Honey heals wounds- Research to back it

FloridaLady

Many of you know I have been battling skin mets with open wounds.  One of the dear ladies on this site pointed me too honey.  I was shocked all the documented research on this and again it has been around for 2,000 years.  The key is it has hydrogen peroxide in it and polychemicals. Here is just one article. 

www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=862195#

FloridaLady

Ask Your Doctor: Is Honey Wound Salve Right For You?

Linda von Wartburg
Oct 31, 2007

The use of honey as a healing salve was recently the subject of a review of eighteen studies covering over sixty years. According to the study author, Dr. Fasal Raul Khan, honey was the bee's knees for wound healing throughout ancient history - it was even found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun, still edible after all those years.

The efficacy of honey in wound healing was the topic of research in the early 20th century, but it lost popularity when antibiotics were introduced in 1940. Now it's regaining ground, partially due to concerns about antibiotic resistance.

According to the study review, honey's high sugar content, low moisture, acidic gluconic acid, and hydrogen peroxide reduce inflammation and swelling. It can apparently help prevent amputations in people with diabetes because it sterilizes infected wounds and speeds healing, especially when wounds have become infected or fail to close.

According to the studies, honey should be reapplied from hourly to twice daily. Wounds so treated may become sterile within three to ten days. It is imperative, though, that you consult with your doctor before slathering honey on any wound

FloridaLady

The brand that was researched the most was medihoney.  I don't know if we can get this in the US...it looks to be blocked from us.

Jenniferz

I don't post to you very often, and it's not because I don't care....I just don't know what to say.  However, if you can get this honey, it may be the "sweet" treatment that you need so very mcuh, FloridaLady.

I remember somewhere in the back of my mind, my grandmother always said that honey was a healer.  I had the misfortune of falling off a horse years ago at her house, and landing into barbed wire, and breaking my arm, and getting all cut up.  On the shallow cuts, she put honey....of course, the deep one she left alone, but the others healed, with no scars!! (My dad kept putting it on the others in the days that followed.)

I've got you tucked securily in my thoughts and prayers,

Jennifer

Sassa

Please be careful with the honey.  Honey often contains a natural contaminate of Clostridium spores (in spore stage because the honey is a hostile environment for microbial growth).  However, introducing the spores into a person with a weak immune system due to age (why honey is not good for infants) , immuno-compromising conditions (chemo, anyone?)  or other factors allows the spores to blossom. 

Bingo!! Gas gangrene.

Sterilization is not easily done on honey.  The spores can withstand heat, cold, gas, and radiation. 

hollyann

This was shown on the series The Doctors and not one of them mentioned spores.....Honey is a natural antibiotic................FlaLady sure hope this helps!.......Glad to help out my sisters anytime I can.........

updated to add:    I used honey on a small wound on my breast and it healed it in 3 days whereas I had been trying other stuff for weeks...I am diabetic and heal so slowly....Nothing was making this thing heal up...It would bleed when I showered due to the scab coming off....Well after I put a small amount on a band-aid, I left it on over night and the next day not only was the scab gone and it was not bleeding but I could see new pink skin forming!.......

Sassa

I suggest you Google honey and Clostridium  (put in the "contains all these words"  line).  You will find a myriad listing of the problems of Clostridum in honey.  It is a well known, well documented  problem.

FloridaLady

Do the research on the honey recommended.  It does not say to use just any honey off the shelve.  We are not talking about using it on infants. I saw NOTHING that said harmful to a adult. These are the same people who say not to eat veggies during treatment?  Please read side effects to any medication the doctor offers you.  Is it perfect with no possible side effects? When there is a perfect drug for everyone than I will show concerns about trying something natural. The healing help of honey is well documented fact!  Low immune problem is the reason we have infection in the first place.  I'll take my chances because the doctor's have offered me zero help with skin mets!

Only thing I found that helps is hydrogen peroxide and that is what honey has in it.  Please do your own research and make your own call on the value of this.

makingway

Wow, I hadn't heard that before.Thanks for posting this. I have heard of using sugar to heal wounds. The article I saw used it for people who get bed sores. I also watched a program recently that used maggots to clean and heal a foot wound on a woman who's foot they were going to amputate. It worked! Thank God..

Florida Lady-Are you done with the trial? Are you finding any help out there? My thoughts are with you...

sam52

Both the above were used for my mother when she had a dreadful bedsore, with good results.

The honey which is always touted as being the best is Manuka honey.....amazing stories connected with it.

All the best Flalady

Liz08

I use alot of natural remedies and medicine and am always reading articles on the topic. I recall coming across many articles that support honey for healing different types of skins abrasions and irritations.  I also recall reading testatmonials to this fact. Also,I do recall reding something about Manuka honey as sam52 commented,   I know local honey can be effective in lessoning the symptoms of seasonal allergies as well *there's a method this).  Good luck and let us know how it worked for you.

Liz08

I can't believe that I came upon this article after posting just this morning...here it is...

I just came across a small article about honey that was in the Ladies Home Journal May 2008 issue on page 39.  I know that this article is not from a medical journal but that I would share my find.  It states that "honey possesses a formidable amount of antioxidants, along with antimicrobial and inti-inflammatory properties.  Not all honey is created equal, there is one type, Active Manuka honey from New Zealand, a dark variety with a herbaceous flavor, that has earned high praise from researchers. When ingested-it stimulates the immune system and clear infections. Topically, the FCA recently approved a honey based would-healing product featuring-Manuka honey."

.