What Are The Side Effects Of Valtrex
This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A medical professional can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your pharmacist or a medical professional. You may report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or 800-FDA-1088.
Valtrex can cause several side effects, most of which are not dangerous. However, some serious side effects can occur.
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Medical Conditions That Can Be Treated By Over The Counter Medications
Some diseases and annoying symptoms are easy to manage at home without necessarily seeking the help of a doctor. You, however, need to know which medical conditions are manageable using over-the-counter drugs and what treatments are effective. With such knowledge, you can prevent common problems at home.
Note that, for your safety, you need to understand the art of using medicine at home. In some instances, drugs can cause allergic reactions, have side effects or interact with your food. Further, it is advisable that you also know which drugs have been approved by relevant agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration for use over the counter and for which diseases or conditions.
This post explores the most common medical conditions you can treat at home using over-the-counter medications. Read on to learn, so you do not spend money seeking the help of a doctor when you can use over-the-counter medications.
Contents
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What Helps Herpes Sores Heal Faster
Keeping the sores clean, cool, and dry is beneficial to the healing process. Bandaging, heating, or picking at sores will irritate them and can extend their duration. The most effective method for shortening herpes outbreaks is a prescription antiviral medication like valacyclovir, famciclovir, or acyclovir.
Herpes meningitis by itself is not contagious, but the viruses that cause it are.
The viruses that cause herpes meningitis are transmitted through close contact with another person or their bodily fluids, such as saliva, urine, blood, genital fluids, or breast milk.
For example, a person who is infected with a virus that causes herpes meningitis can transfer it to another person by:
- Coughing or sneezing
- Sharing personal products, like a razor or toothbrush
- Contact with contaminated surfaces
Keep in mind that just because youve contracted one of the common herpes viruses doesnt automatically mean you will develop herpes meningitis as a complication. Older research found that 36% of women and 13% of men with HSV-2 reported developing herpes meningitis.
What Are The Symptoms Of Genital Herpes
Some people will not experience symptoms, or they will be very mild it usually takes several days after contact with the virus for any symptoms to become apparent, although in some people it can take much longer.
The symptoms of a Genital Herpes episode can include:
- Pain when urinating
- Stinging, tingling, or itching in the genital area
- General feelings of malaise flu-like symptom
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When Is The Right Time To Test For Chlamydia And Gonorrhea
Now is the best time to test for chlamydia and gonorrhea, especially if you are sexually active. Know yoursexual health status today.
If you had a recent sexual encounter with someone whose STD status you do not know, it is important that you gettested. Our clinicians recommend testing for chlamydia 1-5 days post-exposure and gonorrhea 2-6 days after your sexualencounter. Re-test two weeks after treatment to confirm that you are clear of chlamydia and gonorrhea, then again 3months later to make sure the infection did not re-appear. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are known as co-existinginfections, meaning that having one infection may put you at risk of having the other. Taking the chlamydia andgonorrhea test panel ensures that you test and get treatment for both infections.
Also if you have not been tested for other STDs like syphilis, HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis A, B and C or herpes 1 and 2in the last year, our clinicians recommend taking the all-inclusive 10 TestPanel to ensure that you are completely STD free.
For answers to your questions about testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea, call our Care Advisors at.
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Additional Treatment For Oral Herpes
Antiviral pills are often a better choice for treating oral herpes, especially if you have recurrent outbreaks . Theyre typically less expensive than oral herpes creams and are effective options to consider.
If you have persistent oral herpes infections, taking oral antiviral medications may be a better option than creams. Here are three of the most commonly used oral antivirals with their typical cold sore treatment doses:
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Valacyclovir : 2,000 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 1 day
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Famciclovir: 1,500 mg by mouth one time only
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Acyclovir buccal tablets : 50 mg dissolved in the cheek one time only. Healthcare providers sometimes prescribe different doses of oral acyclovir capsules and tablets. This is considered an off-label use, as theyre not FDA-approved for treating cold sores.
There are currently no studies that directly compare all three antiviral medications. But a review of multiple studies found that valacyclovir healed cold sores faster than acyclovir.
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Foods To Avoid During Herpes
Here are some foods that you might not eat if you have herpes:
Arginine and Acidity
Arginine is an amino acid that is plentiful in specific foods and can increase the potential that you will experience a herpes blister, either genital or oral. L-lysine is another amino acid that has anti-viral properties and can help reduce the effect of arginine and your potential for an outbreak. However, lysine has acidic properties, and when taken with acid-rich foods like dairy products or sweets, it can lead to hyperacidity in the body. This imbalance can also trigger an outbreak.
