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The Center for the Biology of Chronic Disease

Herpes Cures that Work

Background

What is Genital Herpes?

"Genital herpes is a common and highly contagious infection usually spread through sex. Usually this infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) although herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), the virus usually responsible for cold sores, may cause genital herpes." (WebMD) (1)

The CDC notes that "Genital herpes is a common STD, and most people with genital herpes infection do not know they have it.

You can get genital herpes even if your partner shows no signs of the infection.
If you have any symptoms (like a sore on your genitals, especially one that periodically recurs) laboratory tests can help determine if you have genital herpes.
There is no cure for herpes, but treatment is available to reduce symptoms and decrease the risk of transmission to a partner." (2)

How Do You Become Infected with Herpes?

"People get herpes by having sex with someone who has the disease. "Having sex" means anal, vaginal, or oral sex. HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be found in and released from the sores that the viruses cause. The viruses can also be released from skin that does not appear to have a sore. Generally, a person can only get HSV-2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. Transmission can occur from an infected partner who does not have a visible sore and may not know that he or she is infected.

HSV-1 can cause sores in the genital area and infections of the mouth and lips, so-called "fever blisters." HSV-1 infection of the genitals is caused by mouth to genital or genital to genital contact with a person who has HSV-1 infection." (2)

What are the Symptoms of a Genital Herpes Infection?

Symptoms "typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals, rectum or mouth. The blisters break and leave painful sores that may take two to four weeks to heal. Experiencing these symptoms is sometimes referred to as having an "outbreak." The first time someone has an outbreak they may also experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches and swollen glands.

Repeat outbreaks of genital herpes are common, in particular during the first year of infection. Symptoms of repeat outbreaks are typically shorter in duration and less severe than the first outbreak of genital herpes. Although the infection can stay in the body indefinitely, the number of outbreaks tends to decrease over a period of years." (2)

How Do You Prevent Genital Herpes?

"The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including genital herpes, is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected." (2)

"Correct and consistent use of latex condoms can reduce the risk of genital herpes, because herpes symptoms can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom. However, outbreaks can occur in areas that are not covered by a condom." (2)

"Persons with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with partners when sores or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms, he or she can still infect sex partners. Sex partners of infected persons should be advised that they may become infected and they should use condoms to reduce the risk. Sex partners can seek testing to determine if they are infected with HSV." (2)

Herpes Cures that Work

What are the Cures for Genital Herpes that Actually work?

Medications

Doctors may prescribe a clinically tested antiviral medication to cure your genital herpes outbreak. This medication can be topical or oral, such as Valtrex. Some examples of these medications include penciclovir, acyclovir, famciclovir, and valaciclovir. However, their effectiveness is limited. For instance, some studies have shown that these medications only reduce the length of an outbreak by one day! (3)

Valtrex, or valacyclovir, is the most commonly prescribed medication for the treatment of genital herpes infections. (4) However, even though it is commonly prescribed, it has many known side effects. (5)

In addition, these medications only cure the visible symptoms of the herpes infection, that is, the genital herpes. They don't target the invisible infection, that is, the cells with the latent or dormant viruses. These viruses are left untouched. Since they only remove the active viruses, they produce a temporary remission, not a cure. See more on the difference between remission and cure, here.

See more about Valtrex, here.

Natural Remedies

Many doctors may also prescribe a natural product that was shown to work in published clinical studies. (6) One such natural product is Gene-Eden-VIR. The unique feature of this product is that it targets the latent, or dormant, herpes virus.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the demand for natural remedies, and there is growing evidence that some of these products are safe and effective. Moreover, natural remedies are a viable option for those who wish to avoid the side effects associated with some medications, and are willing to wait the extra time it takes for the natural remedies to work.

See more about Gene-Eden-VIR, here.

References:

John S. Boyd, Ph.D.
The Center for the Biology of Chronic Disease, or CBCD (see http://www.cbcd.net/) Rochester, NY

The CBCD is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that specializes in researching the biology of chronic disease. "The biology of chronic disease" means the original disruption that causes the disease, and the sequence of events that lead from the original disruption to the development of clinical symptoms. The CBCD hopes that once the biology is clear, pharmaceutical and biotech companies will be able to formulate drugs that reverse the effects of the disruption, and therefore cure the disease, or even block the original disruption, and therefore prevent the disease from developing in healthy individuals.

The CBCD conducted the clinical study that tested the safety and effectiveness of Gene-Eden-VIR.