Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) is an infection that results in sores and blisters in your mouth or genitals. Herpes can be transferred from physical contact or sexual intercourse.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) or commonly called as the oral herpes, is an infection that affects the mouth and its surrounding skin. It is passed through kissing and can result to sores and blisters from showing in the face.
The second type which is the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-2) is an infection in the genitals and its surrounding skin. HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted virus and can also result to sore outbreaks, rashes and pain.
The symptoms of the virus can develop after 2-20 days after your exposure to the herpes virus. It may start off looking like a rash or blister in your face, tongue or surrounding skin in your genitals and it can go worse from there. It can provide a painful discomfort when you urinate and can even cause you fever, fatigue and get swollen lymph nodes. These outbreaks last 2-3 weeks at a time.
What triggers an outbreak?
There can be a lot of factors that can trigger the outbreak of sores, rashes and other symptoms of the herpes virus. Common triggers for outbreaks are a weak immune system, being emotionally and physically stressed and exhausted, infections, hormonal changes and too much sun exposure or ultra-violet radiation.
With the knowledge of what causes an outbreak, you are able to prevent it more and these factors can also be reasons of how long the outbreak will last and how severe it can be. The outbreaks can last 1-2 weeks at a time and it depends on how severe the situation is.
If pain becomes unbearable during an outbreak, please contact your doctor immediately as infections may arise. As much as possible, help yourself alleviate the pain and reduce scars and blisters by doing home remedies that are easy to do and prepare.
13 Home Remedies to Treat Herpes Naturally
Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be painful and cause discomfort to the individual suffering from it. Once you suffer from herpes, there are a lot of medications and dietary supplement sold to help relieve you from the pain but these are not proven to treat the virus and can risk as a danger to your health when you are taking in the wrong supplements.
There is no drug or medication invented that can really treat and get rid of the herpes virus. If you want to treat herpes naturally, there are other home remedies that you can try to help alleviate the pain. These are affordable and easy ways that you can do at home.
These are some of the most common home remedies to help treat herpes naturally. If you are allergic to any of the items mentioned, please refrain from doing it. If symptoms persists, please contact your doctor and stop applying remedies until you get it checked.
- Applying a cornstarch paste.
Cornstarch can help dry out the itching during the sores and rashes outbreak. You can dip a wet cotton ball or a Q-tip in cornstarch and apply it to the affected areas and of its surrounding skin to avoid the constant itching feeling. - Applying baking soda paste.
The same thing can be done with baking soda. This is also to relieve the pain and itchiness during the outbreaks. Follow the same instructions of the cornstarch paste where you dip a wet Q-tip or cotton ball in a baking soda and apply it in the affected areas. - Wear sunscreen.
This is for the people affected by the HSV-1 virus. When exposed to sunlight, your cold sores might surface and get worse. Applying sunscreen with at least SPF of 30 can be a very helpful protection to your skin. It also help the cold sores from healing. - Use ice.
Ice is the most simplest way and trick to ease the inflammation and alleviate the pain and discomfort. It cannot reduce the duration of the cold sores but it can provide relief which can be helpful temporarily.Get a couple of ice cubes or an ice pack and put it in the affected area. If you think the cold it too much for the skin, you can wrap the ice in a paper towel before applying to the skin. You can use it as often as you need. - Aloe Vera can be your friend.
Aloe vera is an ultimate moisturizing that can help soothe the pain, prevent inflammation and can even provide moisture in your rashes or dry skin. Aloe vera is said to be a possible remedy for psoriasis and eczema. It can help heal the blistered and dry skin to avoid skin discoloration or scars from the outbreak.
Click to Activate The Herpes "Kill Switch" With This Simple Morning Ritual - Applying tea tree oil.
This can help heal the cold sore, have an anti-viral effect and prevent the sore from further inflammation. Tea tree oil is antiseptic, antimicrobial and anti-fungal. When applying the oil to the affected areas, it dries out the sore and can improve your skin. - Spraying water to ease the pain.
One of the discomforts of the herpes virus is the pain you will feel while urinating. To ease the pain, you can squirt water from a bottle onto the blisters and sores to relieve you from the pain you are feeling. - Taking a warm sitz or salted bath.
It is good to take a bath in a slightly salted water or to soak in warm sitz bath to help the skin easily recover. It can be very helpful to the healing of your skin and get a bigger coverage of remedy to the affected areas in the body. - Wearing loose clothing.
If you are having sores and outbreaks on your genitals and in an area where the sores are touched by your clothes, it can cause itching and irritation. It is best to wear light and loose clothing or those with soft fabric to avoid skin irritation. - Using lemon balm.
There is an herb that has antiviral properties and decrease the redness and swelling in your cold sores. Lemon balm has been used since the study in Phytomedicine has been published last 1994. People have reported that after applying lemon balm to the affected areas, the redness isn’t too visible after 2 to three days. For best results, you can apply lemon balm 2-3 times a day. - Take Vitamin E.
There are supplements that can provide Vitamin E to the body which is rich in antioxidants and repair your damaged skin cells and help it regenerate. It reduces your healing time and is a good way to avoid having scars and wounds in your affected areas. - Getting rid of items.
By items, this means toothbrush, lipsticks, lip balms, sponges used in your powder or foundation should be replaced because the virus is already there and can keep infecting every time you use it. It’s also best to regularly wash your face towels or any object that comes in contact to your sores and affected areas. - Supporting a healthy immune system.
Since your body is constantly battling the virus out of the body, you need to have a healthy and strong immune system. To support your immune system, you can eat food that have sufficient nutrients needed for the body.
You can eat more citrus fruits, kiwis, melons, poultry, shellfish, whole grains and other foods that are rich in Vitamin C and Zinc. Exercise and a healthy diet is also very important to have a healthy immune system.
Click to Activate The Herpes "Kill Switch" With This Simple Morning Ritual
Prevention Tips
Since an individual can be effected by the herpes virus by physical contact or sexual encounter, it is best to learn more about some precautionary and preventive tips that can help you avoid getting the virus.
- Wear condoms during sexual intercourse.
- Avoid touching infected areas of people having the virus.
- Avoid kissing and oral sex when there is a cold sore around the mouth and genitalia.
- Avoid sex while symptoms of herpes are present.
Conclusion
Since the herpes virus do not have a sure cure and no drugs are proven to treat it, it’s best to steer clear from possible infections and avoid yourself having contact to a person infected. Treating yourself with home remedies are safe and effective however this does not guarantee a full recovery.
Home remedies are natural treatments to alleviate the pain, redness, irritation and itching of the skin. It will take 2-3 times of application for other home remedies and outbreaks can last 1 to 2 weeks at a time.
It is best to surround yourself with positivity while suffering the herpes virus and do not isolate yourself from friends and family. Do not feel embarrassed and shut yourself from people you are close to. If you need help and if the outbreaks are getting worse or it becomes too painful to handle, please contact your doctor immediately.
Click to Activate The Herpes "Kill Switch" With This Simple Morning Ritual
