Question 1

treated my facial staph infection in october, and its back already in january. im heartbroken, will i have ongoing facial staph infections recur for the rest of my life? i decolonized my nose with bactroban, but its back.can it ever be treated fully?

Accepted Answer

Get it treated and?: It is not that common to have recurrent ataph infections of the face.
Recurrence occurs in people 
Who have weak immune system
People who have eczema
People who have diabetes
Those who are chronic carrieirs of staph in their nose
I suggest you treat the present infection and discuss with your doctor to test you for Diabetse and immune system if it keeps recurring
Do you pick on your face constsnt?

Question 2

whats the difference between bactroban ointment and cream? is one less effective? can you not use one in your nose? my pharmacist said he wanted to talk to me about the difference but wasn't there when i got them. using it to treat face/nose staph.

Accepted Answer

Ointment stays aroun: a bit longer than cream.  Otherwise there is n't much difference.  Some people prefer 1 or the other.  it is like a moisturizer - some like lotion, some like cream, some prefer spray.

Question 3

can staph infection be confused with hsv2 on a lab test? i have recently been contracting what the doctors say are "boils", in my pelvic area, buttocks, under my arms and even on my nose in some instances. they say it's a form of stapholycoccus and treat

Accepted Answer

The : The short answer here is you need to be tested for herpes.  In addition, if you get a "boil" have a herpes culture done on the actual lesion. 
As far as your boyfriend is concerned, he may have tested positive for hsv 2, however it is possible that he never had a lesion before. He was likely exposed to it at some point in his life.
Take care.

Question 4

what is the recommended treatment regime of nasal bactroban that one would use to treat staph?

Accepted Answer

4 to 5 times a day: Clean finger, apply 4 to 5 times a day. No qtips. Do it for at least a week or 4 days past complete lack of symptoms.

Question 5

my nasal swab returned positive for staph coag negative with one practitioner wanting to treat for mrsa and another saying no treatment at all i have ?

Accepted Answer

Staph in nose: Not an uncommon finding. Why was the culture done. If no obvious infection, antibiotics not likely needed.

Question 6

is staph infection pain treatable?

Accepted Answer

: You treat the infection with antibiotic +/- surgery then pain resolves when infection is cured. In the meantime, you can take pain pill (analgesic) for inflammatory pain.

Question 7

if staph harmlessly lives in my nose, how do i transmitt it to others?

Accepted Answer

Some basics: Research has shown adults touch their nose/face an average of 6X/hr during their waking hours. This subconscious activity loads the fingers with any local germs that are then available to transfer to other body sites or any object in the environment. If the staph strain is benign, it would cause no harm. If the strain is invasive it can trigger infection.

Question 8

can staph live harmlessly in the nose?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Many of us have staph living in our noses.  It is often completely harmless.  It only needs to be treated if we are having recurrent skin infections, or those we live with/are in close contact with are.  We have lots of bacteria in and on us; in fact there are more bacterial cells than human cells.  Amazing but true.

Question 9

what causes a staph infection in your nose?

Accepted Answer

Colonization: Staphylococcus aureus colonizes the nares of about 25% of normal people.  Any minor trauma inside the nose, like pulling out a hair, can cause an infection of the nose.

Question 10

best way 2 get rid of staph in the nose?

Accepted Answer

No: Many people who have MRSA or mssa infections are colonized with this bacteria in the nares and in areas of the skin especially in the axillae, groins and perianal areas. Colonization can be transient or prolonged.  In many cases colonization can be eradicated by topical treatment ie. Mupirocin ointment and hibiclens soap sometimes combined with oral antibiotics such as Minocycline or septra (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim).

Get Virtual Care

For Businesses

About Us

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Doctor answers about:

How to treat staph in nose

A member asked:

Treated my facial staph infection in october, and its back already in january. im heartbroken, will i have ongoing facial staph infections recur for the rest of my life? i decolonized my nose with bactroban, but its back.can it ever be treated fully?

A member asked:

Whats the difference between bactroban ointment and cream? is one less effective? can you not use one in your nose? my pharmacist said he wanted to talk to me about the difference but wasn't there when i got them. using it to treat face/nose staph.

A member asked:

Can staph infection be confused with hsv2 on a lab test? i have recently been contracting what the doctors say are "boils", in my pelvic area, buttocks, under my arms and even on my nose in some instances. they say it's a form of stapholycoccus and treat

A member asked:

What is the recommended treatment regime of nasal bactroban that one would use to treat staph?

A member asked:

My nasal swab returned positive for staph coag negative with one practitioner wanting to treat for mrsa and another saying no treatment at all i have ?

A member asked:

Is staph infection pain treatable?

A member asked:

If staph harmlessly lives in my nose, how do i transmitt it to others?

A member asked:

Can staph live harmlessly in the nose?

A member asked:

What causes a staph infection in your nose?

A member asked:

Best way 2 get rid of staph in the nose?

HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients

Telemedicine

Primary Care

Manage Your Conditions

Women's Health

Children's Health

Men's Health

Senior Health

Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle

Sexual Health

Mental & Behavioral Health

Travel Medicine

Urgent Care

Didn't find what you're looking for?

More of what we treat

Allergies

Antibiotics

Asthma

High Blood Pressure

Prescriptions

Type 2 Diabetes

For Businesses

Company

Health Content

Join Us

Download HealthTap

Questions?