Will They Ever Find a Herpes Cure?

There are many different forms of herpes.  Of the 25 known herpes viruses, eight of them attack humans. They cause everything from cold sores to shingles but have one thing in common, they know how to hide in the human body in nerve cells and avoid destruction. The many different types of herpes viruses only cause disruptions when active. In the meantime, no matter how many medications you take, it simply won't kill the virus.

According to traditional medicine, there's no cure for herpes just ways to prevent outbreaks from occurring.  Once the outbreak occurs, then there's also medicine to kill the virus and make the symptoms less severe. Since you can only kill the virus in its active state, some scientists believe they can use that information to trick the latent virus into activity and then kill it completely. However, according to scientists, the cure is still a ways away.

One way to prevent eruptions of the virus is to strengthen the immune system.  For instance, if you have cold sores, L-lysine supplements can help shorten the outbreak. If you take it in situations where you'd normally have an outbreak, such as stressful times, you'll either not have one or have a milder form. That's because the herpes virus is pretty specific in the type of environment it likes during its active phase.

Some dietary changes can make your outbreaks shorter or even disappear. If you eat a lot of junk food, food containing vinegar, chocolate or nuts, you should change your diet to include more cheese, dairy products, meats and in particular, chicken or fish. Flounder is one of the highest in Ly-lysine. However, a well balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables can also keep your immune system active and that scares the herpes virus too!

Some natural remedies help prevent herpes outbreaks and some believe they can actually kill the virus. Many of these remedies involve various herbs and natural substance such as cat's claw. Cat's claw is a woody vine native to South America. For over 2,000 years, the natives used a preparation from the inner bark for medicinal purposes. Today, various cures using the inner bark to make teas, extracts and various preparations treat everything from herpes lesions to Alzheimer's disease. The inner bark is antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immune system stimulating and anti-oxidant. That means it can stop the replication of the virus and aid in healing the body faster.

Tea tree oil applied to the site of the outbreak can slow the outbreak, reduce the effects or stop it in its tracks. There are several other remedies, one of which is to dab a bit of ether on the sore. However, in the case of ether, it's no longer available for purchase in stores because of the potential to use it to make illegal substances.

The bottom line is that there probably won't be a cure for herpes in the near future. Even though thousands of people suffer from the virus in one form or another, the potential to cure herpes can create a huge deficit for the drug companies. It is far better for pharmaceutical companies to treat the symptoms rather than provide a cure. Just call it their little annuity. However, in the meantime, you can help yourself by taking preventative measures like Valtrex to insure your body keeps the herpes at bay.