We see ads on TV for internal medicines to kill toenail fungus, which appears to be common among older adults and can build up under and lift and distort the shape of toenails, eventually making it difficult to wear shoes. The ads contain warnings of side effects, including “sudden death” and liver damage, which make one hesitate to talk to a doctor even if one could afford to. Fungi are difficult to kill because their structure is much closer to animal cells than bacteria and viruses, and therefore what kills a fungus may well kill the patient, especially when taken internally.
I developed a slight case in a few toes over the last few years; a friend of mine had it so bad in all toes that some nails were lifted nearly a half-inch in the front. Oregano oil is a strong antibiotic, so strong that it can burn stomachs and ears. I suspected that it might also be a strong antifungal that can be applied straight to the problem topically, rather than trying to kill every germ in the body to kill a fungus in the toes.
So I started putting Oregano oil on my toes, and gave a bottle to my friend. Mine lost its angry red color in a few weeks and started to shrink. Hers did the same; it has now shrunk enough that she can now wear regular shoes instead of sandals. She continues to use it as the junk slowly grows out, just to make sure it stays dead.
Oregano oil has also become my favorite antibiotic for deep infections that I would normally poultice with cabbage; it is just as effective, without the problems of binding on a poultice. An older cat had a bad abcess on his neck that I didn’t realize was there until it popped and drained, leaving a huge hole in his neck as the skin just melted away from the two wounds. I started giving him garlic oil by mouth, and oregano oil on and in the wounds and surrounding skin, twice daily. Over the next two weeks, the wounds drained as the hole shrank, and I reduced treatment to once a day as the drainage stopped.
At one point, I tried putting Oregano oil in the nearest ear, on the theory that more could be absorbed that way, but it was too harsh and burned his ear canal. It is known to be harsh on stomachs as well, so I prefer to use it externally and use garlic internally at the same time, hitting the germs with two antibiotics at once.
My dog got a bite in his hindquarters that I didn’t realize had broken skin until two holes started draining between his hind leg and belly. I gave him the same treatment as the cat; it healed within two weeks. Right now, my friend has a young tomcat that got in a fight and got an infected paw; he’s getting the same treatment as above, and avoiding a vet visit.
To make Oregano oil: take fresh Oregano, chop it up a bit, put it in a jar, and cover it with olive oil. Set the jar in a pot of cold water and bring it to a low simmer; simmer one half hour; allow it to cool; drain off the oil.