Herbal Vitamins for Human Papillomavirus
The human papillomavirus can take on many forms that lead from conditions varying from warts to the beginnings of cervical cancer. There are no specific traditional or herbal cures that will target and eliminate HPV directly, but there are some herbal vitamins that can limit or reduce the symptoms and replication of the virus.
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What is HPV?
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The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a virus that can infect the mucous membranes and epidermis of humans. There are about 130 strains of the virus, some of which cause warts and some of which cause cervix, vulva, anus, penis, and vagina cancers. The strains that cause warts specifically do not cause cancer. Thirty to 40 strains of the virus are spread through sexual contact, and several strains can be prevented with the vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix. There is no vaccine for all potential strains, and it is recommended that women undergo frequent tests for cervical cancer, according to Women at Risk: The HPV Epidemic and Your Cervical Health.
Traditional Treatment
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When HPV enters the body, it quickly inserts its genetic code into the DNA of your cells, making it incurable, though many of the symptoms can be improved through traditional treatment. When your strain of HPV simply causes warts, you can treat them with removal, freezing or chemicals--like salicylic acid--to relieve the infection and force the virus into dormancy. If your HPV causes cancer, it is treated by surgery if it is localized. Chemotherapy and radiation may also be used, but radiation is discouraged in young women as it may induce early menopause.
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Garlic and Astragalus
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Herbal remedies like garlic and astragalus can fight the HPV and its viral replication along with enhancing the immune system against any HPV-related complications. Garlic has been used to treat fungal, bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections in the body. The compound allicin in crushed raw garlic is the potent main ingredient in garlic's many healing abilities, which include reducing tumor size and preventing viruses from replicating. Garlic can be taken raw , such as chewing a garlic clove, or in tablet form, such as 5,000 micrograms of allicin. Astragalus improves fatigue symptoms, combats viral infections and enhances the immune system. The herb may attack the HPV directly while stimulating genes in cells that prevent the spread of cancer. Astragalus can be taken as a capsule or in tea form, according to herbs2000.com.
Self-Heal and Sandre de Drago
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Self-Heal is an herb that contains many vitamins, such as A, B, C, K and essential fatty acids, that may slow down the cell division of viruses. Seeing as HPV is incurable, even slowing the virus down while treating its other symptoms may be enough to experience a complete recovery. Take the herb as a tincture or an infusion. Sandre de Drago, also known as Dragon's Blood, can impede infection and inflammation and it is useful in attacking viral infections like HPV. While the herb is most often used as a treatment for cuts and scrapes--acting like a second skin to stop bleeding and promote healing--it can heal damage that the HPV has wrought on the body up until this point. It is available as a tincture when taken internally.
Warnings
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If you are experiencing symptoms of cervical cancer or any other serious complication of HPV, it is important to speak with your doctor immediately as opposed to self-medicating. An integrated medical practitioner, doctor or herbalist will be more able to diagnose you properly that you might be able to. Some herbal remedies cause allergic reactions or can interact negatively with medicine that you are taking. Discuss your herbal treatment plan with your physician before starting it.
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