What Is The Best Herpes Medication

How To Treat A Cold Sore With Home Remedies

While prescription and OTC cold sore medication can promote healing and relieve pain, home remedies may also improve your symptoms and possibly reduce the frequency of outbreaks.

These remedies wont fight the virus, but they can help you feel better until a cold sore heals.

To self-treat a cold sore:

• Opt for cool foods that you apply to your mouth area. For example, suck on ice chips or a popsicle to reduce pain in or around the lips.
• Apply a cold or warm compress to painful areas. This can help ease inflammation.
• Avoid trigger foods that may irritate a cold sore. These can include hot beverages, citrus fruits, spicy food, and salty foods.
• Turn to your medicine cabinet. Apply a skin protectant, such as petroleum jelly, to a cold sore and the skin around the sore.
• Wear lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. This protects your lips until a cold sore heals. Applying balm year-round can also help stop recurrent cold sores.
• Tend to your dental health. Use an antiseptic mouthwash when brushing your teeth to relieve pain.
• Drink water. Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

A few alternative therapies might also promote healing and relieve cold sore symptoms, although more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of these remedies.

For example, applying synthetic beeswax to a cold sore might shorten the duration of an outbreak and get rid of the blister sooner.

Who Should Consider Taking Suppressive Therapy

Continuous suppressive treatment is particularly useful for people who are experiencing frequent or troublesome episodes of genital herpes.

If you are constantly worried about having another bout of herpes, you may find that suppressive treatment allows you to be less focused on the herpes virus. This emotional break can provide you with time to adjust to living with this infection. You may also find professional support helpful.

If you know that stress triggers a recurrence and you are experiencing significant stress, or your outbreaks tend to occur during specific situations such as holidays, then a course of suppressive therapy may be appropriate on such occasions.

The use of antiviral medicines on a daily basis as suppressive therapy can help reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to a non-infected partner.

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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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.

Find A Doctor You Feel Comfortable With

While some doctors have a special interest in sexual health, others may not be familiar with, or comfortable discussing, these issues. Finding a doctor with whom you can openly and comfortably discuss these issues is important. There are doctors who specialise in this area: some are in private clinics, while others belong to sexual health services. There are also sexual health services in country areas. All sexual health services are strictly confidential.

Talk to your doctor if you are feeling worried about the impact of genital herpes on your sex life, relationship or future relationships. Your doctor can give you advice on how to discuss sexually transmitted infections with your partner, and can recommend support groups.

References

1. Genital ulcer disease . In: eTG complete. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited 2016 Jul.http://online.tg.org.au/complete/ .2. BMJ Group. Patient information from the BMJ Group: Genital herpes . http://bestpractice.bmj.com/best-practice/pdf/patient-summaries/532420.pdf 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Genital herpes CDC fact sheet . http://www.cdc.gov/std/herpes/stdfact-herpes.htm .4. Australian STI Management Guidelines for use in primary care. Herpes . http://www.sti.guidelines.org.au/sexually-transmissible-infections/herpes .

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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:

• Valacyclovir : 2,000 mg by mouth every 12 hours for 1 day

• Famciclovir: 1,500 mg by mouth one time only

• 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.

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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How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Herpes Simplex

During an outbreak, a dermatologist often can diagnose herpes simplex by looking at the sores. To confirm that a patient has herpes simplex, a dermatologist may take a swab from a sore and send this swab to a laboratory.

When sores are not present, other medical tests, such as blood tests, can find the herpes simplex virus.

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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.

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What Are Cold Sores Chickenpox Shingles And Genital Herpes

Cold sores are caused by a herpes virus that may be spread by kissing or other physical contact with the infected area of the skin. They are small, painful ulcers that you get in or around your mouth. It is not known if valacyclovir tablets can stop the spread of cold sores to others.

Chickenpox is caused by a herpes virus called Varicella Zoster Virus . It causes an itchy rash of multiple small, red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites usually appearing first on the abdomen or back and face. It can spread to almost everywhere else on the body and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms.

Shingles is caused by the same herpes virus that causes chickenpox. It causes small, painful blisters to appear on your skin. Shingles occurs in people who have already had chickenpox. Shingles can be spread to people who have not had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine by contact with the infected areas of the skin. It is not known if valacyclovir tablets can stop the spread of shingles to others.

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. It causes small, painful blisters on your genital area. You can spread genital herpes to others, even when you have no symptoms. If you are sexually active, you can still pass herpes to your partner, even if you are taking valacyclovir tablets. Valacyclovir tablets, taken every day as prescribed and used with the following safer sex practices, can lower the chances of passing genital herpes to your partner.

What You Need To Know

• Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes.
• Oral herpes can be spread through intimate contact with someone who is infected.
• Oral herpes can be difficult to diagnose. Often confused with many other infections, it can only be confirmed with a virus culture called PCR, blood test or biopsy. PCR is the preferred test for diagnosing herpes infections.
• The best treatment for oral herpes is antiviral oral medication. Symptomatic treatment may include antiviral ointment, over-the-counter topical anesthetics or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents.

Whether you call it a cold sore or a fever blister, oral herpes is a common infection of the mouth area that is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 . Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age 50.

