When it comes to herpes vagina sores and/or blisters are the most common symptom in women. These sores, or lesions, are a sure-fire way to detect that you have become infected with genital herpes. If you find yourself suffering from these sores, it is highly important to visit your doctor for a proper diagnosis. Try to keep in mind that there is no need to fear herpes. A visit to the doctor will shed light on the many ways genital herpes can be managed.

As far as symptoms vaginal herpes can manifest itself in other ways besides these painful sores and blisters. If you find yourself suffering from unusual headaches, fever, tingling or itching in the vaginal or buttocks area, you may have contracted the herpes simplex virus. Staying aware of your body as well as your sexual activities, will allow you to get treatment as soon as possible once symptoms arise.

Vagina herpes does not have to hinder you from living life to the fullest. The virus can be managed quite effectively. Among the numerous prescription medications out there, genital herpes can be controlled with natural treatments, such as topical creams, that make outbreaks much more bearable, without the side effects. Other ways to ease the discomfort of outbreaks is by wearing loose, cotton clothing and keeping the infected area clean and dry.

Did you know that when it comes to herpes vagina infections are contracted in more ways than just vaginal intercourse? If your partner is a carrier of oral herpes and performs oral sex on you, then you can become infected with herpes. Another way is by anal sex. Masturbation is yet another way to contract the virus. Knowing your partner’s history could help keep you safe and virus free.

In dealing with symptoms vaginal herpes outbreaks can first be spotted within two weeks of sexual activity. This initial outbreak can last for several weeks. In the beginning, red bumps appear. These bumps then turn into blisters, which will eventually burst, starting the healing process. When these blisters begin to crust over, you know that you’re in the end stages of the outbreak.

As stated earlier, when it comes to herpes vagina sores are not the only symptoms you may suffer from during an outbreak. If you feel swelling in the vaginal area, feel pain when urinating, or have unusual vaginal discharge, you may be some of the few that have minimal discomfort during an outbreak. These particular types of outbreaks are much easier to deal with. Many times, extremely mild outbreaks need no steady treatment.

There is no reason to let vagina herpes inhibit you. With the vast array of treatments available, you can live life to the fullest. It is more than possible to have a long and rewarding life just by staying aware, staying educated and staying in control.

By Sheldon Miller

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now and From Coming Back For Good by Dr David Hoggs

Dr David Hoggs said in his StopHerpesNow site that people should NOT rely on conventional drugs to help you with viral infections. Here’s why:

1. Conventional drugs cause viruses to adapt to the antiviral drug itself, and then another antiviral drug is needed.

2. Conventional antiviral drugs cause unwanted side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, all over aching, dizziness, joint pain, rash, lethargy, confusion, anorexia, dry mouth, and agitation. And that’s just the common reactions!! More serious reactions are seizures, coma, low white blood cell count, kidney dysfunction, anaphylaxis, hepatitis, and encephalopathy. I don’t think you want to risk any of these happening to you!

3. Conventional antiviral medication is very expensive.

4. Conventional antivirals cause your body to be depleted of vitamins and nutrients such as L-Carnitine, Vitamin B12, and Copper.

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now and From Coming Back For Good by Dr David Hoggs

Let’s look at the 8 distinct cold sore stages, and what you can do now to lessen the severity, discomfort and length of your cold sore event.

Cold sore stages 2-8 are the active stages and are very contagious during this time. Usually 3 to 4 weeks is the average life-span of a cold sore. Much depends on your health and choice of treatments for each of your cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: #1 - LATENT - Here the cold sore herpes simplex virus is hiding in the nerve ganglia near the back of the jaw on the same side as your cold sore usually appears. The cold sore virus may “sleep” for weeks or years without incident. Your body’s defense “soldiers” keep them in check. When there is stress in another part of your body, your defenses may drop at this location. Then the cold sore virus can escape and travel to the surface to reproduce - beginning the active cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 2 - PRODROME - The cold sore virus reproductive cycle begins here. The cold sore virus travels down your nerve fibers to the surface. This movement causes your cold sore target area to itch or tingle. You may notice a burning or dryness sensation. This stage could last a few hours to a few days before entering the more intense cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 3 - INFLAMMATION Your cold sore virus has now arrived at the surface and begins it’s reproductive cycle by entering the cells at the end of the nerve. This causes a lot of swelling and redness at the cold sore site as your cells react to being invaded by the herpes cold sore virus .

