Mouth Herpes Over The Counter Treatment

Are Cold Sores Contagious

How to deal with Mouth Sores – Causes, Types, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention Methods

Cold sores are contagious, and they can be spread from person to person via close contact, such as kissing or sharing drinks or utensils. Its possible to develop a cold sore at any age, but it is less common to experience them after age 35. If you have a cold sore, avoid sharing things like food, drinks, and lip balms to help keep the infection from spreading to others.

A Final Word On Cold Sore Treatments And Remedies

There isnt a cure for the virus that causes a cold sore, so theres always the risk of an outbreak. But while you might be unable to completely prevent a cold sore, antiviral medication and home remedies can make living with cold sores much easier.

Learn how to recognize early signs of a cold sore, and see your doctor if you have frequent outbreaks. The sooner you get an antiviral into your system, the shorter the duration of an outbreak.

Additional reporting by Lindsey Konkel.

Other Cold Sore Treatments

Beyond patches, creams, and gels, other over-the-counter medications and home remedies may help reduce cold sore symptoms. These include:

OTC pain medications: Drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help reduce the pain and swelling of a cold sore.
Cold compresses: These may also help with pain or discoloration. A person can make a compress by covering an ice pack in a cloth and holding it against the affected area.
Kanuka honey: A 2019 study suggests that Kanuka honey may be as effective as antiviral medication for treating cold sores.

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How Can I Get Rid Of Cold Sores Quickly

They’re painful. They’re unsightly. They’re annoying. Cold sores are just plain unwelcome. When one pops up on your lip or mouth, you probably immediately think: What’s the fastest way to get rid of this thing?

“Herpes simplex virus the virus that causes cold sores is incredibly contagious, and infection with the virus is really common,” says Dr. Donald Brown, primary care practitioner at Houston Methodist. “In fact, more than 50% of adults in the U.S. are infected with the type of herpes virus that most commonly causes cold sores. Interestingly, however, most people who contract the virus never actually develop symptoms.”

If the virus does cause cold sores, it can spread from person-to-person through close contact, like kissing. But, while you may not know it, the virus can also spread by sharing:

Utensils and drinking glasses

“The virus is most contagious when a cold sore is present, particularly when the blister begins to ooze,” Dr. Brown adds. “However, it’s important to know that you can still spread the virus long after a cold sore heals as well as when a blister isn’t even present.”

For those who are no stranger to those painful, fluid-filled blisters, when you get a cold sore, you probably want it gone fast.

How Do You Get A Cold Sore

Cold sores spread from person to person through close contact with an infected area. This can be through kissing or sharing food or drink with people who carry the virus. It can spread to the genitals through oral sex, which is why you should always wear protection when being intimate.

Youre more likely to catch HSV from someone who carries the virus and has symptoms, but you can also catch it from people who dont have any symptoms.

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Causes Of Oral Herpes

Oral herpes is caused by a herpes virus, which is contracted from another person while they have an oral herpes outbreak. Although HSV I can be transmitted during kissing or other intimate contact, many people contract the virus during childhood.

Typically, HSV I goes dormant after the first outbreak, but another outbreak can occur. This might be triggered by different types of stress, including:

Emotional or mental stress.
Another infection like a cold or the flu.
Hormonal fluctuations, like from menstruation.
Direct sunlight, especially a sunburn.

An outbreak may also have no specific cause. You may not realize outbreaks are coming at first, but you can eventually identify the symptoms before sores appear.

Best Cold Sore Patch: Compeed Cold Sore Patches

List price: around $23 for 15 patches
Active ingredients: salicylic acid and hydrocolloid-075 gel
Dose: wear for 24 hours a day until the cold sore disappears
Pro: patches are invisible and discreet
Con: some reviewers state the new design of this product is not as efficient as the old design

Each small patch covers a cold sore and contains hydrocolloid-075 gel. According to , hydrocolloids can absorb excess liquid from the skin.

The manufacturers of these patches recommend applying a patch at the first symptom of a cold sore.

The patches are invisible, and reviewers report that they can reduce the appearance of cold sores. In addition, each patch acts like a shield to help prevent the virus from spreading.

Pro: docosanol has Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of cold sores
Con: people must apply this product 5 times per day for best results

This antiviral cream has FDA approval and contains 10% docosanol. This helps treat recurrent cold sores by stopping the herpes virus from entering surrounding cells. This helps protect the healthy area around the cold sore.

The manufacturer claims that if a person uses the cream at the first sign of a cold sore, the cream can heal the sore in as few as 2.5 days. However, the company acknowledges that the average healing time for someone using their product is 4.1 days.

The company says this white cream penetrates deep into the skin, is tasteless, and has no smell.

The Best Cold Sore Creams

Below are some of the best cold sore creams available to purchase online.

