Using Essential Oils for Herpes

Herpes is a virus transmitted by contact with a person who has the infection, whether it’s active or not. This can be done sexually or just by contact with the infected person’s bodily fluids. It is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world. And, it is incurable - but it is preventable.  

Be careful and take precautions to ensure you are not infected or infect another person.

For Recipes for Herpes click Here

Types of Herpes Simplex Virus

Type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are, unfortunately, not curable and remain in the body for life.  Outbreaks on the lips (cold sores) are called Oral Herpes (HSV-1) and outbreaks in the genital region are called Genital Herpes (HSV-2).

The Infection

Once infected, the virus moves along the nerve pathways and enters the nerves where it might remain for years. Then, something like stress or illness triggers the virus and it starts to reproduce by sending the virus particles to the skin where it “sheds” more virus particles – this is the outbreak.

The signs of an outbreak are blisters which burst causing painful sores which can last for days or weeks. Some people never have an outbreak and their virus infection remains dormant their whole lives. Others may have an outbreak within weeks of infection or it may not happen for years. It is very individual.

For women considering pregnancy it seems that if you already have the virus it should not pose a threat to your baby.  But, the risk does rise if you contract the virus while pregnant.  If you think you or your partner might have this virus then have yourselves tested before conceiving.  

If you have an outbreak do not touch the sores/blisters as you can spread the virus to other parts of your body, even your eyes - as this image shows. 

So be careful. 

If you have touched the sores wash your hands thoroughly.

Symptoms of Infection

  • Blisters/sores on the lips or genitals (including rectum)
  • Headaches
  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Flu like symptoms
  • Itching, burning, redness around the area

Bear in mind that this virus is not the only disease which has all these symptoms with sores or blisters so it is really best to have it checked – and the way is a visual examination by a doctor, confirmed by a blood test.

When Will It Happen?

An outbreak can be triggered during a period when your immune system is weakened. Perhaps a stressful time, you aren’t eating properly, not getting enough sleep etc and your immune system is impaired. 

Try to eliminate stress as much as possible, eat a good diet and meditate to encourage sleep. 

Over the years, the outbreaks do lessen and the sores become less painful. 

Essential Oils

The following essential oil recipes are for cold sores. 

I’m not aware of its use in genital herpes. 

If you ladies do try it there be careful to not insert any of the oils into the vagina and for men be careful to not get any inside the penis. 

Just in case it is irritating to the soft tissues inside the body. 

Recipe One

Ingredients:

  • 6 drops German Chamomile
  • 8 drops Tea Tree
  • 5 drops Lavender
  • 3 drops Lemon
  • 8 drops Geranium

Directions:

Mix these together and put one drop of this blend on a cottonwool ball which has been moistened with water. 

Dab this very carefully over the blisters daily.

Recipe Two

Ingredients:

  • 3 drops German Chamomile essential oil
  • 3 drops Lavender essential oil
  • 1 teaspoon Calendula oil
  • 1 teaspoon Wheatgerm oil

Directions:

Mix together and apply several times a day.