Home Remedies to Help Relieve a Herpes Outbreak

If you are one of the many people infected with the herpes virus, then you know how uncomfortable the symptoms of a herpes outbreak can be.  Over the counter remedies can be quite costly, and do not always work.  There are home remedies you can make for a lot less money, and only require a few ingredients.

It is best for some people to let the sores and blisters you get with a herpes outbreak to dry out.  If you choose this method there are powders you can apply to help relieve itching and keep the sore dry and free of moisture.  Make your own by mixing together equal parts of goldenseal powder, Echinacea root powder and black walnut hull powder.  You can find all of these at your local health food store or whole food market.  Put all ingredients into a clean container with a tight fitting lid, shake it up well and sprinkle it onto the infected areas.  If you want to you can also add an equal part of corn starch.  This is found at any grocery store usually in the baking isle.  This powder will help keep sores dry, and provides relief from itching.

Some people prefer a cream or paste to provide further relief from itching.  Make your own by starting with a tablespoon of the dry mixture from above and adding a few drops of either lemon balm or St. John’s wort tincture.  Both of these can be found at the local health food store.  Mix together until the desired consistency is reached.  You may have to add a little more liquid to make a nice paste, and then gently rub it onto the sores and surrounding infected areas.  This works great to relieve itching and pain.

Lemon balm can help speed the healing time of the sores, works as a natural astringent to help keep the sores and skin clean, and can help prevent a future herpes outbreak.  You can mix a few drops of lemon balm with aloe vera gel and gently apply this to the infected area.  Aloe vera gel can be found at health food stores and supermarkets.