How To Kill Herpes Virus Naturally

What Are The Symptoms

Most people never have symptoms, or they are so mild that they do not know they have the virus. Sometimes, symptoms may not appear for months or years. Symptoms vary from person-to-person and many people who do get symptoms may not realize that its caused by HSV.

Herpes infections have three different outbreak types:

• Primary first outbreak
• Non-primary first outbreak
• Recurrent outbreak

A primary outbreak happens when someone first gets herpes symptoms usually beginning 2 to 21 days after contact.

Some people may experience warning signs, called prodrome symptoms such as itching, burning, and tingling of the skin at the site where the blisters or sores may appear, followed by painful herpes sores or tiny blisters. Other symptoms may include pain down either leg or in the buttocks, swollen or tender glands in the groin, fever, painful urination, body aches, feeling tired and unwell. This is more common with a primary outbreak. When the blisters break, painful shallow ulcers appear. These ulcers crust over and usually heal in 7 to 14 days. A primary outbreak is generally worse than future outbreaks.

What Triggers Genital Herpes

A recurrence takes place when HSV reactivates in the nerve ganglion at the base of the spinal cord and particles of the herpes virus travel along the nerve to the site of the original herpes infection in the skin or mucous membranes . Sometimes, the herpes virus travels down a different nerve causing recurrent symptoms at another site such as the buttocks or thighs.

Although it is not known exactly why the herpes virus reactivates at various times, the cause can be separated into the physical and the psychological.

• Physical: Physical factors that have been anecdotally identified differ among people. Being run-down, suffering from another genital infection , menstruation, drinking too much alcohol, exposure of the area to strong sunlight, conditions that weaken the immune system, prolonged periods of stress or depression, are all factors that can trigger an episode. Less commonly, friction or damage to the skin, such as may be caused by lack of lubrication at the time of sexual intercourse, can lead to a recurrence. In summary, anything that lowers your immune system or causes local trauma can trigger recurrences.

• Psychological: Recent studies have demonstrated that periods of prolonged stress may precipitate more frequent recurrences. It is also common to experience stress and anxiety from having recurrences.

Recommended Reading: Where Does Herpes Come From

What Happens At A Sexual Health Clinic

The doctor or nurse at the sexual health clinic will:

• ask about your symptoms and your sexual partners
• use a small cotton bud to take some fluid from 1 of your blisters or sores for testing

The test cannot:

• be done if you do not have visible blisters or sores
• tell you how long you have had herpes or who you got it from

Symptoms might not appear for weeks or even years after you’re infected with the herpes virus.

Recommended Reading: What Does The Beginning Of Herpes Look Like

Facts And Statistics About Herpes

• According to the World Health Organization, an estimated two-thirds of the global population under 50 years old are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 .
• Estimates for HSV-1 prevalence in the U.S. among people aged 049 years are 178 million women and 142 million men .
• In total, about 75 percent or more of the American adult population has the HSV-1 virus that usually causes oral herpes , and about 20 percent to 30 percent have HSV-2 that usually causes genital herpes.
• Men and women are affected by HSV-1 about equally. Roughly 6 million women in the U.S. become infected with HSV-1 each year, along with 5 million men.
• Slightly more women than men are affected by genital herpes, whether from HSV-1 or HSV-2. Middle-aged women are most likely to acquire genital herpes.
• Transmission of HSV most often occurs without symptoms, so its estimated that 85 percent of people with genital herpes dont know it. Many dont have any symptoms at all after the initial infection, and only about 15 percent ever receive a HSV-2 infection diagnosis in their lifetimes.
• Most primary oral/facial HSV infections are caused by HSV-1 however, facial infection by HSV-2 is increasingly becoming common.
• Less children are becoming infected with HSV-1 than in the past in high-income countries, mostly due to better hygiene and living conditions.
• After someone comes into contact with an active herpes outbreak on another person, the incubation period takes about one week.

Home Remedies For Herpes

In this article:

Herpes broadly refers to a collection of more than 100 different viruses, but this article will focus on herpes simplex virus types . This strain is further divided into HSV type 1 and HSV type 2, both of which are highly contagious and routinely infect humans but in different parts of the body.