Sweets
Foods that are sweet or have sugar are high in the amino acid arginine. This includes chocolate and raisins. Other foods that are high in sugar include soft drinks and foods made with high fructose corn syrup, such as popsicles, fruit juices, some breakfast cereals, candy bars, cough syrups, drink mixes, ketchup and jams and jellies. Each of these products contains sugars and syrups that will increase your risk of developing new herpes lesions.
Nuts
Nuts are high in arginine and low in lysine, increasing your potential for an outbreak so avoid peanuts and peanut butter because of the high amount of arginine in the products. Other nuts are also high in arginine, such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, filberts, pecans and walnuts.
Caffeine
Herbal Remedies to Cure Genital Herpes Outbreaks
Vitamins to Prevent Genital Herpes Outbreaks
Vitamin A
Best For Sensitive Skin: Aidance Over Counter Herpes Outbreak Treatment
The Aidance Over Counter Herpes Outbreak Treatments material feels more premium than its price would suggest. Moreover, the treatment is best for fast acting and it comes with active ingredients. Natural, organic pain free ingredients for sensitive skin mean that you dont have to worry about harsh chemicals irritating your skin or slowing down healing. Above all, the aidance over counter herpesoutbreak treatment comes with soothing essential oils and patented activated minerals that deliver fast, targeted relief, Terragen hg formula combines the latest science with the finest natural ingredients for a truly unique and effective outbreak therapy.
Almost all buyers found that the treatment is used during a full blown episode. Further, they also found that the treatment takes a tiny amount and lasts for a while.
Top Customer Quotes:
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The treatment has camphor oil, is great with hemp seed and it is worth the price. In addition, the treatment comes with an unconditional money-back guarantee. Above all, the USA over counter herpes outbreak treatment is potent and it comes with great stuff.
Top Customer Quotes:
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What Other Drugs Interact With Acyclovir
If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of this medicine or any drug before seeking medical advice from your doctor, healthcare provider or pharmacist first. To do so may result in serious consequences or side effects.
Severe Interactions of Acyclovir include:
- There are no severe interactions from the use of acyclovir.
Serious Interactions of Acyclovir include:
How Is Herpes Simplex Diagnosed
Healthcare providers may diagnose herpes simplex based on how the sores look. Your provider may take a sample from the sore. Laboratory analysis of the sample can confirm or rule out the herpes virus.
If you dont have sores, your healthcare provider can use a blood test to check for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibody, a marker showing youve been exposed to the virus. The blood test doesnt show an active infection . But it informs your provider whether youve been exposed to the herpes virus in the past. If this is your first infection, you may not test positive for herpes if there hasnt been enough time for your body to develop antibodies. The HSV-1and HSV-2 antibody test may be repeated in eight to 12 weeks.
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Can Chlamydia Turn Into Gonorrhea
No, chlamydia on its own cannot turn into gonorrhea as they are caused by two different bacteria.
It does happen that people contract and carry both chlamydia and gonorrhea bacteria, so you can have them at the same time. Also, having one increases your likelihood of contracting another thus, it is always important to be treated for both.
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Are Antiviral Medications Safe
Antiviral medications are considered to be very safe. They are nearly always well tolerated because the active ingredients only have an effect in cells that have been infected by the virus.
People who have kidney failure may need to take a lower dose because the medication is removed from the body through the kidneys.
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How To Prevent The Spread Of Herpes
Although herpes is a lifelong virus that cant be cured, it goes through periods of dormancy between outbreaks. This means that while the virus is still present, its not actively replicating.
During this time, you may not experience any signs or symptoms of having the disease even if youve had a previous outbreak before.
However, you can still spread the herpes virus to your sexual partners at any time, even if no sores are present. In addition, although rare, its possible to spread oral herpes to the genital region and vice versa.
For this reason, its extremely important to be mindful of the following preventive measures:
- Tell your partners that you have genital or oral herpes. This allows them to make informed decisions about their own sexual health, and its the responsible thing to do.
- If youre experiencing the signs and symptoms of an upcoming outbreak, avoid all sexual contact. Youre most likely to spread the virus to others during an outbreak.
- Its possible to spread the herpes virus even without an outbreak. If youre worried about spreading the disease to a partner, research shows that antivirals are effective at reducing this possibility.
Having oral or genital herpes doesnt mean that you can no longer have sex. However, its your responsibility to prevent the spread of herpes to your sexual partner.
If you have herpes, you can still take care of your sexual health through open communication and safer sex.
