Ginger and Turmeric Poultice for Boils: This is an Ayurvedic home remedy to draw out impurities from under the skin. It is recommended for boils by Ayurvedic Doctor Vasant Lad in the book “New Choices In Natural Healing”, but if could also be good for drawing out any impurities from under the skin, including blemishes and splinters. This book, “New Choices In Natural Healing”, is edited by Bill Gottlieb from ‘Prevention’ magazine and published by Rodale Press, Pennsylvania, 1995.
To make the ginger and turmeric poultice, you combine a half teaspoon of ginger powder with half a teaspoon of turmeric. A little warm water is added, just enough to make an appliable paste. The location of the boil is to be rubbed with the paste, and and then covered with gauze. Wrap up the area with a bandage if possible, and leave for half an your. Then unwrap, and rinse off. The whole process may be repeated until the boil, or the splinter, is drawn out.
Turmeric is a strong dye which is used to dye fabric, so make sure not to wear your good clothes when using this remedy. Your skin will be coloured yellow-orange for a time, but this will fade with each wash and be gone after a couple of weeks.
Homeopathic Prevention and Remedies For Boils:
Dr John H. Clarke who wrote “The Prescriber” homeopathic handbook, recommends Arnica 3, 8h. for when there is a tendency to boils, to help prevent them. Sulphur 3, 6h. is another useful remedy to help prevent boils from forming. Sulphur is a cleansing remedy, which makes it good for the prevention of boils.
Dr John Clarke recommends Sulphur 3, 6h to be taken for a time if boils keep appearing. Belladonna 3, 2h. is a good remedy to use if the boil has already begun to form.
Dr Clarke mentions Echinacea *, gtt. v. 4h. if there is a low fever with the boil, and Anthrac. 30-200, 6h if there is a succession of boils. Of course all these remedies need to be made up by a homeopathic pharmacist. But the 6C, 12C, or 30C potencies of the above remedies will also work, but more slowly than John Clarke’s recommendations.
Homeopathic Silica can be used to boost the immune system, to help prevent boils. John Clarke gives Silica 3, gr. v. 6h. to treat the boil at the later end of treatment. Phytolacca is a good remedy to use if boils occur after an illness with fever.