A Woman's Ayurvedic Herbal by Caroline Robertson

Author:Caroline Robertson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612834474
Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing

BOILS

Boils, also known as furuncles, are skin infections that occur in the pores of the skin, sometimes where there is a blocked hair follicle. They can appear on the face, neck and buttocks, and in the armpits. A boil appearing on the eyelid is called a sty.

Symptoms

A boil often starts as a red swelling. The bacteria of the infection mixes with the dead skin cells to create a swelling under the skin that grows as the white blood cells fill the area with pus. At this stage, a throbbing pain may manifest in the area. After about four to seven days, the boil usually bursts, letting the pus drain away and leaving the skin underneath clear of infection.

Ayurvedic Treatment

Boils are a sign of impure blood, poor immunity, excess heat and compromised liver function. Ayurveda resolves boils by prescribing a cooling and cleansing diet along with blood-purifying, antibacterial herbs. External poultices help to drawoutthe infection, reduce pain and promote scarless healing. Antibacterial herbs to cleanse the blood include neem leaf powder or decoction, aloe vera juice, Indian myrhh, sarsaparilla, turmeric, shatavari and triphala. Western echinacea and Swedish bitters are also excellent blood purifiers. A poultice of ground flaxseed soaked in a warm infusion of neem, sandalwood and turmeric is very effective for drawing out the pus, disinfecting the area and reducing inflammation.

Lifestyle Changes

Boils can easily spread and even multiply into painful carbuncle clusters if squeezed prematurely or if they are not disinfected regularly. Always disinfect clothes, bed sheets and other materials that have touched the boil. Keep the boil well coated in antiseptic cream such as neem seed oil, diluted tea tree oil or turmeric cream. The diet to reduce boils should suit the individual's doshic imbalance while pacifying pitta. Heating, fermenting and acidic foods such as yogurt, alcohol, red meat, tomatoes, chilies, onions, garlic, pickles, vinegar, yeast, sugar and sour fruits should be avoided. Coolants such as water, cucumber juice or fresh coconut water help flush out the impurities. Stay out of strong sun and avoid hot showers. Check blood sugar levels for underlying diabetes.

Case Study

Joshua was a 16-year-old pitta type with a boil under his right armpit. His blood sugar level was high and he overindulged in alcohol every weekend. Joshua took a combination of neem, turmeric, madhunashini, and fenugreek to stabilize his blood sugar levels. Daily doses of aloe vera juice and sarsaparilla were given to cool and purify the blood. A poultice of ground flaxseed, sandalwood, neem powder and turmeric was applied to draw out the infection. Once the head had burst, a comfrey ointment was applied to heal the area.

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