The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Kidney Infection
Posted by Faith (La, US) on 11/28/2014
★★★★★
I had a bad kidney infection, I went antibiotics. My ND suggested charcoal poultice over my kidneys to help with inflammation and told me to keep the poultice pretty wet. I made a charcoal poutice into thick paste put on my kidneys and put plastic wrap over it and bandaged in place and put two towels down on my bed and went to sleep the next day the inflammation was gone, but I continued doing this for few hours a day for two weeks.
Spider Bites
Posted by Sandy (In the sticks, Nevada) on 07/12/2008
★★★★★
A huge thank you to Elizabeth from Woodbury, TN, for posting the charcoal remedy for spider bites. I was sweeping webs off my house & must have been bitten, but didn't notice the bite until the next morning. It itched like a mosquito bite, but felt hot & was beginning to swell. Long story short, I went away on business and could not treat it until 36 hours later. It had swollen up terribly and had been weeping off and on -- it was also very hot. When I got home,I treated it with activated charcoal mixed with colloidal silver as a paste applied to my arm, changing every 30 minutes or so. At bedtime, I covered it with a thick paste & then with a bandage. The next morning, the heat & the swelling were almost completely gone. I continued to apply fresh paste to the bite throughout the day & bandaged it again at night. The recovery from this bite was just short of miraculous -- I wish I had taken photos. Also, I did take several activated charcoal capsules each day along with the application of the paste. I never found out what bit me, although I suspect a hobo spider or brown recluse. Activated charcoal is my new favorite remedy! Thank you earthclinic for providing this information.
Charcoal Side Effects
Posted by Connie (Manitowoc, Wisconsin) on 08/13/2009
Maybe drinking more water with the charcoal would help?
Bloating
Posted by Mark (Las Vegas, Ca) on 03/30/2012
★★★★★
Activated Charcoal is good for food poisoning, Gas and bloating and Accidental poisoning. Always keep some on the house. I take it fairly often. I have never had a bad experience using it but many times it has saved me from problems such as gas, bloating and bad food.
Those that warn people to stay away always fail to recognize that maybe it will work for others and their problems might be an abberation and not the typical experience. I have never had charcoal cause constipation.
Charcoal Side Effects
Posted by Diamond (Salisbury, Usa) on 06/19/2011
Jeanne;I think the inscription might read take only 1/2 a teaspoon of Activated Charcoal, then work your way up gradually to one tsp. Most people will have negative results to anything, even food, but our bodies will let us know when enough is enough or that it's not good for one person but is for another.
True? good luck
Diarrhea
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 02/27/2015
★★★★★
Hello!
I have used activated charcoal for children as young as 9 months. I give little ones one tablet to suck on or 1/4 tsp. of the powder in juice or applesauce. I repeat in 2 hours if needed.
I actually find turmeric to be even stronger (though still very safe.). I give little ones 1/4 teaspoon turmeric in applesauce and repeat in two hours If needed.
I am guessing the company doesn't want to worry about liability, so they say not to give it to little ones.
I hope your little guy feels better soon!!
~Mama to Many~
Kidney Infection
Posted by Lucy (Santa Cruz, Ca, Usa) on 03/23/2013
★★★★★
Kidney pain for me is the worst. When I get this pain I open 4 capsules of activated Charcoal mix it in water drink and within minutes the pain is gone. I've always used this with lemons. If I have blood in my urine I do the juice of 4 lemons, the Charcoal, and drink lots of water.
Bee Sting
Posted by Grace (Spring City, Tn.) on 03/27/2012
★★★★★
I have used charcoal for bee stings also. It works good to put this mixture into a pouch: cut from a baby diaper or chuck with medical tape around it, Pull out the stay dry lining because charcoal only keeps drawing if it is wet. Ground Flax seed works best but when my husband became allergic to flax seed I started using corn starch.
This also works on Brown Recluse Spider Bites, Snake Bites, Mosquito Bites, Infected Cuts of any kind and Ear Infections (Tape to the out side of the ear, pulls the infection out). I used this on my children it really works. Put it on at night and the next morning there was yellowish pus on the poultice.
I believe if people knew the benefits of Charcoal and how to use it many lives would be saved. No worries about gangrene.