COLD SORE STAGES: # 4 - PRE-SORE - Cold sores at this stage are defined by the appearance of cold sore vesicles. A full blown cold sore is not one big blister but a grouping of small blisters called vesicles. You will notice these vesicles as tiny, hard pimples or red bumps that are painfully sensitive to the touch.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 5 - OPEN SORE - Your most painful and contagious of the cold sore stages. All the vesicles break open and merge to create one big open, weeping sore. Depending on the severity, you may develop a fever and swollen lymph glands under the jaw.

The weeping fluid is teaming with newly born cold sore viruses. Touching this fluid, you could easily spread the cold sore virus to another part of your own body or to someone else - either by direct touch or shared objects such as hand towels, telephones, and faucets.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 6 - CRUSTING - A cold sore will develop a yellowish crust or scab as it begins to finally start the healing process. Your cold sore is still painful at this stage. More painful, however, is the constant cracking of your cold sore scab when you move or stretch your lips, as in smiling.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 7- HEALING - Cold sores, once scabbed over, begin healing from the inside out. As new skin forms under the crust, you will experience continued itching, irritation and some pain. Your cold sore virus is now retreating back to the nerve ganglia area where it will sleep until the next opportunity.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 8 - POST SCAB - Cold sores at this stage no longer have a visible cold sore scab and your skin has totally healed. Under your new skin, healing is still taking place as the destroyed cells are regenerated. This produces a red spot that may linger for another 2 to 14 days - depending on your personal healing speed. You are still contagious until this red spot disappears. This waiting is the most frustrating of the cold sore stages.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW -

Cold sore over-the-counter medications, experts agree, are primarily comfort treatments for the cold sore stages. Some contain numbing agents that greatly reduce your pain. Some cold sore medications contain an anti-bacterial to prevent secondary infections. None of these cold sore medications have been shown to actually shorten the life-span of any of your cold sore stages.

Medical science has been working feverishly on a cure for the herpes virus but have not, as yet, had any real success in developing an effective cold sore remedy. Prescription anti-virals, both the oral versions and the topical salves, have been a dismal failure for the most part. Vaccines are being tested but are 3-4 years out yet. New breakthroughs could be just around the corner however.

But you don’t need to wait!

More and more doctors now agree. There are times when natural science just seems to be the best choice. Often our ONLY choice. This is certainly true - right now - for herpes cold sores.

Data studies have shown natural science remedies can reduce the cold sore events by as much as 79%.

Yes! And, in fact, actually prevent your cold sores from taking place altogether.

The great news - these remedies are available to you today.

If you are a cold sore victim, you would be well advised to look into these powerful natural remedies without delay for shortening or preventing your cold sores.

by Denny Bodoh

If you currently have the herpes virus the best thing you can do for yourself is herpes research. Knowing everything about the virus will help you control it, instead of fear it. There are plenty of sources available out there that can keep you informed on this fast spreading virus. With proper knowledge, you can learn to live a long and rewarding life.

Through extensive clinical studies, specifically, genital herpes research, it has been found that there is no cure for the herpes. However, there are numerous ways to control it effectively. Research has shown that people suffer from the virus in different ways. Sometimes, carriers suffer no symptoms. Therefore, they are unaware that they are infected with genital herpes. In most cases, however, symptoms such as red bumps, fever, blisters and headaches, alert others that they are in fact, a carrier of the herpes virus.

Other herpes research has helped in creating treatment options for those living with the herpes virus. This includes all types of herpes, such as oral, genital and ocular. While your doctor can provide one of the many prescription drugs available on the market, there are vast arrays of natural topical treatments that can be used safely, without side effects. Research has also shown that wearing loose clothing, avoidance of touching sores, and keeping the area clean and dry can make outbreaks shorter in length and much more bearable.

Current research on herpes has shown that the infection is permanent. It has also shown that the virus is rapidly spreading. It is estimated that approximately one million Americans become infected per year. With this said, each person’s reaction from the virus varies. As stated before, some carriers suffer one outbreak during their lifetime. Others may have approximately 2 to 6 outbreaks a year, depending on age, race, gender and lifestyle.

