not capsules.

Turmeric

Posted by Gaeaellen (Lismore, Nsw, Australia) on 03/24/2012
★★★★★

Tumeric! Tumeric! Tumeric! Couldn't recommend more! Yes drink it with pepper in warm water/milk and apply it to the area in a poultice making a very warm paste out of turmeric powder, ginger powder - sometimes onion grated in as well. When using onion make sure there is a cloth between your skin and the paste as it will burn! And then to speed up the drawing out process my Aunty had read in a children's book the story of an African Bush Healer - pretty cute but the method worked a treat!! Step 1: Find a small glass jar or bottle and fill it with boiling water just a centimetre or two below the lip of the jar or bottle Step 2: With the boil exposed, pick up the jar with a cloth or towel as the glass is VERY HOT, pour out the water and then gently place over the boil. Step3: Release immediately if too hot and wait a second or two till it's cooler and leave for a couple of minutes over the boil. Step:4 Watch and wait! You will see the pus and blood being drawn to the surface at the head of the boil as the heat sucks everything in towards the jar! Quite fascinating!! Step 5: To release when you are happy with how much has come out press down on the skin around the jar to break the seal and allow air into the jar making it easier to pull off.

I did this once in the morning and once at night with poultices in between.

Good Luck!!

Turmeric

Posted by Nic (Athens, Greece) on 02/04/2012
★★★★★

Hi again dear Earthclinic and its readers.

I have said already in 2009 that turmeric was and still is the best remedy for boils (and not only! ) but I have found a combination that in my case cured the new boils in a day, and healed fast too. The boils didn't become huge this time because I always use turmeric in soups or other food.

My discovery is:

I added danish blue cheese. I searched your site but so far I haven't found any reference.

Danish Blue cheese (Danablue) a popular not too expensive brand, in something I call turmeric soup, with two teaspoons of turmeric, olive oil, 100gr of this cheese, black pepper and boiled onions and garlic and fresh tomato. It is easy to cook fast and it has great taste in my opinion, add the cheese last... but anyway, I recommend blue cheese as a general antibiotic that boosts the benefits of turmeric.

Thank you,

and thanks EarthClinic,

Nic.

ps: someone told me that pineapple is also a great natural antibiotic.

Turmeric

Posted by Karyn (Charlotte, Nc) on 01/11/2012
★★★★★

I first noticed a 'pinch' on my butt on Friday. It was hard to look at the exact spot because it was kind of between the cheeks, but each day it became more and more sore.

By Monday, it was a full-blown boil, the worst one I've ever had and having to sit on it all day at work was absolute agony. I came over to Earth Clinic for help, always my first source for home remedies.

I should have started the turmeric much earlier; I bought a large bag of it last year when I had a small outbreak of boils.

Monday night after work, I mixed a teaspoon of turmeric into warm water and drank it. That was rough; not the best method for me. Before bed, I took a second teaspoon mixed into about 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil (after reading fat is important for the turmeric to work best). I also spread a small amount of oil onto a bandage, sprinkled turmeric over the top of it, and slept with that on the boil.

Tuesday morning, the bandage was soaked, so I knew the boil had begun to drain. It felt smaller (due to its location on my body, it is hard to look at it) but was still quite painful. I washed it thoroughly and started my Tuesday with a half teaspon of turmeric (the full teaspoon gave me brief heart palpitations) in coconut oil and headed to work. Before the day had ended, it began to drain again, this time with much blood.

Home again, I took my turmeric/coconut oil and added black pepper after reading on EC that the pepper increased the bioavailability of turmeric. I took a dose at 5:30 and again at 8:30 before bed. Also, I again slept with a poultice of coconut oil and turmeric taped over the boil.

Today is Wednesday; the drainage seems to be nearly complete and the pain is nearly gone! It's absolutely amazing; when I have had boils in the past, and have not used turmeric, it seems to take 10 or more days to fully get rid of them.

I intend to continue with my 3x per day dosing until there is no pain or swelling there at all and then I think I'll just add a half teaspoon with black pepper and coconut oil to my morning routine for maintenance.

Thank you Earth Clinic!

Turmeric

Posted by Dior (Gold Coast, Australia) on 12/19/2011
★★★★★

Tumeric is insane. I put 1tsp in 1/3 cup warm water and plain water after. Next morning nearly gone it was huge extremely red now looks nearly skin color and so pain no more. Its amazing will do again tonight and I think tomorrow gone, gone!

Turmeric

Posted by P.f. (Vancouver, Bc, Canada) on 11/12/2011
★★★★★

Dear Earthclinic,

A big thank you for your existence and support for usage of natural remedies.

As a healthcare worker I have been dealing with unpleasant boils (very likely, but hard to accept MRSA boils) on my body especially buttocks area for the last two months. Two days ago I began drinking turmeric mixed in warm water twice a day - morning and evening. What a difference it has made. The boils are dissapearing, and I must give all the credit to turmeric as I have not done any other dietary changes.

Kind regards,

P.F.

Turmeric

Posted by Caitlin (New York, NY) on 11/10/2011
★★★★★

My 8 year old daughter got a large boil on her face after getting the flu last week. I looked up boil remedies on this site and saw the turmeric remedy. I gave her 1/8 of a teaspoon in warmed almond milk twice a day in between meals and her boil started to heal within 24 hours. The entire healing process took about 4 days. Now there's just a small pink mark in its place.