Treat Herpes

Herpes, or herpes simplex virus (HSV), is a sexually transmitted viral infection. In the United States alone, the CDC estimates that a quarter of a million people get new herpes infections every year. Unfortunately, there is yet no cure for herpes. On the other hand, herpes can be treated and managed with medication, home care, and simple precautions to prevent outbreaks and transmission.

Steps

Doctor Recommended Treatments

1. Have a doctor diagnose herpes. With a sexually transmitted infection like herpes, you don't want to rely on self-diagnosis. You want to be sure, and in order to be sure, you need to visit the doctor. Many times, herpes is asymptomatic, meaning that the symptoms either don't present or are too mild to be recognized. Other times, herpes presents with the following symptoms:
   • Small, painful blisters that scab over and heal over the course of several weeks. These may either be on your genitals or your buttocks.
   • Red, caking, or raw skin in the genital area, with or without itching.
   • Frequent pain or discomfort during urination.
   • Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, body aches (especially in the back and neck), and swollen glands.
2. If you get diagnosed with herpes, talk to your doctor about medical-strength treatment options. Your doctor should be able to give you specific suggestions about which drugs and precautions to take in order to manage symptoms. As there is no cure yet for herpes, managing symptoms is the primary concern.
3. Know what proper treatment will you do for you. Managing your outbreaks with proper treatment will help you:
   • Heal sores sooner and more effectively
   • Minimize the duration and severity of outbreaks
   • Reduce the recurrence of outbreaks
   • Minimize the chance of spreading herpes to any sexual partners
4. Take antiviral drugs, as prescribed by your doctor. Antiviral drugs lessen the number of herpes outbreaks by reducing what's called "viral shedding," or the process by which the virus makes new copies of itself on the skin's surface. Regular use of antiviral drugs also helps lower the risk that you'll pass the herpes simplex virus on to other sexual partners. The most common antiviral drugs prescribed for herpes include:
   • Acyclovir (Zovirax)
   • Famciclovir (Famvir)
   • Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
5. Know your treatment options when it comes to taking antiviral drugs. Drugs are administered by a doctor during prescribed times. When the herpes virus is first diagnosed, drugs are usually prescribed. Then, on an intermittent or regular basis, drugs are also prescribed, depending on the severity of the outbreaks and the patient's individual needs.
   • Initial treatment: after you are diagnosed with herpes, your doctor will prescribe a brief trial (7 to 10 days) of antiviral drugs. If 10 days' worth of antiviral medication does not help manage the outbreak, your doctor may continue your course of treatment for a few more days.
   • Intermittent treatment: if you experience outbreaks seldom, or at irregular times, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug for you to use when outbreaks do occur. Having several days' worth of antiviral medication on hand will allow you to start a course of drugs as soon as the outbreak happens, minimizing its severity and duration.
   • Regular treatment: If you have regular outbreaks totaling more than six a year, talk to your doctor about taking antiviral medication every day. This is called suppressive treatment. Individuals with regular outbreaks who begin to take medication every day often find their outbreaks reduced by as much as 80%.

Alternative, Unverified Home Remedies

1. Try echinacea. Long used in the fight against colds and infections, echinacea is a natural herbal  remedy that has gained in popularity over the recent years. Echinacea may be ingested as pressed juice, as a tincture, or as an extract (i.e. tea). Although many people have taken to using echinacea in order to treat herpes, no scientific basis exists for saying that echinacea helps treat herpes.
2. Use baking soda to dry herpes sores. Baking soda is another time-tested substance for anything from smelly fridges to smelly underarms, as well as a toothpaste and acne treatment. Baking soda can help dry out moist or oozing lesions, thereby helping them disappear faster. As a dry agent, baking soda is clean and absorbent, though still not a doctor-recommended treatment option.
3. Use lysine or L-lysine to prevent outbreaks. Lysine is an essential amino acid that does a number of things for the human body (absorb calcium, form collagen, and produce carnitine, among others). In the case of herpes, lysine may help to prevent an outbreak by blocking arginine, which helps in herpes replication. Still, the clinical trials using lysine have been mixed, and scientists believe that lysine is better at preventing an outbreak than treating one.
4. Use a cool teabag to help manage flare-ups. Some people think that the tannins found in tea help treat outbreaks when they do happen. To use:
   • Heat up water just enough to steep the teabag in.
   • Cool the teabag under cold water, until it is no longer warm. Remove most of the moisture from the tea bag.
   • Apply the teabag to the lesions. Let stay for several minutes.
   • Discard the teabag and dry the area off immediately with a clean towel or a hair drier.
5. Use aloe vera cream to treat lesions. Aloe vera may be beneficial in healing herpes lesions, especially among men. Applying the aloe vera cream to the lesions, and drying thoroughly afterward, may reduce the duration of the outbreak.
   • Consider Bio-energetic homeopathic herpes nosodes such as 2lherp, HRPZ3 and Bio 88. They benefited 82% of trial participants for 5 years after 6 months of treatment
   • Look into Hypericum, Ayurvedic Doctors swear by it as the best natural treatment for herpes
6. Try Monolaurin. Monolaurin consists of glycerol and lauric acid, which together make up coconut oil. Coconut oil is known to have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. Cooking with it and drinking coconut water increases the immune support. Apply oil directly to sores it will clear them up very quickly
   • Look for tablet Monolaurin (if in gelatin form, crack open capsule, pour into almond milk or coconut water). Note: check to determine if supplement contraindicates any medications you are taking.
7. See a herbalist. You may wish to consult a herbalist about the possibility of finding an herbal solution to herpes. Herpes ulcers are usually very sore and excruciatingly painful. Many herbs mentioned in Ayurveda, have been used for thousands of years to soothe the burning, itching and the tingling sensation. Herbs such as Chandana (Santalum album), Devadaru (Cedrus devdar), Nagarmotha (Cyperus rotundus), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Ficus group plants like Ficus bengalenis and sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), Sariva (Hemidesmus Indicus), Utpala (lotus), Yesthimadu (Glycirhiza glabra), are well known for their cooling powers on the skin. A mixture of the aforementioned herbs in equal proportions can be prepared and used in the following manner to help soothe Herpes ulcers and blisters. Talk to your herbalist about the following two possible forms of using herbs:
   • Decoction: Boil 1 tsp. of powder (on a low flame) with 16 ounces of water. Boil it till 4 ounces is obtained. Use this decoction to wash the infected area.
   • Paste: Mix the powder with milk, rose water or plain water. Apply this paste to the affected area. Paste is to be used when there is severe pain and burning.
   • Direct application is advised when the affected area is moist.