Read on to learn about some useful tips and remedies that can help ease the symptomatic discomfort caused by herpes and reduce its recurrence.

Read Also: How Can I Prevent Spreading Herpes To My Partner

What Is Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease , which is usually transmitted by skin contact to skin. It is a contagious viral infection that mainly affects the genitals of men and women.

This disease may be caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2 virus, but is mostly caused by HSV-2. HSV-1 virus may affect the genital organs in the same way HSV-2 virus can be transferred to mouth by oral sex.

The varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles, does not usually cause this disease.

Herpes on genitals is very common. In United States it is estimated that one of every five adults is infected, but only a third of them are unaware that they have the virus.

Many of these people have no symptoms or have very mild symptoms, which leads to that these people do not worry be carriers of the herpes virus.

Some people who have been infected with the herpes virus does not usually have outbreaks because prevents it their immune system. Other people, on the other hand, have outbreaks of herpes a few days of being infected with the virus.

You May Like: What Do You Do If You Think You Have Herpes

Hand Hygiene Truths Myths And Misinformation

There are many misconceptions about hand hygiene on the Internet. Hopefully, this information will help clear up some of those misconceptions.Washing your hands with soap and water will kill germs.

Truth or misinformation?

Misinformation

1. Plain soaps have minimal if any antimicrobial activity.2. In several studies, hand washing with plain soap failed to remove bad microorganisms from the hands of hospital personnel.3. Hand washing with plain soap can result in an increase in bacterial counts on the skin.4. Occasionally, contaminated plain soaps have colonized hands with Gram-negative bacteria.

Reference: http: www.learnwell.org//handhygiene.htm

Killing germs on your hands decreases your immunity.

Truth or Myth?

1. The skin on your body is covered with microorganisms.2. Our environment is contaminated with microorganisms.3. You cannot kill all of the microorganisms on your hands.4. Your large intestine contains large numbers of microorganisms.5. All of the sources listed above stimulate your immune response.6. Health Care Workers CDC guidelines call for alcohol rubs to be used 60 or more times a day between patients and after touching contaminated surfaces.7. Killing germs on your hands will not decrease your immunity but it will help prevent infections.

Reference: http: www.learnwell.org/handhygiene.htm

Hand sanitizers do not kill germs.

Truth or misinformation?

Also Check: How To Fight Herpes On Lips

Recommended Reading: How To Find Out If You Have Herpes At Home

Cocoa Powder For Double Chin

Cocoa powder is also another effective home remedy for double chin. It is loaded with vitamin E which is known to possess a very high moisturizing property.

This property of cocoa powder helps to ensure that your skin remains hydrated, which can lead to improving the elasticity of your skin.

This will also reduce the appearance of a double chin.

• About 1-2 tablespoons of the cocoa butter

Do This:

• Add the cocoa butter in a bowl and slightly heat it.
• Gently massage the heated cocoa butter into your jaw and the upper neck for about 5 minutes.
• You can decide to wash it off after about 30 minutes to an hour or you can also allow it on overnight.
• Apply the cocoa butter once every day.

Also Check: Does L Lysine Help Genital Herpes

How To Get Rid Of Herpes Naturally

Not every person with a herpes infection actually experiences breakouts of cold sores throughout his or her lifetime or even after initially becoming infected. How often someone has a herpes cold sore outbreak, how severe the outbreaks are, how contagious someone is after infection and how long the sores take to heal all depend on someones individual immune response.

1. Boost Nutrient Intake

If youre going to keep the herpes virus from frequently causing outbreaks, the first step in how to get rid of herpes is to improve immune function by boosting nutrient intake. Include these healing foods in your diet to keep the virus dormant as much as possible:

2. Avoid Inflammatory Foods

Certain foods can raise inflammation, weaken immune defenses and make skin irritation even worse. Avoid the following foods as much as possible to limit outbreak severity and duration.

