The ancients managed bees and used honey as a salve or poultice on wounds and boils to prevent infection and speed healing. Doctors and healers around the world use honey or even table sugar in open wounds to lower the risks of infection and speeds healing.
Dr. Allen Dennison of Hasbro Children’s Hospital has worked with honey in medicine for many years. At a RI Beekeepers Association (RIBA) meeting, he offered a peak at modern medicine’s approach to these techniques and shared his experiences in “Healing Wounds with Honey.” Nearly 80 RIBA members made treatment ointments to bring home after the lecture.
Honey has numerous properties, biological and chemical, that make it uniquely suited for healing. Applying honey straight to wounds soothes raw nerves and helps cuts, gashes, burns and some skin infections to heal faster, according to Dr. Dennison. Applying honey to wounds encourages patient cooperation by soothing raw nerves immediately. Honey pulls fluids and moisture from the injured tissue and reduces swelling/edema. This can reduce pressure on capillaries, increase blood flow and speed healing. The glucose in honey provides energy to the cells generating new tissue and skin. [Learn more here.]