Complementary Treatments

1. Soak the affected area in warm water, but when not soaking, keep area dry. Doctors sometimes recommend soaking in warm water to relieve itching, pain, or discomfort associated with herpes outbreaks. You may find that aluminum acetate (Domeboro) or magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) help relieve the affected area, although these are not doctor-recommended treatments.
   • Cleanse sores gently with soap and warm water. Keeping blisters clean may help speed healing.
   • When the area is not soaking in warm water, try to keep it dry. If toweling the area dry after stepping out of the bath is uncomfortable, use a hair drier instead.
2. Wear loose, breathable underwear and clothing. Cotton underwear is a must. Restrictive clothing and synthetic pantyhose, underwear, or pants can aggravate genital herpes symptoms, as these synthetic materials tend not to breathe as well as fabrics like cotton.
3. If your ulcers are very painful, ask a physician about a topical anesthetic to apply to affected areas. Although topical treatments are generally less effective than systemic treatments, they can sometimes be used to treat pain or discomfort.
   • Taking OTC pain medications, such as aspirin (Bayer), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Advil) is often recommended to help with pain.
4. Try an ointment containing propolis. In its natural state, propolis is resinous material collected from the buds of poplar trees, although it is often harvested from beehives. A 3% propolis ointment (Herstat or ColdSore-FX), applied to herpes lesions, may help heal lesions.
   • In one study, propolis ointment was used four times a day, for 10 days, among 30 participants. Afterwards, 24 of 30 participants who used propolis during the study reported that their lesions healed, while only 14 of 30 participants who used a placebo reported that their lesions healed.
5. Try the herb Prunella vulgaris and the mushroom Rozites caperata. Prunella vulgaris and Rozites caperata have both shown some promise in fighting herpes. Prunella vulgaris can be used in a hot water treatment to soothe and heal sores, while Rozites caperata may be ingested to help treat sores.

Preventive Techniques

1. Understand that outbreaks frequently occur during times of stress, illness, physical trauma (including sexual activity), and fatigue. Taking care of yourself physically and emotionally may help you reduce the frequency of outbreaks.
2. Participate in stress relief activities. Managing your emotional stress may help you avoid outbreaks. Consider finding a routine, such as yoga, painting, or meditation, that helps you stay balanced and calm.
   • Exercise regularly. Exercise is a great natural stress buster, and it keeps you in peak physical health as well. Staying fit can help you avoid illness and protect your immune system, which may help prevent herpes outbreaks.
3. Always use a latex condom during oral, genital, or anal sex. This not only helps protect your sex partner (who should always be informed of your condition prior to any physical contact or sexual activity), but also helps protect your skin from damage that might lead to an outbreak.
   • Try not to have sex during outbreaks. Viral shedding of herpes may happen over the entire genital area, making transmission even likelier. If you're worried about transmitting the virus to your sexual partner, only have sex between outbreaks, always using a condom.
4. Get enough rest. Keeping your energy levels up by getting sufficient sleep helps you avoid illness and manage physical and emotional stress. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night and avoid activities that put your body through extreme endurance tests (such as marathons).
5. Avoid activities that put you at high risk of illness or infection. Wash your hands regularly and avoid areas where communicable disease is common (such as doctors’ waiting rooms and other areas where sick people may gather). Keeping your immune system at its full capacity is important for maintaining an outbreak-free lifestyle with herpes.

Warnings

• As soon as you have been diagnosed with herpes, inform your sexual partners of your infection and recommend that they also get tested. Initial outbreaks usually occur within 2 weeks of exposure and infection, but may be mild or unnoticed.
• If you are experiencing a widespread, severe outbreak of HSV sores, you may need to be admitted to a hospital for intravenous medication and professional topical treatment of your blisters.
• Individuals with herpes can transmit the virus even when there are no visible symptoms or sores. It is crucial to use synthetic protection during all sexual contact to avoid transmission of the virus, even during outbreak-free periods.

Related Articles

• Recognize the Symptoms of a STD (for Teens)
• Use a Condom
• Recognize Herpes
• Live with Herpes

Sources and Citations

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herpessimplex.html
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001860/
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2504076/
• http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0315/p1697.html
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/genital-herpes/ds00179/dsection=treatments-and-drugs

See also

• Recognize the Symptoms of a STD (for Teens)
• Identify an HIV Rash
• Treat Gonorrhea
• Recognize HIV Symptoms
• Prevent HIV Infection
• Know If You Have Herpes
• Prevent Herpes
• Avoid HIV and AIDS
• Protect Against an STD
• Prevent Gonorrhea

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• Live with Herpes
• Make Peace with Herpes
• Prevent Herpes
• Recognize Herpes