How Far Away Is A Cure For Herpes
Theres currently no cure for herpes, but that might change in the future.
According to 2020 research published in Nature, scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center removed 90 percent of the HSV-1 virus from cells in mice using gene editing.
However, it takes time to transition potential treatments from animals to humans. In a 2020 news article, one of the researchers that authored the Nature paper estimated that it would be at least 3 years before human trials.
Scientists are also researching the possibility of creating a vaccine to prevent herpes. A 2022 study outlined a new approach to developing an mRNA vaccine for herpes. The vaccine mentioned in the study worked well in mice and guinea pigs.
The researchers say that theyre aiming to conduct human trials before the end of 2022, and the vaccine could be available within the next 10 years.
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Facts And Statistics About Herpes
- According to the World Health Organization, an estimated two-thirds of the global population under 50 years old are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 .
- Estimates for HSV-1 prevalence in the U.S. among people aged 049 years are 178 million women and 142 million men .
- In total, about 75 percent or more of the American adult population has the HSV-1 virus that usually causes oral herpes , and about 20 percent to 30 percent have HSV-2 that usually causes genital herpes.
- Men and women are affected by HSV-1 about equally. Roughly 6 million women in the U.S. become infected with HSV-1 each year, along with 5 million men.
- Slightly more women than men are affected by genital herpes, whether from HSV-1 or HSV-2. Middle-aged women are most likely to acquire genital herpes.
- Transmission of HSV most often occurs without symptoms, so its estimated that 85 percent of people with genital herpes dont know it. Many dont have any symptoms at all after the initial infection, and only about 15 percent ever receive a HSV-2 infection diagnosis in their lifetimes.
- Most primary oral/facial HSV infections are caused by HSV-1 however, facial infection by HSV-2 is increasingly becoming common.
- Less children are becoming infected with HSV-1 than in the past in high-income countries, mostly due to better hygiene and living conditions.
- After someone comes into contact with an active herpes outbreak on another person, the incubation period takes about one week.
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How Long Does It Take For The Medication To Work
All antiviral herpes medications begin to work quickly, which is why they should be taken as close as possible to the first emergence of symptoms.
This will give the medications the best chance to reduce the severity of the outbreak, and to speed up the resolution of an outbreak .
When taken within the first three days of an initial genital herpes outbreak, antiviral medications can shorten the lifespan of the outbreak by two to four days.
During later occurrences, these medications can shorten the lifespan of these outbreaks by 1-2 days.
Many people with HSV-2 do not experience regular genital herpes outbreaks.
But for people who do experience several episodes per year, preventative treatment can make a big difference.
In clinical studies, many patients who begin daily preventative treatment, go on to experience zero genital herpes outbreaks over the course of the following year.
Preventative antivirals can even help those patients who experience especially frequent and painful outbreaks of genital herpes.
In one study of this population, for instance, preventative antivirals were shown to reduce the average number of yearly outbreaks from 11 to 2.
Its important to remember, though, that none of these medications can completely cure herpes or eliminate the HSV virus from the body.
While preventative medicines, especially, can make it less likely that youll pass on the infection to sexual partners, it cannot completely eliminate this risk.
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Boosting Your Immune System
Another way to potentially speed up healing for herpes outbreaks and reduce the frequency of future outbreaks is to strengthen your bodys natural immunity. When your immune system is strong, it will be more capable of suppressing the virus.
Some of the recommended ways to boost your immunity include:
- Minimize stress.
- Eat a diet with lots of fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise regularly.
- Get an adequate amount of sleep every night.
- Drink in moderation and avoid smoking.
What Triggers Outbreaks
Certain triggers can cause the herpes virus to reactivate. This is known as a recurrence and can happen even if you have a healthy immune system.
There are several known triggers that can stimulate recurrence, including:
- Physical stress, such as an infection, an illness, or an injury
- Persistent emotional stress or anxiety for greater than one week
- Exposure to ultraviolet light , excessive heat, or cold
- Hormonal changes, such as during menstruation
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What Causes Oral Herpes
Oral herpes is a common condition. Many people know it as cold sores or fever blisters. This condition is caused by the herpes simplex virus . There are two different types of HSV. Type 1 HSV is most often associated with oral herpes and can cause sores on or around the mouth. Type 2 HSV typically causes genital herpes. Well only be talking about oral herpes in this article.
HSV, commonly referred to as herpes, is a virus that can be spread from person to person. Oral herpes is usually spread through saliva or by touching another persons active cold sore. Theres currently no cure or vaccine for herpes, but outbreaks typically resolve within a few weeks.