From: sbharris@ix.netcom.com(Steven B. Harris)
Subject: Re: Ear Lobe infection
Date: 01 Jan 1997
Newsgroups: misc.health.alternative

In <19970101002800.TAA25969@ladder01.news.aol.com> ddoug34600@aol.com
(DDoug34600) writes:

>Does anyone have any solutions or remedies for an ear lobe that continues
>to harbor infection and continually weeps? I had my ear pierced years
>ago, and continue to suffer with an earlobe that is infected. I've tried
>all kinds of antibiotics as well as injections directly into the affected
>area with no results. I would appreciate any new ideas or concepts


Superficial chronic infections have a great Achilles heel, if you are
patient enough to use it:  you can heat them up to the point that
bacteria cannot reproduce well, but your tissues are fine.  Say, to
temps of 110 F, which your body as a whole would never tolerate.

So, your task is warmth to that earlobe as long as you can each day.
If you are clever you could work up some kind of battery powered
electric element that clips to the thing that you can wear to bed.  Or
perhaps you can do something with a small heating pad and duct tape
<g>.   If not, you may have to settle for trying the old hot water
bottle or heating pad while watching TV.  And of course, none of this
will work as well if you still have a foreign object in the ear.

All this might also need one more antibiotic course while you're at it.
Make sure it includes a drug for staph (Augmentin, Keflex, diclox, or
one of the erythromycin derivitives), and also rifampin 600 mg per day.
Rifampin penetrates tissues well and is stored in neutrophils, where
it goes right to where the ingested staph hang out (and sometimes
aren't being killed).  So it's great for abscesses.  Just don't freak
when your urine turns orange (which it will if you're doing it right),
and remember you have to take it on an empty stomach.

And up your vitamin C dose to a gram or two a day.  This seems to help
a lot in controlling staph abscesses.

                                          Steve Harris, M.D.