Asymptomatic viral shedding is also become a focal point in genital herpes research. This means that although there is no visible outbreak, the carrier is still shedding the virus. Basically, when you shed the virus, you are still contagious and can pass the virus onto others. Research has also shown that this shedding is more common in women than it is in men.

Reading up on herpes research can be extremely beneficial. Studies show that a change in lifestyle can help manage the virus more effectively. It is highly important to take necessary precaution if you plan on engaging in sexual activity. Anyone with herpes can maintain a healthy and rewarding sex life, but must use protection in order to protect their partner. During outbreaks, it is necessary to use a condom. Using a condom in between outbreaks can be helpful as well. In a nutshell, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Always remember that herpes does not have to control you. Stay close with your family, make new friends and keep up with current research on herpes will keep you well informed on how to manage your outbreaks and your life.

by Sheldon Miller

Bee pollen and herpes, what do they have in common? The pollen from the bee actually has a component that speeds up the healing of wounds from the herpes condition. Herpes is a widely spread sexually transmitted disease in adults caused by the herpes simplex virus or HSV. The symptoms include blisters and ulcers on the mouth, face, genitals, and around the anus area. Once a person is infected with herpes, he or she remains infected for life. There is no known total cure for herpes, just some minor treatment for the wounds or blisters caused by it.

Bee pollen and herpes patients have gone along well through the years because the ingestion of pollen makes the symptoms disappear for long periods of time. So what exactly is in the pollen that cures the herpes’ painful symptoms? The answer is the Pantothenic acid, a part of B vitamin complex family that effectively speeds up the cure of herpes wounds.

The bee products with propolis, a powerful natural antibiotic from bees, are more effective against the herpes simplex virus. This is because of the high concentration of flavonoids and luteolin in propolis that are very efficient in reducing pain, itchiness, and inflammation in herpes patients.

What are the other things herpes patients can expect from taking in bee supplements?

By taking in daily bee pollen products, one’s body will experience an outstanding increase in natural energy. This is one reason why there are a lot of athletes who include a bee product in their daily diet. It has also been found to increase mental functions and concentration in adults as well as aid in young children’s IQ development. Adults are able to think clearly, even if they are in their senior years, and children are able to learn and comprehend lessons in school fast.

One of the best health benefits is its ability to slow down the aging process of each individual. This is due to the fact that it restores vigor and enhances cell regeneration processes. This health benefit from the pollen is commonly observed on the skin of a person taking bee products daily. They appear younger compared to their actual age and their skin is supple, soft, smooth, and almost wrinkle-free.

The pollen from the bee also normalizes chemical imbalances in the human body. These chemical imbalances often affect one’s metabolism resulting in various weight problems like overweight and underweight. Metabolism in overweight people will be increased resulting in faster fat burning and a flushing process due to the high lecithin percentage in the pollen. Overactive metabolism causing underweight in some people will also be normalized by a bee supplement. It can also suppress food cravings to help one reduce some of the unwanted weight and be able to eat healthier selection of food groups.

There are more health benefits from the pollens that we haven’t mentioned here. The important thing is for herpes patients to know that there are natural sources, like these pollens, that can help them with their painful symptoms. Bee pollen and herpes are indeed lasting. When the pollen is improperly stored and handled, it will lose up to 76 percent of its nutritive value within twelve months. The only way to preserve the high potency of pure pollen is the method of freeze drying.

Freeze drying bee pollens maintain its freshness and preserves all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients intact. Other bee pollen collectors do not handle their bee pollens very well and even subject their bee pollens in the heat drying process, the fastest way to dry out the product but the worst way in trying to preserve the bee pollens’ potency. Beekeepers in New Zealand see to it that they harvest bee pollens at least twice a week because they know the exceptional nutritive value of bee pollen freshness.

by Micheal Thomas

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now and From Coming Back For Good by Dr David Hoggs

Investigation is on presently for an effective herpes vaccine and there is a general consensus that something should be available in 3-5 years. But these vaccines will be limited in function as in they will prevent infection in new patients. Those with the herpes simplex virus already residing in their bodies will probably not benefit.

There have been attempts to make vaccines which will prevent the HSV occurrence, but with not much success unfortunately. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals started a trial in November 2002 in this direction and hopefully, we should see some progress in the years to come.