Please note that the writer of this article has not tried these products. All information presented is purely research-based and correct at the time of publication.

Medical News Today follows a strict product selection and vetting process. Learn more here.

Stages Of Oral Herpes

Herpes Simplex 1 & 2: Symptoms, Transmission and Treatment

There are three main stages of oral herpes:

Primary infection: This stage consists of the initial contraction of the virus.
Latency: When the infection enters the latency phase, it is dormant and symptoms are absent.
Recurrence: Following the primary infection and periods of latency, outbreaks can recur.

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Genital Herpes Treatment Over The Counter

When you first get diagnosed with genital herpes, you may notice that youre prone to outbreaks of the sores. Your doctor may prescribe a brief course of antiviral medication to alleviate the symptoms and prevent them from worsening. However, you may need a longer course of antiviral medication if your outbreaks get more severe. In either case, you should talk with your doctor and take the appropriate treatment as directed.

The antiviral medication famciclovir is taken orally or topically. It is effective for treating outbreaks and preventing transmission but is not recommended for use as a first course of treatment. Similarly, valacyclovir, also known as Valtrex, is a prescription-grade antiviral medication used for genital herpes treatment. It is safe but has limited efficacy in preventing transmission to other people. There are few studies on its safety for pregnant women, so its not recommended as a first-line treatment.

Symptoms of herpes can vary from person to person, but the first few days are usually the worst. The infection can also cause a headache, difficulty urinating, and even affect the nervous system. You may also experience pain when defecating, a sign of proctitis. Youre more likely to experience an outbreak if you have sex with men often. While treatment can help your symptoms, prevention is recommended if you have more than six outbreaks yearly.

Where Can I Get Medications For Herpes

The most common antiviral medications used to manage herpes simplex symptoms are available by prescription. If you have symptoms such as a cold sore or genital herpes, call your doctors office. They will first diagnose if you have herpes simplex. Then they will prescribe an appropriate medication to manage your symptoms.

Only docosanol is an antiviral medication available over the counter as a cream to manage oral symptoms such as cold sores or fever blisters.

If you have mild symptoms from a recurring oral herpes infection, you may be able to use nonprescription methods or some home remedies to manage your symptoms.

Examples include:

pain relievers such ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help with pain
cold compress or ice to soothe burning or itching
zinc oxide topical cream, which may help soothe itching or burning

Before trying over the counter medications or supplements, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your symptoms.

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Can Oral Herpes Come Back

Oral herpes sores can come back. The virus remains in your body forever once youve contracted it.

However, it can remain dormant for a certain period and then reactivate. When this occurs, a person is likely to develop mild symptoms, including sores.

Some people refer to this as herpes coming back, even though its better described as a flare-uporrecurrence.

What Is The Outcome For Someone Who Has Cold Sores

Cold sores cannot be cured. Some people get the virus and have just one outbreak. Others continue to get cold sores.

If you get cold sores several times a year, tell your dermatologist. A prescription antiviral medicine may help. Taking this medicine at the start of a cold-sore outbreak can shorten the amount of time you have cold sores. Some people who get cold sores frequently take this medicine every day. Taken daily, it can help prevent outbreaks of cold sores.

ReferenceFatahzadeh M and Schwartz RA. Human herpes simplex virus infections: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and management. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007 57:737-63.

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Results Speak For Themselves

Im a 23-year-old softball player. I had a HPV culture that came back positive. It was so painful to pee while having warts, especially at night. And when I did finally pee, it would run over the lesions, and it was so painful.

I used VidaroX, and it all disappeared after less than a week. I also learned that its very important to wear loose clothing, so everything can breathe. No second outbreak yet. Its been about 8 months since the first wart symptom, and Im fine so far.* Emily T, San Francisco

* These are actual customer comments about their experience with VidaroX. Names have been changed for their privacy. Your results may vary.

1. Traditional creams are onlyactive on the surface

2. HPV viruses hiding underneathare not reached

3. HPV viruses are re-activated

4. Recurrence of HPV outbreak

Potential Complications Of Oral Herpes

For most people, herpes is more of an inconvenience than it is a serious medical condition. Mild scarring might be a concern following a particularly severe outbreak.

There are two instances in which herpes poses a more severe risk, but neither of these instances involves oral herpes. For example:

Neonatal herpes is a risk for infants born to mothers with genital herpes. It can lead to neurological disability and is potentially fatal.
Herpes simplex encephalitis occurs when herpes infects a persons central nervous system . Its treatable, but can be fatal if not treated properly.

Many people have herpes but are asymptomatic, meaning they dont even know they have it.

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How Are Cold Sores Diagnosed

To see if you have the herpes simplex virus , which causes cold sores, your doctor may simply examine the cold sore or may take a culture from it.

