Verrucas - Get you're Immune System on Board - State Registered Podiatrist advises

Patients often ask me where their verruca came from. My answer is for them to look back to the time prior to their verruca appearing. Had it been a time of unusual stress or had they been unwell for a time. More often than not their answer is yes to one or both of these things.

Stress and illness can affect our immune system, making us more prone to viral attack.

If it was a simple matter of people picking them up at recreation centers or shower rooms then Podiatrists up and down the country would be over run with verruca patients and that just isn't the case. Verrucas whilst common enough are not floridly lurking beneath the feet of every sportsman, woman and child who uses a public sports facilities. There is a percentage of people who can certainly assume this is more than likely, but it does not explain all cases and it certainly doesn't explain why them and not everyone else.

The human papilloma virus (HPV) is in actual fact pretty much resident in our system already, as is herpes zoster (cold sores). What keeps them in abeyance is our immune system. When our immune system becomes run down these opportunistic viruses take advantage.

A virus is clever. It hides within the body cells, disguises itself within cell structures and from there proliferates by infecting other cells and so on. Whilst you and I can see and touch a verruca very easily the immune system has a completely different 'view' of it. Whilst the virus is hidden, disguised, lurking within apparently normal healthy cells the immune system cannot 'see' it and will not attack.

When you treat a veruca with some topical ointment one of two things happen.

Something or nothing.

The nothing is due to the fact that the immune system did not rally.

The something is due to the fact that the ointment rallied the immune system and once on board the antibodies got to work and killed the virally infected cells.

Here is a thought and a fact. In order to comprehensively destroy a verruca you're treatment of choice has to destroy every single infected cell within the wart. If even one infected cell survives the verruca can and usually does return and sometimes even more aggressively than before.

All in all its no wonder that millions of pounds are spent on verruca treatments that seemingly don't work. And then some annoying person bounces up and tells you to stick a banana skin to you're foot because it worked a treat for their Aunt Flo. Well, it might well have done. But in my honest opinion, it was her immunity and not just the rotting skin of a banana (thuja) that did the trick.

In addition to that many treatments are not suitable for everyone. Diabetics are warned off any cream that contains acid. Freezing is an option but only if their sugar levels are good and their overall health supports such an approach. People with Rheumatoid Arthritis, cancer patients, people on immuno suppressive drugs or have a suppressed immunity are all generally contraindicated for aggressive treatments as well as the very elderly with thin skin and poor healing. Always with these groups any sort of treatment, alternative or otherwise should always be passed by their GP first.

I have achieved a certain amount of success with verruca patients by first asking them to take an immune booster (IB) prior to any treatment. In some cases the IB cured the verruca spontaneously and there was no further need to see them. The IB of choice is an ayurvedic herbal supplement from Global Herbs and, not surprisingly is called Immuplus.

Echinacea Drops are also a possible route, but you cannot take them for more than 3 weeks at a time. I believe echinacea is excellent for colds and chest infections but perhaps not so effective for warts. Just regular vitamin C is another approach but again I feel it is better used to prevent or lessen the symptoms of colds and flu. 

Please Note: People on immuno suppressive drug therapy, anti inflammatories and/or have immunity health issues should consult their GPs first.

I advise patients to do a full 3 month course of their chosen IB, to take regular exercise, eat healthily and drink plenty of water. In other words, build up their strength, positivity and health. Considering that verrucas can stick around for years and years, 3 months isn't so long to wait. Continue to take the IB after the 3 months as you start treating the wart topically.

When the immune system is boosted its ability to recognise and destroy the virus is greatly enhanced. Sometimes its enough to boost the immunity to get results and get rid of the wart but if that isn't the case with you, by applying a treatment to the area you will be alerting the system to the presence of the wart and with you're immune system strengthened you're chances of erradicating the wart are much stronger.

Then its down to you're preferred choice of treatment. I tend to opt for essential oils such as a 50:50 mix of tea tree oil and lemon oil applied to the wart tissue ONLY. Avoid applying it to healthy tissue because it can burn and cause irritation. Another essential oil that has been successful in some cases is Angelica Root. Cotton wool tips are best for this. I prefer the homeopathic approach purely and simply because long term use is perfectly acceptable, whilst the more caustic and aggressive acids cannot be used continuously without causing a breakdown in the tissues. Creams that contain salicylic acid are useful but it really needs to be at least 12% vol. to provide genuine efficacy.

This holistic approach to healing the whole body with the use of a natural IB, taking care of youreself with exercise, healthy eating and drinking more water might seem a bit strenuous for something as innocuous as a wart. But don't think of it like that (smiles). You'll be doing youreself a big favour and you might actually get rid of that darned wart.

I wish you well. Kind regards.

www.globalherbs.co.uk when you go to this site you will immediately think ive gone mad and sent you to an animal health website. I haven't. Look to the left of the screen and under Products you will see human listed, click on that and you will get to the right page. Look for Immuplus, that's the one you want.

Just should add here that I am not and never have been any sort of promoter for Global Herbs, i just find their products do as promised. good luck and if you want to let me know how you get on id love to hear from you.