Herpes
Simplex Viruses
Herpes Simplex Viruses (Human Herpes
Virus HHV 1 & 2 Human Herpes Virus is
of eight types of which the two types
are Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HHV 1)
and Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HHV 2)
Herpes Labialis or cold sores involving
the lips, and gingivostomatitis or the
inflammation of the gums and oral cavity,
oropharyngeal, cutaneous, and ocular
lesions in the form of keratoconjunctivitis
are produced by the (HSV-1)
while (HSV-2)
is known to cause genital herpes.
Herpes
Simplex Virus (HSV) in Males and Females.
In males, balanoposthitis or inflammation
of the glans penis is common whereas
in females, vulvovaginitis is seen.
However, each of viral types is capable
of producing any of the manifestations.
Effects
of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV 1).
HSV-1 mostly remains dormant within
the trigeminal ganglion and has an affinity
for the mucocutaneous junctions. Any
drop in the immunity of the individual
leads to recurrent herpes labialis.
The eyes may get infected in the form
of herpetic keratoconjunctivitis and
the nailbed can get affected as herpetic
whitlow.
Effects
of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV 2)
The HSV-2 herpes virus is more virulent
and tends to remain dormant in the sacral
ganglia. It can also produce aseptic
meningitis and neuralgias along the
genitocrural, sciatic and obturator
nerves due to radiculomyelopathy. The
pain radiates from the hip downwards
and forwards to the upper thighs and
groins. In very severe cases and in
immunocompromised individuals, the infection
can produce encephalitis or hepatitis
and eventually the patient can succumb
to these pathologies.
Other
Effects of Herpes Simplex Virus
This virus has been linked to cervical
cancers too. In people indulging in
anal sex, the anorectal region is also
involved. The virus can be transmitted
to the infant during delivery if the
mother is having outbreaks at that time.
Hence, in such cases, the caesarian
section is usually adopted to prevent
the spread of the infection from the
mother to her baby. Herpes genital (HG)
is a very common cause of genital ulceration.
Pathology
of Herpes Simplex
The vesicles [fluid filled eruptions]
are inside the epidermis of the skin.
Reticular degeneration of the epidermal
cells with acantholysis can be seen
on histopathological examination. The
herpes viruses are known to produce
cellular changes that cause infiltration
of typical multinucleate giant cells
within the lesions.
Signs
and Symptoms of Herpes Simplex Virus
Primary Genital Herpes (PGH)
The first attack of herpes genitalis
is pretty violent, following which the
virus remains dormant within the neuronal
cells of the dorsal root ganglion and
then gives rise to recurrent lesions
but milder in intensity as compared
to the primary attack. Primary genital
herpes or PGH infection may have an
incubation period of upto a fortnight
after exposure to the virus through
unprotected sexual intercourse with
an infected partner. The manifestations
are usually symptoms such as painful,
itching, or burning vesicular i.e. fluid
filled eruptions which may coalesce
and then break open to form circumscribed
ulcers. There may be concomitant fever
with headache, malaise, lymphadenopathy,
and dysuria. Remisssion takes place
within a month and the lesions subside.
Recurrent Genital Herpes (RGH)
In the case of Recurrent genital herpes
or RGH, constitutional signs and symptoms
are seldom seen and the intensity and
duration of progress is lesser than
the primary attack. The vesicular eruptions
are usually preceded by burning or tingling
in the affected areas; however, the
area involved is again lesser as compared
to the primary lesions. On an average,
a person can have outbreaks almost every
two months but the remission time is
about a week. The factors that tend
to trigger the relapses are found to
be stress, exertion, heat, hormonal
fluctuations, other infections which
tend to drop the immunity, etc.
Herpes Simplex and Homeopathic
Treatment
A brief introduction to the herpes simplex
viruses
The herpes simplex viruses [HSV] are DNA
viruses and are of two types, HSV1 and
HSV2. Both of them are capable of producing
identical lesions.
HSV1 Affections
The HSV1 has an affinity for the upper part
of the body producing
oropharyngeal, cutaneous, and ocular
lesions such as herpes labialis, gingivostomatitis,
and keratoconjunctivitis, the reason
being that this virus remains dormant
in the trigeminal ganglion.
HSV2 Affections
HSV2 on the other hand affects the lower
half of the body producing
genital lesions and also producing neuralgias
along the genitocrural, femoral, and
obturator nerves because it tends to
remain dormant in the sacral ganglion.
Herpetic whitlow or nailbed infection,
meningitis, encephalitis, hepatitis,
etc. are rarely seen manifestations
of the virus and tend to occur only
in the immunocompromised individuals.
An Insight into
the Science of Homeopathy
Homeopathy is the science of healing which is based
on the principle of similars. According
to this, a substance capable of inducing
a particular set of symptoms in a healthy
person is capable of treating the very
same set of symptoms if seen in a diseased
individual.
The Foresight of the Discoverer
of Homeopathy
Two hundred years ago when Dr. Hahnemann discovered
it, there were no microscopes and microbes
were not known of. In fact it was he
who speculated that there must be certain
virulent particles capable of causing
disease. He realized that to every stimulus,
be it internal or external, the body
first allows itself to be acted upon
which he termed the primary action.
Following this, the body reacts opposite
to this primary action and that he called
the secondary action.
