Herbal Treatment for Genital Herpes – Genital Herpes Pain Relief and More
Genital herpes is a life-long condition that requires ongoing treatment. Some people who catch herpes never develop any symptoms at all, but about 20 per cent of adults who have HSV-1 ("oral" herpes) get cold sores or lip blisters about once a year. About 50 per cent of adults who have HSV-2 ("genital herpes) have outbreaks twice to six times a year.
Herbal treatment for genital herpes won't cure the disease, and it won't stop transmission. But it can make you feel better faster than many prescription medications that cost a great deal more.
Lemon balm for genital herpes. Lemon balm, also known by its botanical name, Melissa officinalis, is a traditional "calming" herb. It turns out that lemon balm can "calm" many of the symptoms caused by flares of genital herpes.
Lemon balm is anti-inflammatory. Unlike pharmaceutical remedies which exert their maximum effects on the very first day of symptoms by stopping the multiplication of the virus (as soon as there is tingling or burning sensation, before there are any blisters), creams made with lemon balm sooth inflammation after blisters erupt.
The greatest effect of lemon balm occurs after the second day it is used. Lemon balm will generally stop blistering and pain as long as it is started within 72 hours of the first appearance of blisters. One study found that using lemon balm reduced the average number of days the blisters were active from nine to four. Be sure you don't touch the tip of the tube containing the cream against a blister, and don't put virus-infected fingers into a lemon balm jar.
Aloe vera gel. Aloe vera is a common household remedy for cuts, scrapes, and burns. It can help relieve itching and burning of blisters, and there are a few studies that suggest it contains compounds that are potentially antiviral. Since the antiviral compounds in aloe have to be activated by bacteria, however, chances are you will just feel better after using aloe. Aloe is good for genital herpes pain relief but it won't stop the virus and it won't make the blisters go away any faster.
Propolis is the anti-viral component of honey. The bee hive has to have abundant supplies of infection-fighting substances to deal with the trillions of microorganisms brought in by hundreds of thousands of flights by individual bees in every hive every day.
Studies conducted at Ben Gurion University in Israel find that ordinary honey, which you could apply to blisters, fights HSV-1 but not HSV-2. Honey, however, is especially useful for treating genital herpes by virtue of the fact it stops other bacterial infections that could infect broken skin; it's even used as a surgical dressing for cosmetic procedures by doctors in the United States. A concentrated water extract of propolis also fights the more aggressive "genital" form of herpes, HSV-2.
Herbal remedies are always best used as an addition to medical care for herpes. The right combination of remedies, however, will give you maximum relief.
Selected References:
Krone MR, Wald A, Tabet SR, Paradise M, Corey L, Celum CL. Herpes simplex virus type 2 shedding in human immunodeficiency virus-negative men who have sex with men: frequency, patterns, and risk factors. Clin Infect Dis. 2000;30:261-7.
Lopez BS, Yamamoto M, Utsumi K, Aratsu C, Sakagami H. A clinical pilot study of lignin-ascorbic acid combination treatment of herpes simplex virus. In Vivo. 2009 Nov-Dec;23(6):1011-6.
Mazzanti G, Battinelli L, Pompeo C, Serrilli AM, Rossi R, Sauzullo I, Mengoni F, Vullo V. Inhibitory activity of Melissa officinalis L. extract on Herpes simplex virus type 2 replication. Nat Prod Res. 2008;22(16):1433-40.
Xu F, Schillinger JA, Sternberg MR, Johnson RE, Lee FK, Nahmias AJ, et al. Seroprevalence and coinfection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in the United States, 1988-1994. J Infect Dis. 2002;185:1019-24.