This is not medical advice.
“Staph infection” is way too simplistic, and I wonder if it even is Staph. A rash is extremely nonspecific - could mean anything. “Health gurus” that game the SEO system on Google rankings tend to interpret literature in a very superficial way that can cause harm. Gullible sites parrot claims. “Natural” is not inherently good - plenty of dangerous possibilities.
For example, coconut oil may affect the lipid coating of some bacteria. But why would you think is “good”? Because some “health guru” from a Google search said so and told you “natural” good “antibiotics” bad? If that’s really true, it’s simple - the primary effect would be to reduce normal flora as a “natural antibiotic” for routine use - which may be bad! They are contradicting the so-called evils of antibiotics and they flip their own logic when convenient. That’s how you know you should stay far away from that BS. Either they don’t work or they don’t work the way you think such that you don’t want them to work!
Please avoid sloppy thinking from Google-ranked “gurus” and follow scientists/infectious disease physicians who are meticulous and systematic with evidence-based medicine, preferably with research experience. The antimicrobial choice should be tailored to each individual. That’s why every single time physicians consult infectious disease physicians if it is unclear!
I’ll share my infection prevention mainstays, based on my geography, meds, genetics, individual situation, risk factors, etc. It has no application to anyone else due to the complexities of how bacterial infection, how empirical antibiotics work, as well as antibiotic stewardship, etc.
I also found Dr. Green’s abx potentially dangerous - explained in depth elsewhere - trying to figure out his rationale but nowhere to be found. I primarily use doxy when indicated instead of Zpak which I can’t wrap my head around.
You must consult an infectious disease physician expert for yourself:
For prevention, oral hygiene (inc electronic toothbrush, guava leaves, constant flow of green tea, bamboo floss, dental visits q2yrs), custom topical synbiotics for skin, for MRSA nares decolonization CAP, I use topical mupirocin as needed, wear mask (cheap filter for air pollution - indoor and outdoor), avoid injury (all kinds), avoid any skin disorders with derm, don’t rub eyes, nose breathing except exercise/eating, exercise (circulation), wash hands after patient room using regular soap and water, shower every other day with soap limited to genital, armpits, mild salicylic acid cleanser USP every day, feet cleaned with urea USP cream once in a while, anti-fungal powder in shoes, Picaridin if at risk of insect bites, 2% ketoconazole shampoo USP, tretinoin USP at night, tazarotene 0.1% USP foam cleanser for the back. I have a wide range of vaccines and experimental vaccines that have already been done (ie GBS) and always get everything on schedule (ie get your shingles shot! You can lose eyesight with herpes zoster ophthalmicus s/o with bacterial infection)
For limited impetigo, I use topical mupirocin bid x 5d
For abscess, extensive systemic assuming neutropenia/immunosuppression from Rapa: I&D with concierge physician asap + doxy 100 mg po bid 7-14d
Erysipelas/uncomplicated, non-purulent, lymphangitis: Cefazolin 1g IV q8h
Nec Fasc with water or if I might have vibrio with raw seafood: doxy 100 mg po bid 7-14d
MRSA bacteremia/pre-septic: Go to ED ASAP while calling my concierge physician to coordinate and get to a hospital bed where there is availability, tell them my procalc baseline if >=0.25 then tell them to get the right abx and forward any early STAT swabs/culturesx2 from concierge as applicable just in case, if already done much earlier, so I get to the right antibiotics based on susceptibilities sooner than any other similar patient by 24 hrs+ and have quick proof of severity so they take it seriously.
Not comprehensive. I have a much longer list for every single possible infection. These are just the basic skin-related ones.
Again, not medical advice. There is nonapplicability for individuals based on too many factors. This is for my own use and for my SO to give to my physician if I’m incapacitated or have too much confusion from say sepsis. Antibiotics aren’t a simple subject and you should never try to treat sepsis or something that can become sepsis on your own without a physician! Can be deadly.
You should consult your physician for advice if you have any medical issues.
Beware urgent care clinics often look as if they are staffed by physicians, but many aren’t. The easy-in for private equity firms by using the cheapest lowest quality labor possible, high profits, and high demand is why they own a large chunk of the market. Most of the rest is hospital owned and they tend to use the same max profit, minimal patient safety formula.
I’ve literally seen enough deaths by skin infection (ie cellulitis by MRSA) to sepsis (including younger patients btw) to know a concierge physician with labs who can run suspicious things STAT and prescribe everything right before they become an issue, fight on my behalf with medical records and previous abx use while providing extremely accurate medical information (including pharmacogenetics information to warn them to avoid certain antibiotics due to risks of possible severe side effects and get better predicted dosing) and avoid cognitive errors in the ED, access to my chart on the EHR to re-read imaging and EKGs, while saving on stupid hospital chargemaster prices while my insurance company dukes it out and charges me big copay, charge me the exact same amount for far better quality with cheaper “copay” on in-house labs, and get me a hospital bed when needed ASAP with my SO is just golden - even if I’m suffering confusion. I also have a few experimental emergency options available (ie whole blood exchange, esmolol, and iloprost/eptifibatide) in specific cases.
Think about this - do you really want to roll the dice on increased mortality because of things like a lack of ICU beds, mistakes in triaging, or misdiagnosis in urgent care when say it’s something like cellulitis that can be treated far earlier for much cheaper?
Prevention is clearly way cheaper than the ED.
Just see how the private equity firms work in healthcare and what type of lobbying they support. It’s pretty easy to work it out.
? My infections (have not had one in a while on Rapamycin but fielded a few in the past) usually start with one lesion (which may look a large papule but over the next few days, despite an exploits of a mass amounts of clear fluid but are just as inflamed the next morning and look just “off.” The infection can come on very subtle, one small uninflected blemish on the skin because so over the next few days- my spreading leaves small gaps in parts of my faces than groups of not normal sized pustules that appear almost in patches. Almost always, my infected lesions will burn just from the hot water so it’s obvious. A culture is always nice to all back on but typical treatment for suspected uncomplicated methicillin susceptible staph or strep- something like Cephalexin (Klex) and a topical anti starch/strep prescription ointment.