Pros, Cons and Comparison of Treatment Approaches

There is no silver bullet when it comes to Staph and MRSA. Antibiotics are becoming less and less effective against MRSA infections every year as the bacteria become resistant to even the newest ‘last resort’ antibiotics. Natural antibiotics must be considered and used instead of, or in conjunction with antibiotics in order to achieve the best results with these dangerous and often deadly infections.

Why you need to look at both conventional Western AND alternative medicine

It is clear that the standard antibiotic methods can no longer be relied upon exclusively. Staph and MRSA are both serious infections that will likely require some type of intervention on your part. MRSA is a type of Staph infection that “generally” is more dangerous because it is more resistant to traditional antibiotics and harder to kill with disinfectants. However, general Staph infections can also be dangerous if not treated promptly and properly.

Fortunately, there are many safe and effective methods for handling these infections beyond the scope of antibiotics. Some of these so called “alternative” methods are successfully used today by mainstream medicine in France, Germany and other modern countries. And, many “natural” antibiotics have been used for thousands of years against bacteria.

Many alternative methods have the added benefit of helping counteract the negative side effects of antibiotics and also boosting the body’s immune system.

There are two main medical approaches:

• Conventional medicine – also called allopathic, traditional, western, or mainstream medicine
• Alternative medicine – also called natural, holistic, naturopathic or integrative medicine

Each approach has its benefits and drawbacks. The table below summarizes some of the key differences between them.

Conventional Medicine Best option for surgeries, trauma care and acute life threatening illness Effective at quickly masking symptoms to provide immediate relief Widely available and covered extensively by insurance Treats symptoms effectively, not the underlying cause Poor record on healing chronic diseases Procedures are often invasive and have undesirable side effects Treats the body in parts, not as a whole Medical schools are structured into organ-specific departments, with little relationship with each other

Alternative Medicine Focus on proactive measures Treats the cause of illness and disease, not just the symptoms More cost effective Methods target whole body, as an interrelated system Generally safe with minimal side effects when used according to directions Best option for chronic diseases Requires more personal education and self direction because it is not taught to most doctors and most patients never hear about it Can take longer to see results because addressing the root cause is more involved than simply masking symptoms

 
Conventional medicine is widespread, universally available and is the standard of care in the Western world. This is the cornerstone of the healthcare system in the USA and is strictly controlled and monitored in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other organizations. The American Medical Association (AMA) ensures that conventional medicine is the focus of all medical schools and helps to perpetuate the paradigm of Western medicine.

Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is not widely used or understood in the Western world. Medical doctors are not taught alternative techniques in medical school and most alternative therapies are not understood or endorsed by conventional medicine.

Despite widespread ignorance and misunderstanding of Alternative medicine, a growing number of people in the Western world are leaning about alternative techniques and using them to great success with MRSA infections and other illnesses.

There is a growing public awareness of the benefits of alternative medicine and more and more medical doctors are taking it on themselves to learn alternative techniques and offer them to their patients.

Naturopathic Doctors (ND) are specifically trained in the use of Alternative medicine and can be a valuable resource to those who wish to use alternatives.

Naturopathic medicine focuses on finding the cause of illness and then stimulating the body’s ability to heal itself – thus resolving the illness and addressing the underlying cause.

Integrative approaches – Combining conventional with alternative medicine

A cutaneous abscess caused by MRSA bacteria.
Photo Credit: CDC/Coignard and Hageman

Most medical doctors have limited knowledge of alternative methods and are not likely to be supportive of these methods or to prescribe them. Some states allow a physician to legally provide any natural therapy that is requested by a patient, which can be beneficial if your doctor is open and willing to work with you.

Many antibiotics now being prescribed are ineffective against MRSA. Many more antibiotics in the future will also lose their effectiveness against this resistant bacteria. It is critical to your long-term health that you learn about and use natural and alternative approaches and combine them with mainstream approaches to maximize your success in treating these dangerous and tenacious infections. MRSA and Staph still succumb to most natural antibiotics being used to today. The key is to find safe and effective sources and to get guidance from a professional. Ideally, you would work with your Medical Doctor and an Alternative Medicine practitioner like a Naturopathic Doctor.

It may take some effort on your part to integrate alternative approaches along with your doctor’s conventional approach. But doing so will make a tremendous difference in resolving your MRSA or Staph infection as well as saving you time, frustration and money in the long run.