Isoniplex (Isoprinosine) has been approved for use in HSV infections in about 56 countries due to its antiviral action and its ability to stimulate the body’s immune response. In the United States, Isoniplex is currently under investigation and under trial for HSV primary and recurrent cases. There may not be any cure as of now but there are drugs that help reduce the frequency and the duration of an outbreak and your doctor would be able to give you a fairly good idea about your options.

You natural healing process will be aided by the fact that the area is kept clean and dry during an outbreak. Warm showers are recommended to clean the infected area, then gently towel dried or with a hair dryer on a low or cool setting. Avoid tight-fitting undergarments to prevent chaffing. Creams and lotions may only irritate so preferably avoid using any of these. But, at the end of the day it is a healthy immune system that is important in controlling the virus along with proper nutrition, exercise and rest.

Alternative solutions are being discussed today in which are enumerated two control methods: immunotherapy and antiviral therapy. Antiviral therapy is the development of drugs that can identify the cells that harbor the virus and distinguish them from the others. The drugs have to work in such a way that they destroy the virus completely, without leaving fragments or producing mutants that may resurface later inside infected cells. Basically what is being asked is that the antiviral agents must be lethal to viruses only and must be non-toxic to body cells. Immunotherapy deals with developing agents that help fight the virus naturally by stimulating the body’s immune response system. Some substances available currently can activate specialized white blood cells.

The amino acid lysine has been found to control herpes and researchers have found that if free form lysine is added to a diet high in lysine and low in arginine, it appears to be useful. Viral replication increased in tissue culture studies when the amino acid ratio of arginine to lysine favors arginine. A higher ratio of lysine to arginine will suppress the viral replication and inhibit the cytopathogenicity of the herpes simplex virus. L-Lysine is seen to be an effective agent for reducing the occurrence, severity and healing time for HSV infection that reoccurs.

Food items that have more lysine than arginine are fish, chicken, beef, lamb, milk, cheese, beans, brewer’s yeast and bean sprouts. Peas, gelatin, chocolate, carob, coconut, oats, whole-wheat, white flour, peanuts, soybeans and wheat germ are known to have more arginine than lysine.

By Tom Sample

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now & From Coming Back for Good by Dr David Hogg

Besides doctor’s prescription, many folks with herpes will try their hands on age-old home remedies to heal faster and lead as much a normal life as possible.

Crex Lee shared in her same titled article that “However, small, though irritating and painful in a physical sense, such sores or blisters about the area of the mouth can be ease through home remedies for herpes cold sores. ” She recommends:

Vitamin supplement is one of the great home remedies for herpes cold sores.

You may also drink lemon juice in the morning. It’s very good for over all health and can give you an extra boost to treat it.

Take a washrag, dip it in milk and dab it on the affected area for about 20 seconds. Repeat the process a couple of times.

Compress warm tea bag. Apply a warm tea bag for 10 minutes every hour during the tingling stages can also speed up the healing process.

Certain foods can prolong the occurrence of cold sores, while some can trigger their recurrence. Limit your consumption of processed foods as they are more likely to trigger an outbreak.

Apply ice during the early stage. It can greatly slow down the development of the sore. It is very beneficial to hold the ice to the sore for about 3 to 5 minutes repeating it for a few hours.

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now & From Coming Back for Good by Dr David Hogg

Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1995.

Dr. Denice M. Moffat shared about using Lysine during herpes breakout:

Lysine is considered an essential amino acid, a component of protein that our body cannot make. Many people use it to assist healing of herpes sores. With other supplements, it can also be effective in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and hypothyroidism.

Lysine can be used topically or taken internally as a free-form amino acid or eaten as natural food sources. Free-form means that the individual amino acid has been isolated from a protein source and is purely a single amino acid. Free-form amino acids are used specifically in righting deficiencies.

High lysine foods include corn, poultry, and avocados. Lysine acts to rebuild muscle and repair tissue. Lysine is also important for calcium uptake in the remodeling and building of bones. It also helps in the formation of collagen, hormones and enzymes.

Use a high quality amino acid, as they have fewer fillers and you get more bang for your buck that way. I use TwinLabs, Solaray, Source Naturals brands in my practice.

One more trick I use in my practice that is quite effective for mouth sores is to recommend that the affected person “speak their truth.” Once they release the emotions they are holding inside of them, the sores usually go away in less than a week.