Food Poisoning
Posted by Ngok Ti (Busan, South Korea) on 05/22/2011
★★★★★
Last may 10, I accidentally drank tea from a restaurant which might not have prepared it clean. Within 30 mins from when I finished drinking, my stomach started churning painfully and I had severe diarrhea for 3 days. Since I was already alarmed that the condition didn't get better even after taking loperamide, I turned for help from the Chinese drugstore which advised me to take 3 activated carbon capsules before bedtime 3 hours after dinner. As soon as I took the first dose that evening, the diarrhea stopped. My stomach was still a bit painful so I took another dose the following evening. That worked great.
Infection
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 05/27/2015
★★★★★
Dear Meg,
I appreciate your tenacity!
I think charcoal would be a great thing to try. It may take some persistence on your part, but you seem to be well researched and persistent!
You could make small poultices (I would make a week's worth at a time and keep them in the refrigerator) and use them daily. One way to make poultices that aren't so bulky in the mouth are to empty a tea bag (or buy empty tea bags if you have a source for this, though really, it may be cheaper to just empty some.) and replace the tea with activated charcoal powder (about 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon). Moisten and hold this in the affected area in your mouth. You could keep in in your mouth for an hour or two during the day, even a couple of times a day. Or, you could buy charcoal tablets (not capsules) and each night, put one against the area and let it sit between the gum and cheek all night. It will slowly dissolve. I have done this and still have remnants of the tablet in my mouth when I wake up in the morning. I would try this daily for at least a month. I have read about charcoal drawing out deep infections over quite a number of days. It can seem like nothing is happening for a while.
You could also continue with some of the other things you have tried at other times a day. You have tried several excellent remedies.
I look forward to hearing how this works for you.
~Mama to Many~
Kidney Dialysis
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 09/25/2013
★★★★★
Dear Anon from Chicago,
Yes, charcoal will filter toxins from the kidneys. Here is a very encouraging story about the use of charcoal for kidneys.
http://www.charcoalremedies.com/kidney_disease
Also, on that website, if you type in the search box "kidney dialysis" you will get a number of other pages that mention it. You may have to scroll down to find the part about kidney problems on each page, but there are many exciting stories of charcoal being used to treat kidney problems.
Basically, your wife can take charcoal internally and use poultices over the kidneys. Internally, she would want to take charcoal 2 hours after or before prescription medication. You can get charcoal capsules or tablets, or just put 1 t. Of activated charcoal powder into a glass of water. If you can time it properly, you would do this twice a day. But once a day is good to start and see how that goes.
I know a man who used a charcoal poultice over his kidneys overnight and by morning the poultice was soaked with urine! it was definitely drawing out from the kidneys. And I believe the charcoal helped him, but I can't recall the details - it was a long time ago.
To make a charcoal poultice, you will mix 3 T. activated charcoal powder with 3 T. ground flaxseed (you can also use cornstarch, but I prefer the flaxseed. ) Mix this in a paper cup. Add about 2/3 cup of water and mix with a plastic spoon. (You don't have to use disposable, it is just easier than cleaning up the charcoal. ) Let it sit a few minutes and it kind of gels up. You may need to add a little more charcoal or water to get a good consistency. You will get the hang of it quickly. Spread the charcoal over a paper towel. Top with another paper towel. (Try not to let it get to the edges--it is messy if it comes out. ) This will make about 4 poultices. (Not sure if you will need one or two at a time. Keep extras in the refrigerator for a week or two. ) Place a poultice on the back over the kidney area. Cover with plastic wrap. Use an ace bandage to attach to the body. If you could do this over night, that would be ideal. You can do this as often as you like. You may need to do it very often - maybe 4 nights a week.
Be aware that charcoal has been used to lower blood pressure. (I believe charcoal baths were used for this. ) Anyway, it is something to be aware of.
Regarding diet, I am assuming the "white flour diet" is to keep it a low protein diet as protein is hard on the kidneys? I don't want to suggest anything that would counteract what your doctor suggests. You might ask him about fruits and vegetables that would be okay for her to use. I think the nutrients in those would be important. Also, plenty of water is important.
Also, read through Earth Clinic's kidney page and you may find some ideas for diet and other things to help your wife. She is blessed to have you as her advocate!
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/kidney_disease.html
Please keep us posted and let us know what helps your wife!
