Herpes – The Love Bug 2010

If you are like many of my patients who are old enough to remember when “The Love Bug” (what the media dubbed the herpes virus), reached near epidemic levels in the 1970s, you may be wondering if it has ever been known. found a cure in the last 40 years or if it continues to be a problem as a sexually transmitted disease.

Well no, no cure has been found, and yes, it is still a problem when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases. In fact, some 80 million people in the United States alone have HSV (herpes simplex virus)-2, the “below-the-belt” type of herpes, a statistic that includes both adults and adolescents ages 14 and older. to 19 years.

What you may also not know is that despite the lack of a herpes cure, there are some natural ways that you can prevail over a herpes infection, perhaps resulting in long-term remission. First, for those of you who are not familiar with what herpes is, how it is transmitted, how it is treated, etc., let me give you the same basic facts that I share with my patients.

What is a herpes HSV-2 infection?

Plain and simple, herpes is a viral infection transmitted by sexual contact with a person infected with herpes. Herpes is most often transmitted to another person when the infected person is actively shedding the virus from the herpes sore in the genital region or in the mouth.

However, the virus can also spread at other times when no sore is present in what is called asymptomatic transmission. However, this does not occur in all cases. It depends a lot on how strong your immune system is if you will get a herpes infection from someone else. Also, an infected person can spread the herpes virus to another part of their own body, such as their eyes or mouth, by touching the sores when they are present, forgetting to wash their hands, and then touching a body part.

Many people don’t know they have a herpes infection because they may not have the typical symptoms. They may not have associated a genital sore with a herpes infection, as they can be mistaken for pimples or heat rash. So, it is possible to transmit herpes to another person without knowing it. A person should be tested for HSV-2 when there is a sore. A viral smear is taken from the sore area and sent by analogy to a laboratory that can determine if the HSV-2 virus is present.

What are the symptoms of herpes HSV-2 infection?

Many of my patients are surprised to find out that they have a herpes HSV-2 infection since their symptoms were so mild that they did not notice them or associate the symptoms they might have had with a herpes infection. Some patients thought that the initial symptoms of herpes were the flu or a cold. Others have had a strong reaction when they were first infected and their symptoms were easily diagnosed as a herpes infection. It all depends on your particular immune system and how strong it is at the time of infection as to whether you’ll get a full flare or just vague symptoms. In general, however, these are the usual symptoms of a herpes infection:

•Red, tender, “tingling” skin appears in the genital region 2 to 20 days after virus transmission. This skin can also itch or burn. This is the “prodrome,” or warning symptoms, that a herpes outbreak is imminent. The virus settles in the nerves around the area of ​​the infection and causes the area to tingle sometimes intensely.
•A single blister or a group of small blisters may appear. Depending on their location, these can be painful and make it difficult to sit comfortably.
•Flu-like symptoms may also accompany the outbreak and may include fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue.
•The urethra may be involved in the infection and may cause pain and burning when urinating.
•Many people have between 5 and 7 herpes outbreaks a year, which then decrease in frequency as time goes by. However, some people do not have an outbreak for years. Outbreaks commonly occur around stressful periods in your life.

Prevention of herpes infection

Since many people don’t know they may have a herpes infection, the easiest way to protect yourself against herpes infections is to take precautions with a new sexual partner:

•latex condoms: Always use a latex condom with a new sexual partner. Latex has been shown to block the herpes virus where other forms of condoms have not. However, even latex condoms may not be 100% foolproof protection.
•Foam contraceptives: These contain nonoxynol-9 which has been shown to kill the herpes virus and other STDs in laboratory tests. A combination of this type of foam inserted into the vagina before sex along with the use of a latex condom gives you double the protection.
•Abstinence: If you have herpes, refrain from sexual activity when you have blisters, as this is the virus-active shedding phase of the infection and the time when you are most likely to infect another person.
•Monogamy: Limit your sexual partners to 1 person who also has sex with only you.

Treatments for Herpes

When I tell my patients that there is nothing, right now, that I can give them that will cure their herpes, they often get angry or depressed. Researchers are currently working on vaccines for HSV-2 herpes, but even those won’t do anything for people who are already infected.

The good news though is that a herpes virus infection is easily controlled in most people and most people forget they even have the virus. The key is to maintain a healthy immune system. There are some antiviral drugs, such as Isoniplex and Acyclovir, that help boost the immune response, but not without side effects. Unless you have a particularly weak immune system, I find that boosting your immune system with natural methods and supplements is most beneficial.

•Diet: Make sure yours contains optimal nutrition consisting of balanced protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates, and high levels of vitamins. Also, foods rich in a protein called lysine have been shown to be very beneficial in the treatment of herpes, as it has been shown in laboratory tests to suppress the reproduction of the herpes virus. Foods rich in lysine include fish, chicken, lamb, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Be careful with foods that contain arginine such as chocolate, whole wheat, oats, as arginine stimulates viral reproduction.

•Exercise: Regular moderate exercise helps boost your immune system. Marathon-type exercise will no longer boost your immune system; in fact, it will strain it. So, remember these words, regular, moderate.

•Sleep: Make sure you get 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every day.

•Stop worrying about it: Worrying about what you do is useless and actually compromises your immune system because it creates another form of chronic stress.

•Alternative supplements: As mentioned above, lysine it has been shown to be beneficial for herpes. Studies have shown that 500 mg of lysine daily has maintained remission in infected people. Taking a dose of lysine at the start of a herpes outbreak has been shown to cause rapid clearance of lesions. Red Marine Algae (RMA)Made from edible seaweed, it has also shown promise in boosting immunity and fighting viral replication in herpes patients. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) it has been shown in German clinical studies to show promise against future herpes outbreaks when applied to initial outbreaks. Green, Black, White the teas have shown clinical promise as antivirals. Green and black tea have been effective in stopping herpes-1 (oral herpes) outbreaks. Green and white tea have been shown to be effective against! suppression of herpes HSV-2 infection. Green tea extract contains high amounts of EGCG, which has been shown to be an immune system booster.

Knowing that you have herpes can be upsetting. It can make you feel bad about yourself and can strain or ruin relationships. However, like many of my patients, you may have contracted an HSV-2 infection many years ago without knowing it from a partner who did not know you had it. You can’t change the past, but you can change the present and the future. Following the guidelines above can help you prevent or control a herpes infection. Keeping your immune system in good shape using the natural suggestions listed here will help you suppress further herpes outbreaks. Keeping a positive mindset and not concentrating on having herpes can also help your immune system stay strong and feel good.

Dr Jay Brachfeld