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.
I freqently wondered in the midst of these bouts with HSV if this was something I'd have to deal with for the rest of my life - I tried doctor prescribed medicines, Lysine and other remedies, but none kept the virus at bay enough to really make a difference.
Then it so happened I got involved in essential oils - the powerful aromatic compounds distilled in small amounts from plants. You've probably heard of them - Lavender oil, Sandalwood, Frankincense, etc. They're getting to be fairly common these days. And then one day I stumbled onto research being performed with a particularly rare essential oil called 'Melissa' or 'Lemon Balm'. Melissa is steam distilled from the leaves of the Melissa herb - and in very small quanitities. The plant yields a small amount of oil relative to all the other aromatic plant species out there. Research has been being performed in Europe for several years applying Melissa oil to herpes outbreaks, with very interesting results. In fact, one German pharmaceutical company extracted the 'active' component of the oil and sold it in a prescription preparation for use by herpes 'sufferers'.
Perhaps the most heartening news was delivered by Dr. Dietrich Wabner, a German scientist who had worked with Melissa and herpes sufferers - the Doctor reported that a one time application of the essential oil lead to a complete remission of outbreaks in some individuals. WOW, a CURE! It seemed a bit expensive for what was apparently such a small amount of liquid, but really not so when compared to any other medicine, especially if I had to take any other medicine for the rest of my life!
Searching further, I found a regimine for the oils' use. Melissa might not lead to a complete remission in just one application - other healers were finding success when the oil was applied to the affected area when an outbreak felt 'imminent'. The oil was applied perhaps three times per day during the outbreak; this was repeated the next several times the user thought an outbreak may be coming on, and through the duration of the skin healing. My outbreaks were usually on my tongue at that point (though they started on the palate of my mouth). I would get a very fatigued feeling for a few days, then my tongue would get what seemed like individual taste buds that would feel as though they were burnt (and yes, I have had medical confirmation as to their cause). I also had lesions on my lip, but not as often. So I began the Melissa oil program - just one drop in my mouth a few times a day - and thankfully I actually liked the taste!
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!
For more sensitive skin (I do not have direct experience with the genital variety of the disease - however, the liturature does not make a distiction as the oil's efficacy) Melissa can be diluted in a carrier oil like Hazelnut or Rosehip Seed. The dilution can be down to 10% (or even much less say some practitioners) of the total concentration and still be just as effective. PLEASE NOTE: taking any essential oil orally, and undiluted certainly, should be done with caution - pay attention to your own reaction and proceed accordingly. However, used in a carrier oil or directly, the protocol should be followed as closely as possible - apply just enough oil to cover the area a few times a day as soon as you feel an outbreak looming, and continue use until the lesions have completely healed. Repeat this the next several times an outbreak is imminent. There are no guarantees, but others have reportedly also had complete remission of the outbreaks using this method.
Another variety of Herpes virus is known as Shingles. This causes sore and weeping lesions of the skin. Sufferers have found relief with Ravensara essential oil (also considered a powerful anti-viral) mixed half-and-half with Tamanu nut or Callophylum oil. The Tamanu acts to sooth and nourish the skin while the Ravensara oil acts on the virus itself. I have not seen evidence of complete remission of shingles using this blend, but have heard of many folks finding significant relieve using this combination.
If you decide to try these natural methods, when buying essential oils, buy from a trusted source - Melissa oil particularly has been adulterated due to it's high cost. The 'fake' mixture - a blend of Lemongrass and other essential oils oils - do not contain the same antiviral components. True Melissa is typically found in the range of $10 - $20 per milliliter, with organic varieties costing a little more. There are nearly twenty-five drops in one milliliter, and because only one drop is typically used for each application, a few milliliters (1/4 to 1/8th ounce) can go a long way. If you try this natural healing oil, or to recommend it to those in need, I wish the best of success!