~Mama to Many~
Kidney Dialysis
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 09/27/2013
Anon,
Yes, you can put a poultice over each kidney. Even if one isn't as affected, it is fine to use two and may have extra benefit.
Hopefully someone who has been through this will have some thoughts regarding diet. Otherwise, if you read around on Earth Clinic, you will probaby get some ideas for good items in the diet that are within your wife's diet that will be helpful to maximize her nutrition and health.
May God give you great wisdom in taking care of your wife!
~Mama to Many~
Diarrhea
Posted by Isabel (Edinburgh, Scotland) on 07/17/2012
★★★★★
Activated Charcoal Tablets worked like a miracle for me last night. Thank goodness I had them in the cabinet.
For the first time in ages, I landed up with such a painful, swollen, distended stomach, tender and painful to the touch all over so much pain and gurgling noises. Then diarrhea, then feeling sick and woozy. Don't know if it was too spicy a dinner, food poisoning, just an allergy/intolerance or what. But at midnight, what can you do?
These trusty, simple, old-fashioned charcoal tablets (made from coconut shells, I have read) sorted me out COMPLETELY in less than ten minutes. What a miracle cure, when used to treat the right ailment.
Bee Sting
Posted by Pam (Southern California) on 05/25/2022 148 posts
I have used AC for cases of infected teeth with abscess, though ... and found it to be very effective!!! However, I keep a spray bottle of white grain-based vinegar handy, & when something stings me, I head straight for that & spray the sting-site a few times ... rubbing it into the skin around & over that area.... I used to swell way up several inches around a sting, with skin turning red & so painful I wished I would die! Since I started immediately spraying with 5% vinegar to treat stings, though, I no longer experience much if any swelling or pain! And it only requires a 1x application, for myself....
Spider Bites
Posted by Elizabeth (Woodbury, TN) on 09/29/2006
★★★★★
We've used activated charcoal many times in our family and friends for the brown recluse spider bite. Even a couple of doctors here were amazed at what it did! We would make up a paste and change the first day about every 2 hours and then the next day just a few times and would keep watching it. Usually the bite was shrunk and just a little scab after a few days. Usually we would also drink some so that we would have any poison from the bite eliminated from our system.
Kidney Infection
Posted by Grace (Portland, Oregon) on 11/16/2014
★★★★★
I had kidney inflammation, it was kidney infection my MD prescribes antiobiotics for two weeks, sometimes one just must take it. My ND told me to make a thick wet charcoal poultice keep it wet all night and keep in on my kidney to decrease inflammation, I put the charcoal poultice on my skin thick wet and put saran wrap plastic over that and secured it with medical tape. I put a big piece of plastic on my bed and towel over it just in case , put my pajamas on went to bed . In the morning I would just took the plastic wrap off in the shower and gently wash the charcoal off my kidney area this was the easiest, and mess free way. I did this for a few nights.
Tooth and Mouth Care
Posted by Debbie (London) on 02/21/2018
★★★★★
Hi, I've been doing exactly the same and it's brilliant. I've been suffering with an abcess which I have used the same method on and it really helps. The only thing, which has thrown me a bit, is I've just read that the paper used for the teabags contain plastic in them! Nightmare! I've decided to start using coffee filter paper instead.
Activated Charcoal for Dogs
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 11/17/2015
★★★★★
Dear Italiandobergirl,
Well, my charcoal source is not a VIP approved pharmacy, as far as I know. But I have used them for years and have always been very happy with the service and products. We use charcoal to treat our people, our farm animals and our pets.
http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/
~Mama to Many~
Infection
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 05/27/2015
★★★★★
Mama to Many, the teabag is a very good idea, but I use a trick I've seen here on EC: cut a small square out of a coffee filter paper. Put a small mound of activated charcoal (or green clay) and fold up. Wet it. When wet, it works like a piece of cloth! One coffee filter lasts for many one- time -use applications.