Once infected, a person will have herpes simplex virus for the rest of his or her life. When inactive, the virus lies dormant in a group of nerve cells. While some people never develop any symptoms from the virus, others will have periodic outbreaks of infections.

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Home Remedies And Lifestyle

At-home treatments for herpes are used to relieve pain. They do nothing to alter the course of the infection but can make you more comfortable as the herpes sores begin to heal.

There are several things you can do if have an outbreak of oral or genital herpes:

• Use a cold compress. Place a cloth-covered ice pack on the sores for 15 minutes several times daily to reduce pain. Keep the ice pack moving to prevent frostbite.
• Do not touch or scratch. Avoid touching and rubbing the sores. Doing so can spread the infection to other areas of the skin.
• Keep the sores clean. Herpes sores can become infected with bacteria if touched with soiled hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after going to the bathroom or before applying medications.
• Reduce stress. Stress can increase your sensitivity to pain during a herpes outbreak. You can reduce stress by performing gentle exercises or practicing mind-body therapies like meditation, yoga, and guided imagery.

To reduce the risk of spreading herpes, avoid kissing and sharing objects that come into contact with saliva, like drinking straws and eating utensils.

It’s important to note that oral herpes can be spread to the genitals, and that genital herpes can be spread to the mouth. To reduce the risk of infection, use condoms and dental dams during oral sex. Better yet, avoid sex altogether if you are having an active herpes outbreak .

Why Genital Herpes Comes Back

Genital herpes is caused by a virus called herpes simplex. Once you have the virus, it stays in your body.

It will not spread in your body to cause blisters elsewhere. It stays in a nearby nerve and causes blisters in the same area.

If you can, avoid things that trigger your symptoms.

Triggers can include:

• surgery on your genital area
• a weakened immune system for example, from having chemotherapy for cancer

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What To Expect During An Appendectomy

Before your appendix is taken out, youâll take antibiotics to fight infection. Youâll usually get general anesthesia, meaning youâll be asleep for the procedure. The doctor removes your appendix through a 4-inch-long cut or with a device called a laparoscope . This procedure is called laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the surgeon will also clean out your belly and drain the pus.

Continued

You can get up and move around within 12 hours after surgery. You should be able to go back to your normal routine in 2 to 3 weeks. If you had a laparoscopy, recovery is faster.

After an appendectomy, call your doctor if you have:

• Uncontrolled vomiting

Treatment The First Time You Have Genital Herpes

You may be prescribed:

• antiviral medicine to stop the symptoms getting worse you need to start taking this within 5 days of the symptoms appearing
• cream for the pain

If you have had symptoms for more than 5 days before you go to a sexual health clinic, you can still get tested to find out the cause.

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Herpes Medication: Treatment And Drug Information

Herpes is a common, lifelong viral infection that affects nearly half of American adults under the age of 50.

Most infected individuals do not develop herpes symptoms at all, but for some people, herpes infections can cause painful sores, blisters, or lesions, often on the mouth or genitals.

People who carry the herpes virus can spread it to others through close, direct, and intimate contact.

In this article, Ill review the medications that doctors use to treat both oral and genital herpes.

These include the oral antiviral medications acyclovir , valacyclovir , and famciclovir .

Ill discuss how long it typically takes for these treatments to work, as well as the various dosages available with these treatments.

Ill examine the different kinds of herpes strains and look at the major side effects of herpes medications.

Finally, Ill discuss when to see a doctor if you think you may be experiencing a herpes breakout. .

What Is The Treatment For Genital Herpes

Genital herpes cant be cured, but antiviral medications can help. They reduce the number of outbreaks so you feel symptom-free longer. If you do have an outbreak, the drugs make your experience less severe and shorter.

If youre concerned about STDs, particularly genital herpes, call Pinky Ronen, MD & Itai Ronen, MD OB/GYNs or schedule an appointment using the online tool.

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What Herpes Treatment Should You Take

Aciclovir

Aciclovir is an antiviral medicine and is the generic version of the popular brand Zovirax. It stops the infecting virus from reproducing so if you want to make the most of this drug, its best to take tablets as soon as the first symptoms appear. Aciclovir is used as an episodic treatment and can also be used for suppression therapy. The dosage is more frequent to treat an outbreak, you need to take one tablet three times a day for five days. For suppression therapy, you need to take one twice a day.

If youre someone who doesnt easily remember to take medication, Aciclovir may not be the right herpes treatment for you.

Valaciclovir

Aciclovir and Valaciclovir are similar. Valaciclovir is a prodrug of Aciclovir, meaning that after it is taken, it is converted in the body to Aciclovir. The branded version of Valaciclovir is Valtrex. However, Valaciclovir doesnt have to be taken as often as Aciclovir but Aciclovir is more cost-effective especially for suppression treatment. Valaciclovir is taken once daily for suppression treatment, and works by preventing viruses from multiplying, and this stops the infection from spreading. It is taken twice daily for outbreak treatment. If youre not on a tight budget, or if youre someone who cant easily commit to taking tablets regularly, then this could be a good option for you.

Famciclovir

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.

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