Honey and wound care

[Dr Mordrid]

Ran across this in the Oxford Journals;

http://ecam.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/nem175v1.pdf

Also; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0407151107.htm

I have some experience with this as one of the many treatments used on my severe hand infection back in '05 was medical honey, and I must say that healing did accelerate after its application. The maggot therapy helped too.

[RedRed]

Honey was know as an effective treatment for wounds from Egyptian times.


If the articles are too long...

It creates a effective barrier to contamination of wounds
the concentration of sugars help to prevent bacterial growth
helps sloughing dead material
It is hydroscopic, and water is the medium most bacteria need for growth.
It is almost always sterile when harvested
Some honey contain mild antibacterials.

It fell out of favour as a dressing only the late 19th C - when 'reason' kicked in.

Pity the bees are dying off....

PS I have seen maggot therapy in action - in my nursing days. It is really effective where there are circulatory issues compounding/slowing healing especially feet/hands and ischemic (SP!) ulscers. Doc, have you some circulatory issues? If so, hope they don't slow ye up too much.

PPS - I havent heard of both treatments being used in together. I would have thaught that the maggots would have had diffuculty with the honey. Were the maggots used first to slough the wound? or on a different area, or are they combined nowadays?