Diarrhea
Posted by Lisa (Kevil, Ky) on 11/28/2011
★★★★★
Those with negative effects probably took too much, didn't drink enough water, didn't counter with extra fiber from veggies, fruits or fiber supplements. I had a little constipation. Stools were a little dry and hard to pass. So I backed down from a teaspoon 2 or 3 times a day, to 1/2 a tsp. 2 or 3 times a day, and made sure to drink plenty of water and eat enough fiber from foods and I also followed the charcoal with slippery elm, about a tablespoon in a pint of water, which makes a thin mucilaginous drink that is soothing to the gi tract and moves things on through it. I have had great results. Totally stopped the bout of gas and diarrhea that I had hit me, I guess from a bug or food poisoning.
Activated Charcoal and Meds
Posted by Rita (Skandia, Michigan /usa) on 02/05/2010
Will the activated charcoal tabs take away the effectiveness of my medicine?
Food Poisoning
Posted by Mitsue (Wishart, Queensland Australia) on 11/06/2008
★★★★★
One late afternoon I bought Sushi with raw salmon in it, it must have been sitting there all day, after eating it I had very bad case of vomiting and diarrhea for almost 3 weeks. I remembered that charcoal helps with the poison, and I had charcoal my mother sent me for purifying water. I just was so desperate I just cracked a small piece and ate it. Surprising as it is, my vomiting and diarrhea stopped almost immediately. I should have taken it sooner.. So I have medicated charcoal tablet in my medicine cupboard now and when I had vomiting the other I took one straight away and I was fine!!
IBS
Posted by Annabell (Bakersfield, California) on 08/04/2008
★★★★★
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: I am 33 years old female with a sensitive stomach..Almost everything I consume always result in heavy gas and bloating. A friend recommended to take Charcoal pills..I have tried almost every prescription medications there is and was excited that charcoal is an old asian alternative medications. I take 1-2 capsule 1-2hours prior to eating..I make sure to have water intake at least 8 glasses a day. Within 1wk I felt immediate results, less bloating, irrability and back to having a regular bowel movement.
Happy stomach.
Charcoal Side Effects
Posted by Jeanne (Atl, Georgia) on 06/25/2008
WARNING!
Please be careful if you try activated charcoal! I was getting stomach pain 20 minutes after every meal. I finally figured out that my stomach pain started after I took activated charcoal (heaping tablespoon for 2 days in a row - not a lot!). I located the pain in my stomach, found a little lump in the colon, and then used my fist to move the lump to the left. A day later my husband took over, found the lump,(which had moved slightly) and did acupressure for about 2 minutes on the spot-- ohhh yes, it hurt. But within minutes I had to run to the bathroom and the rest is history. No more stomach pain. So please be careful with the charcoal, especially if you have a sensitive stomach! I think that people's stomach aches can be often be an impacted colon. The same thing has happened to me before after eating bread and another time, after drinking psyllium without enough water!
If you press on your stomach and have a painful spot that moves slowly from one day to the next, you may have clogged your colon/intestines. Tons of water helps, but acupressure massage is best to move the obstruction to your bowels and out. One last note is that I was having normal bowel movements even while my colon was impacted, so don't rely on that (constipation or elimination) to judge, but more on the location of pain and whether or not a little lump exists.
Bee Sting
Posted by Gean (Salina, Kansas) on 05/05/2008
★★★★★
I am very allergic to bee stings. I had gotten stung a few times during my childhood and teens, each time with more severe swelling. The last time I had gotten stung (stepped on a bee going barefoot), my leg swelled up like an elephant leg all the way to the thigh (the time before that it was just above the knee). So I knew it would be worse the next time, so I carried an Epi-pen around for a while until it expired. Then I carried nothing with me, but I knew if I got stung again esp. above the waist it would probably cut off my airway circulation. Well, lo and behold, about 20 years later I got stung again, right on my throat, so I yelled for my husband to call 911, thinking I was done for. Then a few seconds later I said, "Never mind! Hang up and help me mix up this charcoal!" So we took some powdered activated charcoal, mixed it with water, and applied it to the sting site. When the paramedics showed up a few minutes later (they had traced the call), we told them we were fine, since there was no swelling at all. I changed the charcoal poultice quite often during that first day, I don't remember exactly how often. Maybe every hour for a few hours. We also ground up some flax seed and mixed it with the charcoal and water. This makes it gelatinous and less runny. I kept the poultice on for about 3 days. Two days later I felt it itch and begin to swell, and then I realized the poultice had slipped off the sting site. So I knew I was still very allergic, and the charcoal had probably saved my life.
