Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes, Cold Sores and Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

The Herpes Family

Herpes virus outbreaks are more than merely embarassing, uncomfortable and inconvenient. Herpes viruses represent a class of life-altering diseases that have proven difficult to treat and nearly impossible to cure. It is the nature of herpes family viruses to enter a period of dormancy and to reemerge as an infective agent at a future time, usually when the immune system has been compromised by disease, age or stress. Even during dormancy, a virus remains a significant medical concern. A virus can continue to remain active in the tissues of the body they inhabit, inflicting constant, cumulative damage to critical organs as they slowly replicate throughout life.

Herpes infections are far more widespread and dangerous than most individuals realize. Herpes represents a family of viruses which have some different and many similar characteristics. Cold Sores, HSV-1, and Genital Herpes, HSV-2, are very similar. Both can infect the oral cavity, genital area, or both. Virtually everyone carries at least one of the herpes viruses and many individuals carry several of them.

The Herpes family consists of at least 8 viruses that cause disease in humans and additional strains that infect birds and animals but not humans. In addition to herpes simplex types 1 and 2 , the other identified herpes viruses are:

• Varicella zoster virus (VZV): causes varicella [chickenpox] and herpes zoster [shingles]. Shingles is contagious and anyone who has not had chickenpox is susceptible through contact with fluid from the blister. Herpes zoster lives in a dormant state in certain nerve roots and is often reactivated during times of stress. Shingles afflicts more than one million people in the United States annually.


• Epstein-Barr virus (EBV): a virus that causes infectious mononucleosis and acute tonsilitis. EBV can also induce tumors such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lymphoproliferative disease, Burkitt's lymphoma, and perhaps breast cancer.


• Cytomegalovirus (CMV): a virus that causes mononucleosis-type illness and hepatitis in immune-suppressed individuals.


• Human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6): HHV-6 is the primary etiologic agent in roseola (a common pediatric disease). HHV-6 is also being closely evaluated for a role in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.


• Human herpes virus-7 (HHV-7): a virus associated with pityriasis rosea [a scaling pink, pruritic rash] and mononucleosis-type illnesses.


• Human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8): a virus associated with Kaposi's sarcoma.

Herpes Virus and Coronary Heart Disease

The total pathogen load (the total count of all pathogens and parasitic viruses, bacteria, fungus, yeast, etc. that live in the human body) contributes to the overall state of inflammation and other physiological changes that pre-dispose an individual to atherosclerosis and heart disease. The Herpes virus infections can contribute to this condition.

Individuals with Herpes infections are likely to have a lower HDL cholesterol level and, therefore, be at higher risk. HSV also activates pro-coagulant changes on affected cardiac endothelium cells resulting in thickening of the arterial walls and platelet aggregation. Scientists believe that this problem may be caused by CMV, a herpes virus that infects 50-85 percent of the population in the United States. CMV also stimulates over proliferation of smooth muscle cells in the blood vessel walls, further restricting blood flow.

Herpes Virus and Cancer

It has been established that genital herpes increases the incidence of cervical cancer. Genital herpes has also been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Most people acquire genital herpes (HSV-2) infections following sexual contact with an infected person. Over 80% of all genital herpes infections are transmitted when the herpes carrier is asymptomatic.

The incidence of HHV-8 infection is higher in homosexual men. The presence of HHV-8 antibodies in HIV-infected persons increases their risk of developing Kaposi's sarcoma. Kaposi's sarcoma is a malignancy that begins as soft brownish or purple papules on the feet. It slowly spreads in the skin, metastasizing to the lymph nodes, and then to the internal organs. Oncogenic viruses, such as EBV, HHV-8 and human papillomavirus, initiate most cancers that are associated with HIV infection.

Herpes Virus and Inflammation

Herpes Simplex derived DNA and other compounds have demonstrated strong proliferative responses and the production of inflammatory cytokines in animal studies. The cytokines include tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The biological response to pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines affects the outcome of several degenerative diseases, including cancer.

Herpes Virus and Lupus

It has been hypothesized that a microorganism capable of eliciting an immune response may induce systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in man. Researchers have detected as association between EBV infection and SLE in children and young adults.

Herpes Virus and Alzheimer's Disease

A genetic factor that favors the development of Alzheimer's Disease has been identified by researchers. The apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele (APOE-epsilon 4 allele) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but it is neither essential nor sufficient for development of the disease. It has been postulated that reactivation of latent HSV-1 viruses in the brains of elderly persons is one of the factors favoring the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have found a positive correlation between HSV-1 infection and Alzheimer's disease. The findings in people with cold sores support the hypothesis: APOE-epsilon 4 and HSV-1 (together) are damaging to the nervous system.

Herpes Virus and Multiple Sclerosis

Researchers have found an association between HHV-6 infection and MS and a correlation between HHV-6 reactivation and disease activity in relapsing/remitting and secondary progressive MS. Compared with patients with latent HHV-6 infection, those with active infection were at significantly higher risk of an exacerbation of MS. HHV-6 reactivation correlated with serum IL-12 concentrations during disease activity. Researchers have uncovered associations between MS, EBV, and VZV. Norwegan reserch studies suggest that young MS patients may express VZV earlier and more often than the general population. Canadian research determined that VZV occurred at an earlier age in the MS group; the majority of male patients had VZV prior to the diagnosis of MS; and more than one attack of VZV was common in the MS group.

Herpes Virus and Bell's Palsy

There is evidence of a link between the reactivation of herpes viruses VZV and HSV-1 and the development of acute peripheral facial palsy, or Bell 's palsy. It is also believed that trigeminal neuralgia may be associated with herpes infections. In both of these situations, the associated cranial nerves become infected with the herpes viruses. The resulting inflammation and demyelination can cause considerable pain and facial muscle dysfunction.

Treating Herpes Virus Infections

The conventional medical treatment for herpes virus infections is several anti-viral drugs and an assortment of drugs that provide symptomatic relief. These drugs suppress the virus reducing the severity and frequency of outbreaks but do not eliminate it from the body. On-going drug therapy is required to keep the virus in remission for some individuals. The herpes viruses do not die, they go dormant when the going gets rough. They lie dormant in the nuclei of the nerve cells in your brain waiting for your immune system to weaken so they can become active again.

The Book listed below discusses alternative treatments for herpes simplex type1, herpes simplex type 2, and herpes zoster infections. These treatments are alternative in the sense that they are not FDA approved standard treatments for these viral infections. In some cases small or limited clinical trials have been done and published. In others, only laboratory and animal studies have been done. Some have a history of informal use in the treatment of herpes infections, but lack formal research studies supporting their use. There are also a number of nutritional supplements that boost and support the human immune system.

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