The Herpes Simplex virus (or HSV) is a difficult disease. It is widely known as incurable, with painful skin lesions on sensitive areas of the body. The lesions reccur more often for some people than others - their 'outbreaks' tend to be related to periods of high-stress. Modern medicine does not offer a cure, though there are pharmaceutical preparations available to limit the frequency and duration of HSV outbreaks. With a reputation as 'incurable', 'painful', 'not-so-pretty', and varieties described as 'oral and labial' or 'genital', the disease can be a little challenging and embarrasing to say the least.
This is a personal account - I had herpes outbreaks for several years, and had to deal with painful sores in my mouth and on my lips - sometimes so bad I thought my teeth were falling out! I've been through those internal struggles on how to break it to an intimate partner - thankfully their response was never as sever as I expected - hough it still seemed like a big deal to me. I regularly had those telling days of feeling a flu was about to hit, with several days of lesions to follow. What seemed the worst, being an athlete, was that training really hard tended to cause outbreaks almost for certain.
Would I have to go through this forever? Would I always be taking prescription drugs to keep the virus at bay? I tried some natural routes; Lysine - an amino acid - seemed to help, but not all the time, and not unless I took it (and a LOT of it) before the outbreaks would occur. I used significant amounts of lip balm, as sun overexposure would again bring it on. I have a lot of years left! Will this always be a factor in my life?
I then stumbled upon some research being done using an oil commonly found in aromatherapy - Melissa essential oil, also known as 'Lemon Balm'. The oil was being investigated in Europe for it's positive effects combating the Herpes virus. One German pharmaceutical company had even made a preparation utilizing the oils active components (though nowhere was it noted that the oil itself was any less effective).
The most encouraging statement regarding the use of Melissa on herpes was made by Dr. Dietrich Wabner, a professor at the University of Munich: he stated that a single application of Melissa may lead to a complete remission of the disease. A possible cure! I'd figured I had nothing to lose, so I tried a little bottle of the oil.
A little further investigation gave me a better idea of a protocol; The oil may not lead to a complete remission in one application - though much success was found when the oil was applied directly to the affected area when an outbreak felt 'imminent' (those of you dealing with this know what I mean). This was to be done a few times a day throughout the outbreak, and for the next several times an outbreak was surfacing. My outbreaks tended to occur on my tongue at that point - I would get the flu/fatigued feeling, then my tongue would swell a bit, and I'd get some cold sores on it. I still got lesions on my lower lip occasionally, but not as often if I kept protected from the sun. So I started on the Melissa; just one drop in my mouth a few times a day. It's a powerful oil, but I actually liked the taste, and the aroma was truly wonderful - very uniquely herbaceous and bright.
Well, perhaps the single dose worked for some folks, but I wasn't quite so fortunate - though I was certainly not discouraged. The history of Melissa and it's healing powers was renoun, and I kept up with the program. Despite continuing to have outbreaks, they were shorter, and they seemed to occur less frequently. And after a while, it dawned on me - the outbreaks had stopped completely! And believe me, my life has been no less stressful - more so if anything. Also, while outbreaks do tend to happen less freqently for some over time, I had been living with this for 15 years and they were still fairly regular. But no matter how stressful my days were, how heavy my weight training sessions or other athletic endeavors, the outbreaks have not returned!
Now to those who may have more sensitive skin than I, Melissa can be diluted in a carrier oil (like Hazelnut or Rosehip Seed oil) down to 10% or less of the total concentration and still be just as effective - taking any essential oil orally, and undiluted certainly, should be done with caution - pay attention to your own reaction and proceed accordingly. I haven't any experience with the 'genital' variety of the virus, but I it should work just as well - though this is where the carrier oil might feel a little nicer. But whatever way it's used, the protocol should be followed as closely as possible: apply the oil a few times a day to the affected area as soon as you feel an outbreak coming on, and stick with it until the lesions have healed. Then do it again the next several times an outbreak is surfacing. There are no guarantees, but I do hope this wonderful natural medicine can provide the same relief for others as it has for me.
As a side note, another Herpes Simplex virus is known as 'Shingles'. This also causes sore, sometimes weeping lesions of the skin. Many folks have found relief using Ravensara essential oil (also considered a powerful anti-viral) in a 50-50 blend with Tamanu oil. The Tamanu acts as a carrier, and sooths the skin during the healing process. I have heard nothing about 'complete remission' in these cases, but I have heard of this blend really working for those with this painful condition.
So if you choose to use aromatherapy oils like Melissa or Ravensara yourself (or to a recommendation), find a trusted source for the essential oils. Find 'true' varieties of each - Melissa is often adulterated, and the real thing is generally priced between $10 and $20 per milliliter (about 25 drops, which actually goes a long way); Ravensara should be of the 'Ravensara aromatica' variety. Be conservative with direct application - remember that diluting the oil has not been reported to reduce efficacy. Yes, I liked the Melissa oil straight, and never had a problem - but others I've known have had sensitive reactions - though this may have been related to UV exposure. Be good to yourself and listen to your body - may you achieve healing success!
Author Resource:
The Ananda Apothecary carries some profoundly therapeutic essential oils, including Italian bergamot oil -- considered the most important anti-depressant essential oil used today, and frankincense oil , with potent immune-enhancing and even anti-cancer effects.
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