The doctor may also test blood for antibodies to the virus.

A positive antibody test only proves that you have the virus it does not indicate whether or not the virus is active or when you may have acquired it.

How To Stop Cold Sore Outbreaks

Herpes Simplex, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

The good news is that cold sores can be successfully treated and suppressed with meds to limit the extent of future outbreaks and transmission. The quicker you take the medication, the less severe the outbreak. Unless actively treated, oral herpes can pass between humans through kissing or sharing a drink. And, because of Viral Shedding, herpes tranmission can take place even if no sores are present.

Tired of explaining symptoms?

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What Valtrex Tablets Are Used For

Valtrex tablets belong to a group of medicines called antivirals. Valtrex tablets are used for the treatment of genital herpes infection.

Valtrex tablets work by stopping the multiplication of the virus which causes herpes. They can reduce the length and severity of an outbreak of herpes, the duration of pain and shorten the time to healing of crusts associated with herpes. They do not eliminate the herpes virus from the body. The herpes virus is also known as the Herpes Simplex Virus, or HSV.

Valtrex tablets help the blisters to heal more quickly. If you start taking them as soon as you feel an outbreak starting, you may actually prevent the blisters from developing.

Valtrex tablets can also be taken long term to help prevent the HSV infection coming back.

Valtrex is more effective in patients 50 years of age and older.

Valtrex tablets can also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus that causes genital herpes in patients who are taking it continuously to prevent or reduce recurrent outbreaks. It does not cure genital herpes or completely eliminate the risk of transmission. Therefore, in addition to therapy with Valtrex, it is recommended that patients avoid contact when symptoms are present and always use condoms.

Valtrex is not a cure for genital herpes. Because genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease, you should minimise having intercourse when you have an outbreak of herpes or show any symptoms. This will avoid the risk of spreading herpes to your partner.

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.

Can I Treat Herpes Simplex At Home

Avoiding known triggers, such as illness or stress, can help reduce how often you have herpes outbreaks.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-1 ?

Over-the-counter creams such as L-lysine, benzocaine or docosanol .
Applying ice to blisters or sores.

How can I ease my symptoms during an outbreak of HSV-2 ?

Apply an ice pack to your genitals. Wrap the ice pack in a washcloth or apply it over your underwear.
Keep your genitals dry. Wear cotton or other nonsynthetic underpants and avoid tight-fitting clothes. Moist sores take longer to heal.
Soak in a warm bath.
Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain.
Topical 1% or 2% lidocaine may be used as a topical analgesic.

What Are Canker Sores

Canker sores, or aphthous ulcers, are ulcerations that occur inside the mouth along the mucosa. They are found on the inner cheeks and lower lip as well as on the tongue, palate, and the gums. Canker sores are round and very painful. They are gray in color with a distinct edge. They are not contagious and are caused by stress or trauma to the area. They are not related to herpes, although they be may confused with oral ulcers caused by herpes.

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When To Talk With A Doctor

Herpes isnt curable, but it can be treated with antiviral medications. These medications can reduce the severity of an outbreak.

If you suspect you have herpes, make an appointment with a doctor. Its also a good idea to talk with your doctor about a herpes screening if:

your current or previous sexual partner has herpes
youre planning to have sex with a new partner
you had a risky sexual encounter

If youve already been diagnosed with herpes and youre currently experiencing an outbreak, the outbreak might go away without causing complications and without treatment.

However, its wise to make an appointment with your doctor if:

the outbreak is particularly painful or unbearable
youre experiencing symptoms of other STIs
youre experiencing frequent, severe outbreaks

If youre sexually active, its a good idea to have regular STI screenings. You can book appointments for STI screenings with your doctors office. You could also try a local clinic, certain pharmacies, or Planned Parenthood.

How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Herpes Simplex

Preventing HSV-1

You can reduce your risk of contracting HSV-1 by avoiding physical contact with someone who has a cold sore. People can still spread HSV-1 when cold sores arent present, but its less likely.

If someone has an active HSV-1 infection, avoid:

Sharing utensils, cups, lip balms or other personal care products.
Touching the skin near their mouth.

Preventing HSV-2

If youre sexually active, you can take these steps to protect yourself and others from the herpes virus and other STIs:

Be monogamous with one sexual partner or limit your number of partners.
Get tested for STIs and complete any prescribed treatment.
Tell your sexual partners if you have genital herpes so they can get tested.
Use condoms during intercourse and dental dams during oral sex.

Wash your hands often if you have an outbreak or are around someone with symptoms.

If your sexual partner has genital herpes, these actions can lower your risk of getting the virus:

Dont have sex when your partner has active symptoms. Condoms may not cover all sores, so you may still get the virus.
Make sure your partner takes antiviral medication as prescribed.
Wait to have sex until scabs fall off active lesions.