Coined as the ‘superhero’ of traditional medicine, colloidal silver has extensive, fascinating history in healthcare, which dates back to the era of ancient Greeks. Although the use of colloidal silver has declined in the past few decades due to raising concerns about its safety, its strong healing abilities just cannot be ignored.
The most potent action of colloidal silver are its powerful antibacterial properties. Being a suspension of silver particles in distilled water that is free of ions, colloidal silver can easily penetrate the cell wall of microorganisms, directly affecting their function at the cellular level. It is this ability of colloidal silver that confers it the following amazing healing powers.
1. Treats infections: Colloidal silver is the greatest infectious-disease fighter known to man. Effective against more than 650 bacteria and viruses, the solution is thought to treat several skin infections including ringworms, septic ulcers on the skin, soft sores, boils and eczema.
- Tip: Spray diluted colloidal silver solution directly on the affected area for faster healing. If you’re using it for the first time, you need to be aware of any possible allergic reactions that you may develop after using it. First place a few drops of colloidal silver on your skin and check if grey patches develop upon application. Grey patches are indicative of an allergic reaction.
2. Used as a wound dressing: One of the earliest applications of silver in medicine was in the treatment of cuts, burns and skin abrasions and it was widely used in wound dressing in the US following the Civil War. Silver stimulates tissue regeneration in wounds, helping them heal faster. It also promotes healthy cell growth, keeping infections away by its non-corrosive ability.
- Tip: Silver-coated wound dressings and fabrics are easily available at local pharmacy stores. Some of them offer protection against a wide spectrum of infectious pathogens.
3. Treats lung problems: Clinical studies on animals show that inhaling silver particles offers protection against lung infections like pneumonia. However, there is no evidence on safety of its use in humans.
- Tip: Some experts suggest that colloidal silver can be directly inhaled using a nebulizer. This way, the particles are directly breathed into the lungs and distributed throughout the body via the bloodstream. However, if you develop symptoms of irritation, loss of concentration, you could be allergic to the metal.
4. Treats eye infections: From neonatal eye infections to conjunctivitis, colloidal silver is used to treat a host of eye problems in kids and adults. It is also effective in relieving itchiness and redness of the eyes and treating infection due to dry eyes, Staphyloccocus aureus infection (stye).
- Tip: You can put a few drops of colloidal silver directly into the eye, 2-3 times a day to get rid of conjunctivitis.
5. Helps digestion: Many Ayurveda experts recommend ingestion of colloidal silver to maintain a healthy digestive system. Silver has a natural ability to maximise nutrient supply to the body by extracting them efficiently from food. Further, it makes the gut environment absolutely non-conducive for the growth of infectious organisms and parasites. It also halts the process of fermentation of food in the stomach, which otherwise gives rise to unpleasant symptoms like gas, reflux, bloating and stomach ache.
- Tip: Silver in small amounts can be ingested along with meals to get rid of the post-meal indigestion.
6. Respiratory infections: Silver is thought to be effective in preventing progression of viral flu, by killing the virus immediately. If you develop throat infection along with cold and cough, silver solution can help you recover.
- Tip: Mix 3-4 drops of colloidal silver to a glass of water. Gargle several times to lower throat problems.
7. Thought to be helpful for cancer and AIDS: The use of colloidal silver in treatment of HIV/AIDS is still debatable but according to medical scriptures, silver does play a role in extending survival in AIDS patients to some extent. As far as cancer treatment is concerned, silver particles are touted to regulate the rate of division of cancerous cells, gradually bringing it back to normal.
Side-effects and precautions:
The fact that no study has ever assured safety with colloidal silver use is what raises concerns about its application in daily health practises. There are studies supporting that colloidal silver acts as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, working against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria but the benefits bring along some significant risks.
- Low dose of colloidal silver is safe to use and causes low toxicity but chronic inhalation through nebulisation or ingestion of silver preparations can cause deposition of the metal in the skin and eye tissues, muscle, brain, spleen and liver.
- It can cause bluish discoloration of the skin (argyria).
- Use of colloidal silver in pregnant and breastfeeding women has been linked to abnormal fetal development, leading to defects in infant physical features.
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References:
- Lansdown AB. Silver in health care: antimicrobial effects and safety in use. Curr Probl Dermatol. 2006;33:17-34. Review. PubMed PMID: 16766878.
- Morrill K, May K, Leek D, Langland N, Jeane LD, Ventura J, Skubisz C, Scherer S, Lopez E, Crocker E, Peters R, Oertle J, Nguyen K, Just S, Orian M, Humphrey M, Payne D, Jacobs B, Waters R, Langland J. Spectrum of antimicrobial activity associated with ionic colloidal silver. J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Mar;19(3):224-31. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0681. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PubMed PMID: 23017226
- Warren Jefferson. Colloidal Silver Today: The All Natural, Wide-Spectrum Germ Killer.Book Publishing Company, 2003 1570671540, 9781570671548; p64