Tea Tree oil, also known as Melaleuca oil, is extracted from the leaves of the Malaleuca plant which is native to Australia.
The medicinal benefits of tea Tree oil were discovered in the 1920s when the researcher Arthur Penfold discovered that it had antimicrobial properties. In fact, he discovered that it was 11 times stronger than phenol.
Tea Tree oil was used extensively until the end of World War 2 when penicillin took over as the “go to” remedy for treating various conditions. Following World War 2, mainstream use of Tea Tree oil declined until the 1970s when people began to investigate natural remedies further.
That’s great…but how does that benefit me?
When applied topically, Tea Tree oil displays the following properties:
- Antiviral
- Antibacterial
- Antifungal
- Antiseptic
Importantly for MRSA sufferers, when used topically, it has been proven in clinical studies to be more effective at preventing the transmission of MRSA than antibiotic creams.
Can anybody use it?
Unless you are allergic, pretty much anybody can use Tea Tree oil although pregnant women should avoid many essential oils.
Also, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to dilute your Tea Tree oil before applying to your skin although this isn’t necessary for everyone.
Personally I found that as a general rule, I did not need to dilute the Tea Tree oil before applying it to my skin.
HOWEVER, if you intend to apply it to sensitive skin such as the armpits or groin (where MRSA often “hangs out”) you MUST dilute it in a carrier oil such as Olive oil.
Also, be aware that Tea Tree oil is harmful if swallowed which is why I suggest that it be used for topical treatment of boils and/or MRSA only.
What else can I use Tea Tree oil for?
Due to its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities, you can use it for various conditions, not just as a treatment for MRSA.
Tea Tree oil is often found in natural soap and shampoo products because of its medicinal properties.
I highly recommend a Tea Tree oil soap for showering and/or bathing if you are suffering from MRSA. This is because MRSA commonly resides on the skin, often colonising the groin, armpits and nasal cavity and is fairly easily “washed” off the skin.
As I’m sure you would have guessed, I personally used Tea Tree oil extensively during my battle with MRSA as both a topical treatment and as a soap.
Even after I began using other topical treatments such as Allimed cream/gel, Oregano oil, and Manuka honey, I always used Tea Tree oil to cleanse the wound or boil prior to applying the other product.
I used successfully used inhalations to target any MRSA colonising my nasal cavity. Tea Tree was one of the oils I used in these inhalations.
A word of warning about the inhalations…..start slowly, with small shallow breaths. If you go too hard, too fast, you will feel a strong burning sensation up your nose….not cool!
Would I recommend Tea Tree for MRSA treatment?
As with all the “products” that I recommend…YES.
BUT, it needs to be part of a holistic approach. There is no “magic bullet” but if you combine all of the techniques I recommend in my book, I have no doubt that you will recover.
I hope this advice helps you on your recovery from MRSA and feel free to leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading…
Jeremy
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate of this product.