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A Comparative Study of Ancient and Modern Approach to Genital Herpes
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Genital Herpes is a chronic viral infection which is affecting millions of people in the world. It is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus which belongs to the family of chicken pox causing viruse. In ayurveda few diseases and conditions which have close resemblance to chicken pox and genital herpes have been described. The cause and symptoms of genital herpes described by present day medical science are also described in classical books of ayurveda. A comparative analysis of causes and symptoms of genital and oral herpes has been given here.
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PRESENT VIEW |
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Causes |
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Caused by virus called herpes simplex |
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type1 - Usually causes Oral Herpes |
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type2 - Usually causes Genital Herpes |
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Type 1 is caused by unprotected oral sex
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Genital herpes is almost always sexually transmitted
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Precipitating Factors
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Excessive exposure to sun |
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Menstruation |
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Emotional stress
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Genital trauma and intercourse
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Repeated infections such as a cold or pneumonia |
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However, both type-1 and type-2 can occur in the genitals, oral area or both.
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Due to unhealthy life styles and diet, the delicate balance between doshas get disturbed. This disturbs the body fire or agni . |
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Agni is the body fire, which is responsible for transformation of one substance to another. It breaks down the food substances, eliminates toxins and wastes, maintains body temperature, and resists the invasion of microbes by maintaining strong body immunity.
The body fire which is assisted by balanced doshas digests the food completely to form Pakwa Anna rasa (the liquid form of food which is completely digested by digestive enzymes) which is ready to get absorbed by body tissues. According to ayurveda Pakwa Anna rasa nourishes the body and its components to keep the body devoid of diseases. But when body fire is impaired there will be an incomplete digestion of food forming Apakwa rasa (undigested food). The undigested food fails to nourish the body components leading to lowered body resistance.
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The disturbed agni fails to digest the food and toxins accumulated in body due to improper metabolism. Accumulation of toxins reduces the body immunity and paves the way for invasion by microbes.
When a person who has low immunity comes in contact with HSV virus, he/she gets the genital or oral herpes. |
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Unhealthy Lifestyle |
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Over eating |
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Sleeping in afternoons
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Over physical exertion
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Over mental exertion |
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Consuming food frequently even when not hungry |
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Constant exposure to hot sunny climates |
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Unhealthy Diet |
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Excessive consumption of |
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Salty, sour, hot, spicy food |
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Sour curds |
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Alcohol |
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Cheese |
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Charred and overcooked food |
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Sesame, Bengal gram, horse gram, sesame oil, rice flour, garlic, fish |
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Incompatible Foods |
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Curds, salt, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, sour fruits, meat, prawn, pork, should not be consumed with milk . The above mentioned foods should not be consumed by mixing one item with another. |
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Sprouts, honey and milk should not be consumed with meat and fish. |
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Fish & milk : fish &sugarcane juice; jaggery & pork ; honey & pork; milk & mango; banana & milk ; are opposite foods. |
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Sesame, Bengal gram, horse gram, sesame oil, rice flour, garlic, fish |
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The Transmission Of Genital Herpes |
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A person can get genital herpes in following conditions
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If he is sexual active and when he performs sex (oral or genital) with infected partners. |
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A person who has oral herpes transmits herpes to genital organs of a partner during oral sex and a person who has genital herpes transmits this to his partner during coitus when they have a genital contact.
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The disease gets transmitted when mucous membrane comes in contact with infected area. |
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The disease gets transmitted mostly during active phase. But it may spread even during asymptomatic (when person is free of symptoms for a particular duration) phase. The virus needs a fluid media for its transportation. The body fluids like saliva, semen, vaginal tract secretions etc. Mucous membranes in mouth, vagina, urethra or open wounds facilitate the virus invasion due to their moistness. |
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When a person indulges in above mentioned activities the three doshas of body Vata (The element which controls nerves, neurons and related physiology), Pitta (The element which regulates and controls the body and cell metabolism. Also present in skin) and and Kapha (The element which binds the tissues and gives strength to body) get imbalanced. The imbalanced doshas vitiate or spoil |
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Local Symptoms |
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Pricking sensation
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Edema |
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Pain
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Feeling of constriction |
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A sensation of ant creeping |
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Many small eruptions gathering in a small area |
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These eruptions or blisters burst soon with exudates |
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These blisters will have different colors according to involvement of doshas. (Blackish red or blue in vata, red, yellow, copper colored in pitta, shades of white in kapha) |
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The weakened body immune system tries to resist the virus invasion but fails to achieve the goal. In this futile attempt the following systemic symptoms are exhibited.
