Detoxification

Radiation burns treatment

Natural remedies for radiation damage to the skin

The page Combatting radiation poisoning tips already contains numerous helpful pointers for relieving the symptoms of excess ionizing radiation both from the inside and the outside. The present page narrows its focús on soothing radiation burns of skin and mucosa via topical (i.e. by external applications such as poultices, creams, baths etc.) and medical treatments.

Maria Treben's herbal treatments

Herbalist Maria Treben reports two breast cancer cases with most severe radiation damage as well as a case of intestinal and bladder damage caused by radiation treatment who were successfully treated.^[1]

Honey treatment against radiation mucositis in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiation

A study done on 40 patients undergoing radiotherapy to the oropharyngeal mucosal area showed that topically applied pure natural honey significantly reduced the occurrence and/or severity of subsequent radiation-induced mucositis.^[6]

Prophylactic use of pure natural honey was effective in reducing mucositis resulting from radiochemotherapy, as shown in the study Honey as topical prophylaxis against radiochemotherapy-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer.

Another study researching the effect of honey on head and neck cancer patients found that honey consumption reduced the main suspect involved in tooth decay, Streptococcus mutans.^[7] This is an important finding since radiation to the mouth area can induce strongly accelerated tooth decay.

It seems that honey was also found beneficial for radiation-damaged skin since there is a study titled The effect of honey compared to conventional treatment on healing of radiotherapy-induced skin toxicity in breast cancer patients but no details are provided.

Honey poultices eliminate medical radiation damage incl. bone pain (anecdotal report)

The book "Die Heilkunst von Morgen" by Erika Herbst contains the testimonial of a woman who eliminated the sequels of radiation treatment (a feeling of internal heat as well as bone pain in a rib) by applying honey poultices every other day (no further details are provided but it's extremely likely that here, too, the honey used was raw natural honey).^[2]

Niaouli essential oil (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Niaouli essential oil is to be used BEFORE a radiotherapy session.^[5] Use three drops of the undiluted oil on the target organ one hour before treatment. This will prevent the painful burns frequently happening in the course of conventional breast cancer treatment. Make sure not to mix the niaouli with vegetable oil which would screen the skin against the rays. (For normal applications, niaouli essential oil should be diluted in oil since it will otherwise burn the skin.) Pure organic niaouli essential oil [Amazon partner link — commissions earned]

Calendula officinalis: topical treatment of radiation burn scars, for skin irritations and severe burns

Dried calendula flowers (available from herbal and health stores or similar outlets as well as online) are said to make an excellent "tea" (to be applied topically) for severe burns and many skin outbreaks (get organic quality calendula if possible).

While Weleda makes a Calendula Baby Cream, made with sweet almond oil, lanolin, beeswax, biodynamic calendula officinalis flower extract, perfume from natural essential oils and other ingredients, this may be less effective than the following much less expensive herbal calendula tea:

Pour a cup of boiling water onto 1–2 teaspoonsful of the florets and leave to infuse for 10–15 minutes (other sources may state different infusion times). Use externally as a lotion or ointment (also recommended for cuts, bruises, diaper rash, sore nipples, other burns & scalds). Let dry after application. Completely safe and apparently non-staining. Can also be taken as a tea.

Note: Liquid calendula for sale apparently is preserved with alcohol.

Padutin (kallikrein)

A highly effective medical treatment against radiation burns successfully used to heal radiation burns considered incurable.

Echinacea for radiation burns (testimonial)

“A friend of mine with stage 4 cancer used echinacea (probably standard dosage) which had been quietly suggested by her radiologist — and after whole-body maximum lifetime dose radiation, never developed the radiation burns which seem to be so common. No lobster look. Might be worth looking into.”

Fresh aloe plant gel for radiation burns

As early as the 1930s, Collins and Collins reported treating a woman with severe roentgen dermatitis with desquamation on the forehead with fresh aloe leaf. Itching and burning sensations subsided within 24 hours, and normal skin sensation was restored within five weeks of continued treatment (no scar formation). After three months, the forehead pigmented normally as did the rest of the skin when exposed to sunshine. Other experiments showed similar results.

In 1953 an animal study^[3] under the auspices of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission determined Aloe vera’s effectiveness for treating radiation burns. The "treatment was found to hasten both the degenerative and reparative phases of the lesion so that complete healing of an ulcer ... was accomplished within two months of treatment, while the untreated ulcerations were still not completely healed more than four months after irradiation".

In 1959, even the FDA reportedly “concluded from studies conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission at the radiation burn center at Los Alamos Laboratories in New Mexico that aloe gel did have a healing effect on skin tissue”.

Doing a search of the official medical database PubMed for the terms "Aloe vera radiation" yields numerous relevant results such as Aloe vera for prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis and Potential prevention: Aloe vera mouthwash may reduce radiation-induced oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients.

The latter study also suggests that aloe vera mouthwash due to its antifungal and immunomodulatory activities reduces (equally radiation-induced) oral candidiasis as well.

Even more research results can be read for instance in Aloe Vera in the Treatment of Radiation Ulcers of Mucous Membranes.

Suggestion: Use the fresh gel found inside the leaves, cut the leaf lengthwise and apply it on the burn with the gel side facing the skin. It appears that in order to obtain satisfactory results, fresh aloe must be used.^[4]

Rose hip oil for burns etc.

Apparently rose hip oil, extracted from Rosa moschata seeds which contain nearly 80% linoleic and linolenic fatty acids, gives excellent results on skin that has been burnt such as after radiotherapy sessions.

Radiation nasosinusitis

is a very common complication (> 80%) in patients with nasopharynx cancer after radiotherapy treatment, with severity depending not on the size of the tumor but on the radiation doses received. A study out of China found that nasal endoscope negative pressure cleaning combined with Sinupret drops can significantly reduce the incidence of moderate to severe radiation nasosinusitis (Sinupret [partner link to Amazon: commissions earned] is a herbal combination drug for the treatment of inflamed paranasal sinuses. I once used it myself with the greatest success for congested sinuses leading to constant postnasal drip).

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Footnotes by Healing Cancer Naturally

1 See Maria Treben's "miracle" herbal cancer cures (I).

2 Also compare Treating Cancerous Tumors with Pure Raw Honey Packs which includes tips what kind of honey should be used to ensure the best possible healing effects.

3 As mentioned before, animal experimentation is not supported by Healing Cancer Naturally.

4 Compare Aloe Vera — The Medicine Plant and this impressive native cancer therapy & prevention formula mainly consisting of aloe and honey which has helped cure many cases of cancer, even so-called terminal cases.

5 Healing Cancer Naturally warns against radiotherapy. For the reasons see the Conventional section.

6 Topical application of honey in the management of radiation mucositis: a preliminary study, published in Supportive Care in Cancer in 2003

7 Streptococcus mutans in saliva of normal subjects and neck and head irradiated cancer subjects after consumption of honey; Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2000