3. Consider Supplements

• Antiviral herbs: These include elderberry, calendula, echinacea, garlic, astragalus and licorice root.
• L-lysine : Can help treat and prevent outbreaks.
• Lemon balm extract: Apply as a topical cream for healing.
• Vitamin C : Vitamin C boosts immune function improving herpes.
• Zinc : Zinc benefits include supporting immune function, keeping viruses dormant and rebuilding skin tissue to speed up healing.
• B-complex : B vitamins help your body deal with stress and can prevent outbreaks.

4. Try Essential Oils

5. Ease Cold Sore Pain Naturally

Related: How to Use Witch Hazel to Clear Up Your Skin Fast

Also Check: How Soon Do Herpes Show Up

Types Of Antiviral Drugs

There are three oral antivirals recommended for the treatment of oral or genital herpes:

Preventing genital herpes recurrence is important as it reduces the risk of HIV. According to the CDC, having an active genital herpes infection increases the risk of HIV by 200% to 300%.

Herbs Vitamins And Natural Anti

• St. Johns Wort

Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C are all vital nutrients for the immune system. If you take high doses of vitamin C to fight a virus, remember that you should not abruptly stop taking vitamin C. You should titrate down. Vitamin C is needed by the immune system to make interferon, which the immune system produces to protect healthy cells from viral invasion.

Also Check: How Do You Get Herpes 2

What Happens If Herpes Goes Untreated

The first outbreak of genital herpes can be the most severe and can cause complications such as vaginal yeast infections, urinating problems, and meningitis.

Treatment may not be necessary for subsequent outbreaks, but anyone experiencing very regular or severe outbreaks should speak with a doctor about preventive treatment.

Best Vitamin D Supplement: Pure Encapsulations D3 Liquid

• Pros: vitamin D can support the immune system, easy to take
• Cons: expensive, delivers above recommended daily dose of vitamin D

This vitamin D3 tincture is free of gluten and genetically modified organisms and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Pure Encapsulations claims this product may help improve cardiovascular and immune health and support bone, prostate, and colon function.

The serving size of this tincture is five drops. The product labeling states each serving contains 25 micrograms of vitamin D3.

This product is suitable for vegans who want to supplement their food with more vitamin D3, especially those who prefer a liquid form rather than a tablet.

Pure Encapsulations D3 Liquid cost $34.95.

• Pros: may support the immune system, can be added to drinks
• Cons: delivers significantly more vitamin E than daily allowances recommend

These raw vitamin E capsules do not contain any GMOs, synthetic binders, fillers, or artificial flavors. Additional ingredients of this product include fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K, and selenium.

Garden of Life claims these vitamin supplements can help support eye and immune health.

This product is also suitable for vegetarians.

The company recommends people take two capsules daily, either with or without food. A person can also break the capsules apart and add the powder to their drinks.

Each serving size has the following nutritional facts:

• Vitamin A: 900 mcg

Medical professionals may also recommend prescription gels or ointments.

Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Mouth Herpes

Can Drinking Alcohol Kill Viruses And Bacteria

Drinking alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, whiskey, or vodka wont help your body fight off an infection.

When you drink, the concentration of alcohol that actually enters your bloodstream isnt enough to effectively kill germs. This is true even at blood alcohol levels associated with potentially fatal alcohol poisoning.

Drinking alcohol-based hand sanitizers or cleaning products also poses serious risks, including:

If youre wondering whether, in a pinch, you can use an alcoholic beverage to disinfect your hands or household surfaces, you should know that its not an effective option.

Alcoholic drinks generally contain between 5 and 30 percent alcohol, so they arent effective as disinfectants. In addition, they arent formulated to remain on your skin or surfaces long enough to kill germs. This means theyll likely evaporate too quickly to be effective.

Read Also: How To Help Herpes Itching

Is Lemon Balm A Herbal Cure For Herpes

Trials of antiviral effects of the lemon balm have proven it is effective against herpes virus. It has natural properties that inhibit the virus.

Application of lemon balm cures the initial outbreak of herpes and prevents recurrences.

Melissa extract and oils are available in creams and capsules. It can also be consumed as tea, made from the dried herb. Lemon Balm can be taken in a long term without side effects.

