Most Effective Genital Herpes Treatment

Conditions Hydrocortisone Creams Cannot Treat

Hydrocortisone is not useful as a treatment for hives . This is because hives are caused by histamines, not skin inflammation.

Histamines are chemicals produced by the immune system in response to allergens, which are allergy-causing substances. An overreaction can sometimes cause a rash.

In this case, an oral antihistamine may be the best treatment choice. At the same time, hydrocortisone cream may be prescribed to relieve itchiness and swelling.

Hydrocortisone cream has its limits. Don’t count on it to relieve:

• Acne. In fact, the cream could make it worse.
• Broken skin, including blisters, boils, ulcers, or chancre sores.
• Rosacea and impetigo. The cream can upset both conditions.

The point should be clear: Using hydrocortisone cream on these problems would be a little like using a shop vac on a small kitchen fire. It’s a fine tool but the wrong one for the job.

You may use hydrocortisone cream on children. But be careful, especially with infants and toddlers. Speak with your pediatrician before using hydrocortisone cream to treat eczema or diaper rash. Other products may be gentler and work just as well on little ones.

Dating Someone With Herpes

Meeting that special someone that you can settle down with and spend the rest of your life with is pretty much an important goal for most people. Getting married and raising a family is considered the natural course of life, and when you finally meet the one, it can feel like your life is complete. For individuals that are infected with herpes, this life plan can take a frustrating detour, as many people with the virus feel like they are damaged goods, and that they will be alone for the rest of their lives.

When And How Are Later Outbreaks Treated

Later outbreaks with only mild symptoms dont necessarily need to be treated. The blisters can then simply heal on their own.

But antiviral medication can also shorten the duration of later outbreaks by an average of about two days. If you decide to have treatment, its important to start it within the first 24 hours of the outbreak ideally, as soon as you notice the first symptoms. So its a good idea to always have a few tablets at home or to take them with you when you travel so they are ready to use. You can get a prescription from your doctor.

In later outbreaks you can take them for a shorter time. The WHO recommends the following:

• aciclovir: 400 mg three times per day or 800 mg two times per day for five days, or 800 mg three times per day for two days,
• famciclovir: 250 mg two times per day for five days, or
• valaciclovir: 500 mg two times per day for three days.

A different dose and treatment duration may be a good idea for people who have immune system disorders, such as an HIV infection.

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Treatment Of Primary Infection

Antiviral therapy is recommended for an initial genital herpes outbreak, especially if the patient has systemic symptoms or is immunocompromised.2 Oral acyclovir is effective in reducing symptoms1 . Intravenous administration may be required in immunocompromised patients and those with severe disseminated infection.1 Topical acyclovir reduces the duration of viral shedding and the length of time before all lesions become crusted, but this treatment is much less effective than oral or intravenous acyclovir.1

Effect of Acyclovir Treatment on Primary Genital Herpes

*Dosage = 200 mg five times daily for 10 days, given within six days of lesion onset.

Information from Mertz GJ, Critchlow CW, Benedetti J, Reichman RC, Dolin R, Connor J. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of oral acyclovir in first-episode genital herpes simplex virus infection. JAMA 1984 252:114751.

Effect of Acyclovir Treatment on Primary Genital Herpes

*Dosage = 200 mg five times daily for 10 days, given within six days of lesion onset.

Information from Mertz GJ, Critchlow CW, Benedetti J, Reichman RC, Dolin R, Connor J. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of oral acyclovir in first-episode genital herpes simplex virus infection. JAMA 1984 252:114751.

Famciclovir is not FDA-labeled for this indication.

Complementary And Alternative Medicine

Some people use natural therapies to treat herpes, either on their own or to support standard medical care. The research supporting their use is generally weak, with little evidence that they can reduce either the severity or duration of an outbreak. Even so, many people swear by their effectiveness and consider them a vital part of managing herpes outbreaks.

Complementary and alternative therapies sometimes used to treat herpes include:

• Propolis: This is a sticky substance produced by bees that may help speed the healing of genital herpes. A 2017 study found that people who used propolis ointment experienced better healing by the 10th day of treatment compared to those who used a sham ointment.
• Algae extract: Lab studies suggest that algae extract can inhibit the growth of HSV-2 in test tubes. Whether it can do so in humans has yet to be proven.
• Acupuncture: A 2011 study concluded that acupuncture was mildly effective in reducing pain caused by the herpes zoster virus , the type of herpes virus that causes shingles. While this suggests that acupuncture may be useful in easing genital herpes pain, this has yet to be proven.