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Systemic Symptoms |
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Fever |
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Weakness |
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Indigestion |
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Impaired bowels |
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Increased frequency of urination |
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Body pain |
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Increased thirst |
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Imbalanced vata causes the symptoms like pain, swelling and bodyache
The imbalanced pitta and vitiated blood and skin cause |
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Blisters |
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Change the color of skin |
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Cause burning sensation, and fever |
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The imbalanced kapha and vitiated lymph cause itching, tingling sensation. |
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After the first attack the virus moves from skin through the nerve paths to base of the nerve and becomes inactive. Now the herpes infected person will be devoid of all symptoms. But the imbalance of doshas still persists |
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Reactivation Of Virus To Cause Outbreaks |
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At unpredictable times, the virus becomes active. It multiplies and resurfaces on skin by traveling through the nerve path and exhibits the symptoms locally. The severity of symptoms of out break depends on the strength of body immunity.
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The pelvis or shroni ,nerves and skin are dominated by vata. When vata gets vitiated due to precipitating factors , it reactivates the virus dormant in base of nerve end and the virus travel through nerve paths to reach the skin surface. |
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As we know the outbreaks have few precipitating factors like
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Excessive exposure to sun
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Illness
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Poor diet |
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Emotional stress
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Physical stress |
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Friction |
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Steroids
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Menstruation
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Emotional stress
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Genital trauma and intercourse
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Repeated infections such as a cold or pneumonia |
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These factors increase vata and increased vata activates the virus which is dormant.
Low Immunity The systemically imbalanced doshas interfere with the body metabolism by vitiating the body fire (agni). This leads to indigestion and malassimilation of nutrients, which in turn causes poor immunity. Due to decreased immunity the body fails to offer resistance to outbreaks
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Ayurveda Tips to Avoid Outbreaks
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Pricking sensation |
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Edema |
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Pain |
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Feeling of constriction |
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A sensation of ant creeping |
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|
Many small eruptions gathering in a small area. |
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|
These eruptions or blisters burst soon with exudates. |
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These blisters will have different colors according to involvement of doshas. (blackish red or blue in Vata, red ,yellow, copper colored in Pitta, shades of white in Kapha). |
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The weakened body immune system tries to resist the virus invasion but fails to achieve the goal. In this futile attempt the following systemic symptoms are exhibited. |
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Systemic Symptoms |
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Fever |
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Weakness |
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Indigestion |
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Impaired bowels |
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Increased frequency of urination |
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Body pain |
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Increased thirst |
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Imbalanced vata causes the symptoms like pain, swelling and body ache.
The imbalanced pitta and vitiated blood and skin cause Blisters, Change the color of skin, Cause burning sensation, and fever.
The imbalanced kapha and vitiated lymph cause itching, tingling sensation.
After the first attack the virus moves from skin through the nerve paths to base of the nerve and becomes inactive. Now the herpes infected person will be devoid of all symptoms. But the imbalance of doshas still persists. |
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Reactivation of Virus to Cause Outbreaks |
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At unpredictable times, the virus becomes active. It multiplies and resurfaces on skin by traveling through the nerve path and exhibits the symptoms locally. The severity of symptoms of out break depends on the strength of body immunity. |
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The pelvis or shroni, nerves and skin are dominated by vata. When vata gets vitiated due to precipitating factors, it reactivates the virus dormant in base of nerve end and the virus travel through nerve paths to reach the skin surface. |
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As we know the outbreaks have few precipitating factors like
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Excessive exposure to sun. |
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Illness |
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Poor diet |
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Emotional stress |
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Physical stress
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Friction
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Steroids |
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Menstruation
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Emotional stress |
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Genital trauma and intercourse
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Repeated infections such as a cold or pneumonia |
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These factors increase vata and increased vata activates the virus which is dormant.
Low Immunity The systemically imbalanced doshas interfere with the body metabolism by vitiating the body fire (agni). This leads to indigestion and malassimilation of nutrients, which in turn causes poor immunity. Due to decreased immunity the body fails to offer resistance to outbreaks. |
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Ayurveda Tips to Avoid Outbreaks |
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Spicy, sour, fried and junk food, which aggravates vata |
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Precipitating factors
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Sleeping in afternoon
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Charred and overcooked food
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Consuming opposite food like fish and milk etc |
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Physical exertion after a meal
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Taking bath immediately after exercise or heavy outdoor work |
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Include honey, pomegranate, fruits of Emblica officinalis, legumes, dates and raisins in your diet |
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Practice Yoga and Meditation to control emotional disturbances |
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Ayurveda References |
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Sushruta Samhita
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Charaka Samhita
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Madhava nidana
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Ashtanga Sangraha
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Yoga Ratnakara |
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