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now & From Coming Back for Good by Dr David Hogg

According to Kent Pinkerton ’s article, “5 Methods of Herpes Testing”:

There are basically five ways to diagnose herpes in a patient. Herpes testing should not just include detection of the virus but its type and location as well. Knowing the type and location of the virus is important in assessing risks for transmission. Diagnostic measures in herpes testing include

• clinical examination,
• viral culture,
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR),
• non-type specific blood tests and
• type-specific blood tests.

Clinical examination of a patient includes history and physical examination. The doctor may ask about the patient?s sexual partners and practices. A time line should be constructed as sores usually appear two to three weeks after the infection. Other important questions include presence of pain, itching, tingling, difficulty in urinating, et cetera. Physical examination includes checking for location of sores and swellings of the lymph nodes. Clinical examination is important in assessing the signs and symptoms of herpes but it does not confirm an infection by herpes as the symptoms may be seen in other diseases, the symptoms may present atypically or symptoms may not be present at all.

The second step in herpes testing is viral isolation and culture, which is the most valid test for herpes. The test is effective only when active viral shedding from open sores is present. Viral culture can identify the location of infection and make a distinction between HSV-1 and HSV-2.

PCR distinguishes between HSV-1 and HSV-2 as well. It is more sensitive than viral culture that produces many false negatives. Active viral shedding is also a prerequisite for this procedure.

Non-type specific blood tests in herpes testing include Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). It can identify the presence of herpes infection but cannot differentiate the two types. Other blood tests which may be requested for herpes testing include detection of IgM and IgG antibodies but these are not specific to herpes and these are only reliable after a certain period of time after the infection.

Type-specific blood tests for detection of herpes include Western blot, Immunoblot test or a more specific type of ELISA. These blood tests do not require active viral shedding from open sores.

At Health and Age, there is a list of common herbs used to improve herpes conditions. I have extracted some of the more commons ones here:

1. Aloe (Aloe vera)
Preliminary evidence suggests that aloe gel used topically may improve the symptoms of genital herpes. Whether this same use of aloe will apply to oral herpes lesions is not known, but it may be worth trying in order to reduce the length and severity of your symptoms. Talk to your doctor about the possibility of using topical aloe vera for herpes lesions.

2. Lemon Balm (Melissa officianalis)
Some studies suggest that topical ointments containing lemon balm may help heal herpes cold sores. In one study of 116 people with HSV, for example, those who applied lemon balm cream to their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only two days. Although other symptoms (such as pain and scabbing) did not improve, both the participants and their physicians reported that the lemon balm ointment was highly effective. Several animal studies also support the value of topical lemon balm for oral herpes lesions.

3. Peppermint Oil (Mentha x piperita)
In test tubes, peppermint oil has exhibited antiviral properties against a number of infectious agents, including herpes. Whether this would translate into help for relieving herpes lesions is not known at this point.

4. Sage-Rhubarb Cream
In one Swiss study, a cream made from sage (Salvia officinialis) and rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) lessened the length of time that herpes lesions were present to the same extent as the medication acyclovir. More research on this topic would be helpful.

5. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus/Acanthopanax senticosus)
Although not all studies agree, one 6-month study of 93 people with HSV-2 (which, again, generally causes genital herpes lesions) found that Siberian ginseng reduced the frequency, severity, and duration of outbreaks. This herb should not be given to children and should not be taken if you have high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea (repeated, prolonged periods when breathing stops while sleeping), narcolepsy (frequent day time sleeping), are pregnant or breastfeeding.

6. Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Use of tea tree oil, applied topically in gel form, has some popularity for herpes lesions on the lips. Although more research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn, there is some scientific basis for this use. First, in test tubes, tea tree oil has the ability to fight both strains of herpes viruses (HSV 1 and HSV 2). Secondly, there has been one small study comparing use of tea tree oil gel to placebo in those with recurrent oral herpes. The herpes lesions of those who used the tea tree oil healed more quickly than those who used placebo. Studies of larger numbers of people are necessary, however, along with studies that compare tea tree oil to medications used for herpes.

To try to prevent herpes outbreaks, herbalists may also consider remedies that help strengthen your immune system or act as adaptogens (substances that help relieve stress).

There are lots of online communities where members support each other in their struggle with this disease. Herpes sufferers may want like to exchange notes with fellow sufferers to have a better understanding of using herbs on herpes skin.

Additional Reading:

Stop Herpes Now & From Coming Back for Good by Dr David Hogg