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Why You Should Go To A Sexual Health Clinic

You can see a GP, but theyll probably refer you to a sexual health clinic if they think you might have genital herpes.

Sexual health clinics treat problems with the genitals and urine system.

Many sexual health clinics offer a walk-in service, where you do not need an appointment.

Theyll often get test results quicker than GP practices and you do not have to pay a prescription fee for treatment.

One Option For Ongoing Therapy: Taking Drugs Regularly

Some people with genital herpes choose to take antiviral medication daily to reduce the number of symptom outbreaks they have. In some cases, daily therapy prevents outbreaks completely.

Numerous studies over the years have demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of all three of the approved antivirals used to treat genital herpes.

Studies have also shown that daily antiviral therapy reduces the rate of transmission from an HSV-2 infected person to an uninfected partner of the opposite sex.

Daily therapy also lowers the odds of infecting other people if you have multiple sex partners or if you are a man who has sex with men.

The drugs work both for people who have had herpes symptoms and for those whose blood tests show they have an HSV-2 infection but who have never had symptoms.

Some people choose to take antiviral drugs only as needed, for outbreaks that occur after the first one. For this to work, you need to start taking the medicine within one day of sores cropping up or during the time period that comes before some outbreaks.

During the prodrome, you may feel

• Burning in the area where the virus first entered your body
• Itching or tingling in that area
• Pain in your back, buttocks, thighs, or knees

Your doctor will probably give you a prescription you can fill and keep handy for timely use, and tell you to start taking the drugs just as soon as symptoms begin.

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Protecting Your Partner And Preventing Herpes Transmission

Research shows that the single greatest fear is the fear of transmission to partners, says Dr. Handsfield.

The main ways to avoid transmitting herpes are:

• Learn to recognize how you feel when an outbreak is on the way, and stop having sex immediately.
• Dont have sex during active outbreaks.
• Always use condoms but dont rely on them during outbreaks. They dont completely cover infectious areas.
• Only after all sores have scabbed over and healed should you have sex again.
• Avoid touching your herpes sores, because you can spread them to other places on your body that way. Whenever you touch a sore, wash your hands immediately.
• Dont kiss people or have sex if you have a cold sore.
• Tell potential partners about having herpes before having sex with them, even though it may be hard.
• Ask your doctor about taking antiviral drugs regularly.

Can You Transfer The Herpes Virus To Your Baby While Pregnant

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that is passed on from person to person during close sexual contact. Herpes is transmitted by genital to genital contact as well as by the oral/genital route. Herpes flare-ups vary from person to person, and while one common belief is that it cannot be spread when the infection is not active, there is still the chance of transmitting the virus even when one is not exhibiting symptoms. Due to this fact, many pregnant mothers express concern about transferring the virus to their unborn children. The good news is that neo-natal herpes is considered rare, but it is important for expectant mothers to educate themselves on specific risk factors and the possibility of transferring the virus.

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Herpes Medication And Treatments Available

There is currently no cure or vaccine for either HSV-1 or HSV-2.

However, if you are diagnosed with herpes, your doctor may prescribe you certain kinds of treatments and medications during an outbreak or to suppress the virus.

One area where medications can help is pain management.

For genital herpes outbreaks, doctors may recommend prescription-strength pain creams with ingredients like benzocaine or lidocaine.

These can help to reduce discomfort caused by especially inflamed, or acute, herpes lesions.

For oral herpes outbreaks caused by HSV-1 infections, your doctor might similarly prescribe topical creams containing painkilling ingredients like benzocaine .

Over-the-counter pain treatments can also help with milder oral herpes outbreaks.

These include NSAIDS like ibuprofen , as well lower-strength gel formulations with numbing ingredients like benzocaine .

None of these numbing or painkilling options work to actually speed up or heal the herpes outbreak, however.

They may reduce discomfort, but they do not lessen the time it takes a herpes outbreak to move from emerging, to active, to dormant. For that, doctors turn to antiviral treatments.

Antiviral medications can both speed up the rate of healing, as well as reduce the severity of outbreaks.

