Vaginal Herpes

Common medical treatments for genital herpes include medications designed to slow the replication of the herpes virus when it becomes active. This helps to make outbreaks less severe. When taken regularly when the disease is dormant, these drugs act as suppressive therapy, making outbreaks less likely. It is important to note that suppressive therapy does not eliminate the risk of passing herpes to others, so infected persons who are not currently having an outbreak or are using suppressive therapy should continue to take precautions such as wearing a condom or insisting that a sexual partner wear a condom to prevent transmitting the disease.

In addition to mainstream medicine, alternative cures can be helpful in making herpes symptoms less severe. There are a variety of things other than just taking a pill that people with genital herpes can do to make outbreaks less uncomfortable.

What we eat has a big role in our general health and how we cope with infection and disease, so it's no surprise that changing up your diet can help you better deal with genital herpes. Many alternative medicine practitioners suggest people with genital herpes eat diets high in lysine, an amino acid, while reducing the amount of arginine in their diet. High lysine foods include fish, dairy products, poultry and red meats. Arginine-containing foods include chocolate, peas, nuts and cereal.

The dietary claims concerning lysine and arginine are backed up by research showing that replication of the herpes virus may be inhibited by lysine, while arginine actually encourages it. Preliminary studies show that a dietary change may alleviate the symptoms of the illness and make outbreaks less severe.

Overall, a well-balanced diet can increase the effectiveness of the immune system, slowing down and weakening future herpes outbreaks. It's advisable to cut simple carbohydrates, abstain from alcohol and avoid common allergen-bearing foods. Replace these foods with fresh vegetables and fruit.

There are a variety of herbs that have been found to be helpful in treating genital herpes outbreaks. For instance, licorice root is known to contain antiviral substances that can help to lessen the itching and pain associated with genital herpes. Alternative medicine practitioners suggest applying topical creams or gels containing licorice to affected areas three or four times per day to help treat symptoms of genital herpes.

Recent studies have also shown that aloe vera can help speed up the healing of herpes sores. Applying aloe vera cream to affected areas was found to shorten the healing time and relieve itching and pain in the majority of subjects in a double-blind trial.

Another herb that's been found to be promising in the treatment of genital herpes is lemon balm extract. Used four to five times daily, the lemon balm extract has been found to help herpes sores heal more quickly than if left untreated.

A holistic approach may also be beneficial in reducing the severity of genital herpes symptoms. Recent studies show that stress can increase the frequency of outbreaks by almost 25 percent. Treatments aimed at reducing stress, such as meditation or massage may be helpful in reducing the frequency of herpes outbreaks.

Fatigue has also been cited by some studies as a trigger for genital herpes outbreaks. By making sure that you get enough rest, you may be able to prevent herpes outbreaks.

Before embarking on an alternative course of therapy, it's best to consult with your doctor to determine if any drugs you're currently taking for other conditions might interact poorly with alternative treatment, or if alternative treatment might be detrimental to any other condition you have. Alternative medical treatment should be used to supplement, not replace, mainstream medicine in the treatment of genital herpes. Research shows that alternative cures can help, but does not rule out the need for traditional treatment. Used wisely, alternative cures can help greatly mitigate the symptoms of genital herpes and allow infected persons to live more comfortable lives.