You May Like: How To Keep Herpes From Breaking Out

Herpes Simplex Virus Type I And Related Disease

TCM theory demonstrated that pathogenic âfireâ derived from stagnation of liver-Qi is a stress-induced physiological response involving the central nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system . These changes increase oneâs susceptibility to disease. Persistent emotional stress is an important factor for physical and mental fatigue as well as a weakened immunity system and ultimately high susceptibility to HSV-1 . It has been shown that HSVs are the causative agents for cold sores, fever blisters of the mouth , and genital herpes . Interestingly, recurrent facial âhot soresâ mentioned in TCM theory matches the clinical description of HSV-1 infection. Considering many TCM has the function of âclearing liver-fireâ, it is therefore of great significance to develop the screening and evaluation of the efficacy of TCM against HSV-1.

Andrographis: One Of The Best Antiviral Herbs For Herpes

Andrographis is the name of a medicinal plant of very bitter flavor, very well-known in Asia for its healing properties.

The scientific name of this herb is Andrographis paniculata, but in India it is known with the name of Maha-Tita that means king of the bitter. In Malaysia, natives name this plant Hempedu Bumi that means bile of the earth.

Andrographis belongs to the Acanthaceaes family and it possesses simple green leaves. This plant inhabits in India and Sri Lanka and it is cultivated in Asia.

The consumption of leaves and roots of Andrographis strengthen the immune system and it is more effective if we combine it with Echinacea, vitamin C and zinc.

Andrographis is one of the most effective medicinal herbs to treat herpes, but it isnt the answer to the question: how to cure herpes naturally forever?

The most effective way of preventing the outbreaks is by means of the invigoration of the immune system. Once exposed to the herpes virus, outbreaks are typically related to the times when the immune system is weakened or under pressure, such as stress, illness, fatigue, poor diet, surgery, over exposure to sunlight, medications, etc.

Andrographis interferes with viral reproduction and stimulates the production of antibodies and large white blood cells that kill invading viruses.

Andrographis fights herpes virus.

Summary of Andrographis for herpes

Scientific name

Andrographis paniculata

Other names

Family

Andrographis paniculata

Mechanism of action against herpes

Also Check: How Is Herpes Transmitted Non Sexually

Is Genital Herpes Related To Shingles

Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is caused by the varicella zoster virus , which causes chickenpox earlier in life. The natural history of varicella zoster infection is similar to genital herpes infection in that VZV also becomes latent in the sensory nerve roots. Later in life the virus may exit, causing shingles.

Recurrences in shingles cause blister lesions in a single area of skin called a dermatome. Shingles is not a sexually transmitted infection and is independent from genital herpes.

Can I Date Someone With Herpes

If youve recently found out that you have herpes, or recently found out you might be considering dating someone with HSV-1 or HSV-2, its vital that you stay positive. With the right combination of medication, conversation and understanding, its still very possible to form and maintain normal romantic relationships.

You May Like: How Long Do Herpes Symptoms Last

How Does Conventional Medicine Treat A Virus

Antiviral medications do not directly kill the virus they trap it within the cell, keeping it from reproducing. The only catch is that the anti-viral has to be taken with 48 hours of symptom onset or it doesnt work.

Antibiotics dont kill viruses. They kill bacteria, not viruses. And they kill good bacteria that we need to keep our gut in balance. Taking antibiotics when you have a viral infection can cause an immediate overgrowth of Candida, giving the immune system an additional system-wide infection to deal with when it needs all of its resources to fight a viral infection.

Conventional treatment is supportive treatmentfluids, medications for symptoms , but no medications have ever been developed to kill the virus itself.

Herpes Prevention And Natural Remedies Can Help

Herpes is a very common and infectious disease, known especially by those who suffer from immunodeficiency, illness, stress or autumn colds. How do you prevent herpes? With proper nutrition and frequent intake of vitamins contained in fresh fruits and vegetables. But also with good mood and harmony.

Recommended Reading: Can You Get Herpes On Your Leg