Hi everyone,

Has anyone put honey in their first aid kit? My first aid kit is complete with medical and first aid supplies, but incredibly after a minor burn I noticed the polysporin or related antibiotic cream was missing. I probably left this out because the kit is loaded with povidone iodine and alcohol as cleansers, and a second skin or moist gel pack for larger burns.

I used ozonated olive oil (widely used in Cuba and Russia for burns) as I have found nothing else that makes wounds heal faster, although some research on heparin for burns is interesting.

Unfortunately ozonated olive oil does not keep if it is out of the fridge, so it makes it impractical for a first aid kit.

I was thinking honey instead of an antibiotic cream. Family practice journals have started to publish case reports on honey being used in diabetic ulcers and other non-healing wounds with great effect when all else failed. The dehydrating effect of the honey is likely responsible for its antimicrobial effects, and it serves an obvious duel use as emergency fuel.

I don't have any in my first aid kit but I do take about 2 cups worth when ever I go on a road trip or camping. It's way more than I need for breakfast or sweetening tea so I consider the rest to be 'medicinal' just in case.

There are reams of literature written about the benefits of honey. I even own a survival book that advises you to not bother with a first aid kit...that a jar of honey is all you need! It's a good book other than that bit of extreme first aid advice.

I'm no expert but I've read up on it. There are several things going on in Honey that cause it to be antimicrobial. It's slightly acidic, it contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide (created by enzymes which continue to produce it after it's applied...I don't think you could design a more effective slow release system if you tried), how it deals with water, as well as certain other chemicals...it's really interesting stuff.

I did a quick google and this link came up first. I'm not sure how credible it is but there is a ton of info:
http://bio.waikato.ac.nz/honey/honey_intro.shtml

There is a growing body of medical literature showing the effectiveness of honey (in particular, types like Manuka honey from New Zealand) on wound healing, particularly slow healing wounds. The properties of the honey can vary quite a bit with the pollen used to make the honey, so stick with something like Manuka to get the full spread of benefits, like antibacterial properties. Some of the case reports in the medical literauature are pretty amazing. Certain ulcers/wounds that haven't healed in six months of intensive treatment suddenly starting to "pink up" and begin healing after just a few days of Manuka. It's not a magic bullet that will miraculously cure every stubborn wound, but it does seem to be much more than just an old wives' tale.

There is at least one company that has developed an actual commerical, honey-impregnated bandage that makes chronic wound care with honey much more convenient. I heard about it on the radio not too long ago. I wish I could remember the name of the company. IIRC, they're using this bandage at one of those specialized wound care centers mentioned in the radio segment...maybe at Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC?

Medihoney , per mr google...

The company or product name doesn't ring a bell from the radio segment, but that certainly is the kind of product I was talking about.

Our old IMP meals came with a tube of honey in a small foil tube(like a small toothpaste tube)They crystallized fairly fast, making it near impossible to squeeze out of the tube. I wonder if there is an easier way to keep it from turning.

Heating crystallized honey will cause it to re-absorb water. It can be as simple as running it under a hot water tap or putting it in some boiling water (microwave works too...but not so much in the bush).

I've heard that honey which has crystallized (cold temperatures can cause it to start) to a solid is no longer anti microbial by itself. When it goes hard it squeezes all the moisture out of itself as it crystallizes and the straight water can allow bugs to grow at the surface of the crystals.

A sealed package/tube might not be of any concern if you liquefied it in boiling water before using it but you might have issues if you used a little home-filled tub like I do. I really don't know.

I wonder if that kills the enzymes that help make it good for putting in/around wounds? If crystallization didn't, boiling it definitely could. That brings up another point. Buy organic (or at least non-pasteurized) honey to make sure it still has it's enzymes fully functional.

i keep a 25g tube of Activon medical grade Manuka honey in my kit. have always used set honey on burns i have got at home something i picked up from grandma.

Is there a danger of some sort of diabetic shock with using honey?

honey is used to treat ulcers of diabetes suffers so i would say no.

I've never heard of it being an issue.

I belive the dehydration to which he is referring is that of the bacterial organisms, not body cells. Most likely due to the high osmolarity of the honey, the semi-permeable membrane that makes up the bacterial cell wall allows water to leave the cell, thus dehydrating the bacteria.

One thing to keep in mind regarding raw honey is never to feed it to children less than 1-year old or anyone with an immuno-compromised condition, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy or other immuno-compromised diseases. Clostridium botulinum spores will remain dormant in raw honey can reactivate within the intestinal tract. Most adults with normal gut flora (bacteria) will prevent the clostridial organisms from colonizing the GI tract. Children less than 1 year of age likely do not have sufficient gut flora to prevent the colonization of the GI tract by the clostridial organisms and may develop botulism. The same can be true for immuno-compromised adults, who may succumb to becoming infected with Clostridium botulinum and develop botulism.

Pete

Diabetic shock = low blood sugar. So, No.

However, you can use honey in lieu of glucose gel when you've got a patient in diabetic shock, to help raise their blood sugar. BTDT.

Slightly off topic, but I think crystallized honey tastes better!

YES! And MDianna, those were my thoughts but I wasn't sure, I was about to go look it up in the EMT-B book that I found at barns and noble a few years ago.