For genital herpes, when taken as suppressive therapy, antiviral medications can also reduce the frequency of outbreaks.

Acyclovir creams can also be used to treat genital herpes.

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Initial Clinical Research Shows Light Treatments Can Improve Genital Herpes Outbreaks

Numerous clinical studies over the last decade have shown light treatments to be safe and effective for the treatment of various skin conditions. In a pivotal initial study on light and genital herpes, researchers analyzed women with HSV-2 who used phototherapy for three weeks. The study team measured pain levels among the participants before, during, and after the course of treatment, and also used blood tests to analyze the viral load from HSV-2 that was present in the bloodstream. The results show that light treatments can make a major difference for a person experiencing a genital herpes outbreak.

What Treatments Are Available For Genital Herpes

The treatment for genital herpes varies between an initial outbreak and a recurrent attack. If you are suffering from a primary infection of genital herpes then it is likely you will be prescribed an antiviral medication, for example, Aciclovir 400mg tablets.

Aciclovir works by preventing the herpes simplex virus from multiplying. Aciclovir, and other antivirals, are unable to completely eradicate the infection from the body. The dose of Aciclovir when treating genital herpes is typically one 400mg tablet, five times a day after your inital outbreak. You will need to take Aciclovir for at least five days or longer depending on whether new blisters are still forming when you start treatment. For subsequent outbreaks of genital herpes, you only need to take one Aciclovir 400mg tablet, three times a day for five days. Other antiviral medications used to treat genital herpes include Valaciclovir, which works in a similar way to Aciclovir.

Lidocaine 5% ointment is an anaesthetic ointment used to know the area of genital herpes to relieve the pain and irritation of blistering during the outbreak. It does not treat the infection itself, however, it helps to relieve the symptoms whilst the outbreak clears on its own.

Recurrent outbreaks may require a course of Aciclovir however, if your symptoms are mild, you may wish to use some self-help techniques to ease the symptoms. These can include:

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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.

How Do Herpes Drugs Work

Herpes medications like valacyclovir, acyclovir and famciclovir belong to a class of medications called antiviral drugs.

Antiviral drugs are designed to inhibit the multiplication of viruses in the body. Unlike antibiotics, which eliminate the bacteria that cause infections, antiviral drugs simply control viral proliferation, rather than completely eliminating the target virus from the body.

None of the antiviral drugs on the market today can cure herpes. However, consistent use of an antiviral drug can make living with herpes much easier by speeding up healing after an outbreak and reducing your risk of transmitting the virus to other people.

Herpes drugs are taken for several reasons. People with active HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections can take them during outbreaks to control and treat their symptoms. Antiviral drugs are also used as part of suppressive therapy for herpes to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.

Even people with asymptomatic herpes can benefit from using antiviral drugs to lower their risk of spreading the virus to other people through sexual or oral contact.

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Clinical Trials: Key To Genital Herpes Research

Although these new genital herpes treatments are just on the horizon, it may be years before any are available to consumers.

The process of introducing a new treatment to the public can be a long one. Before the FDA approves a drug, it must go through rigorous clinical trials, which are divided into three phases. In phase I, researchers try to find out if the drug is safe for people to take. If the drug is deemed safe, it may go on to phase II, when researchers aim to determine if the drug works as it should. They also collect more safety data. In phase III trials, they expand their research to include more patients in more places.

To conduct a clinical trial, scientists need people to participate voluntarily. Clinical trials often involve thousands of patients who volunteer to take the experimental drug. The FDA and an independent review board carefully monitor every aspect of the trial. There are rules the researchers must follow to ensure that their work is scientifically correct and ethically sound. Study volunteers have clearly defined rights, such as the right to drop out of the trial at any time.

Avoid The Following While You Are Using Acyclovir Buccal Delayed

• Do not chew gum, touch, or press the buccal tablet after it has been applied.
• Do not wear upper dentures.
• Do not brush your teeth until it dissolves. If your teeth need to be cleaned while the tablet is in place, rinse the mouth gently.

Shake the suspension well before each use to mix the medication evenly.

Your symptoms should improve during your treatment with acyclovir. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.

Take or use acyclovir until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop taking acyclovir too soon or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated or may become more difficult to treat. The delayed-release buccal tablet is applied as a one-time dose.

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