Action of Homeopathic
Medicines
It is now that it is understood that the homeopathic
medicines act as immune-modulators that
induce an artificial disease in the
body that is similar to the natural
disease but a bit stronger. The body’s
secondary response to this artificially
induced disease fights off the artificial
as well as the natural disease. Also,
the process of potentization of the
homeopathic remedies converts them into
bioenergetic vibrionic medicines that
act subtly upon the body’s energy
reserves so as to restore the homeostasis
between the positive and negative forces.
Homeopathy Follows
the Nature’s Law of Cure
Thus, while modern medicine aims at attacking the
virus directly,
homeopathy stimulates
the vitality and boosts the defense mechanisms
to combat and eliminate the virus. In
this way,
homeopathy follows the nature’s
law of cure.
Modern Medicines for the viral infection
Modern medicine has little to offer for any
viral infection except for vaccination
which in fact had been borrowed from
the homeopathic principle of isopathy
itself where the individual’s
immunity was exposed to diluted fragments
of the microbe or the attenuated microbe
itself so as to evoke an immunological
reaction against that very same microbe
when attacked by the latter naturally.
Other medicines try to prevent the replication
of the viruses but are only partly successful
and helpless against the frequently
mutating strains of the virions.
Homeopathy for the Viral Infection
Homeopathy
on the other hand has an answer for
any condition and any infection because
“It doesn’t
treat the disease in the person but
the person in disease,”
the entire approach being holistic
and wholistic if I may say so. Individualization
is the most important feature of homeopathy
and we as homeopaths draw a conceptual
image of the patient and study the psychosomatospiritual
dynamics of every case taking the patient’s
past, present and probable future into
consideration. With our theory of miasms
that talks about the attributes and
manifestations of a particular category
of people and similarly by taking into
account the person’s constitutional
type, temperament, and susceptibility,
we can predict a lot about the prognosis
of the disease in that particular individual.
I will go into more details
of these as I give you more examples.
Homeopathy for
the Manifestations of Herpes Simplex
in General
Unlike the other schools of medicine
where, the more the symptoms and the
more the organs involved, more are the
medicines given, homeopathy looks out
for those remedies which cover the case
in totality. The classical homeopaths
give a single remedy known as the constitutional
similimum only whereas some others give
the constitutional drug along with other
organ specific remedies or biochemical
tissue salts to facilitate faster recovery.
For example: A person with
herpetic keratoconjunctivitis, anxious
disposition, nervous diarrhea, and marked
craving for sugar might require a remedy
called Argentum nitricum; whereas, another
individual who has a violent temper,
a tendency to recurrent ulcers in the
mouth, with craving for ice and icy
cold drinks with the same herpetic keratoconjunctivitis
could probably require a remedy called
Mercurius solubilis. A third person
with herpes labialis and keratoconjunctivitis
but with a reserved disposition, craving
for salt, severe constipation and sun
headaches would mostly need a few doses
of Natrum muriaticum to treat the malady.
Thus you can understand the finer intricacies
behind a logical homeopathic prescription.
A lot of thinking goes into the selection of
the potency of the remedy too, depending
upon the age, gender, weight, build,
sensitivity, susceptibility, immunity,
pathology, etc.
Herpes Simplex in Men
In men, herpes simplex manifests in
the form of balanoposthitis, i.e. the
inflammation of the glans penis and
prepuce. The outbreaks are typically
circumscribed lesions with burning,
itching, tingling, and dull pain or
irritation. If the lesions are very
close to the urethra, there could be
pain and burning even during the passage
of urine. Secondary bacterial infections
may lead to pus formation also. In the
case of homosexual men, anorectal lesions
are produced due to the practice of
anal sex.
Homeopathic Remedies in Men
Homeopathic remedies like Nitric acidum,
Mezereum, and Cinnabaris are specifics.
Even the nosodes prepared from the Herpes
simplex viruses themselves are very
useful and act as microvaccines to boost
the immunity against these viruses.
Herpes Simplex in Women
This infection manifests frequently
as vulvovaginitis with itching, burning,
irritation and leucorrheal discharge.
It rarely leads to dysplastic changes
within the cervix of the uterus, which
is considered precancerous.
Homeopathic Remedies in Women
In such cases, homeopathic remedies
like Vespa and Kreosotum. Women have
to be very careful if they are pregnant.
In fact having genital lesions at around
the time of delivery is one of the indications
to go in for a caesarian section in
order to prevent the spread of the infection
to the baby. In any case, constitutional
treatment is advisable even along with
specific medications as it is known
to remove many of the hindrances to recovery.
Combination Therapies
for the Treatment of Herpes Simplex
Combination therapies consisting of
Homeopathics, naturopathics, ayurvedics,
and Tibetan herbs can be used in various
formulations so as to raise the immune
status on one side whilst relieving
the symptoms simultaneously.
HE, the ALMIGHTY Who Cures
Alternative non-medicinal healing methods
like Reiki, Yoga, Accupressure, Accupuncture,
Sintergetica
healing, and many such techniques along
with the right diet and regimen can
help to a very great extent and potentiate
the therapeutic powers of any medicine.
I believe that all diseases can be cured
but not all people can be cured because
every disease is karmic in nature and
every suffering is predestined. We doctors
can only treat, whereas, it is HE, the
ALMIGHTY who cures. We have to put in
our best efforts and leave the rest
to HIM.
