How Effective Are Medications For Herpes
Prescription antiviral medications have proven effectiveness in managing HSV symptoms.
A 2017 study comparing the antiviral medications acyclovir, famciclovir, penciclovir and valacyclovir to treat herpes simplex labialis found all antiviral medications were effective to shorten healing time for lesions and reducing pain. The comparison study found valacyclovir had the fastest healing time and pain reduction.
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.
I Had Lesions When I Was Evaluated But My Culture Was Negative Does This Mean That I Dont Have Herpes
Not necessarily. Although lesions can be caused by something other than herpes, false negative herpes tests can occur if the samples are not taken appropriately, if there is a long transport time between the clinic and the laboratory, or if cultures were taken late in the course of the lesions. Lesions that occur early in the course of a herpes outbreak are much more likely to have positive cultures than cultures taken after the lesions crust over.
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Is There A Way To Prevent Getting Herpes
You can protect yourself and your partner by taking steps to prevent an outbreak of herpes. Some things that you can do include:
-If you already have herpes, dont have sex until the outbreak is completely gone, even with a condom.
-Try to learn the signs of an impending outbreak, such as itching, tingling and burning, and stop having sex as soon as you notice.
-If you wear contact lenses, dont wet your lenses with your saliva. This could spread your herpes infection to your eyes.
-Dont have sex with your partner until your herpes sores are completely healed.
-Always tell your partner if you are infected with the herpes virus before you have sex. Even though it can be embarrassing and difficult, herpes is very common, and telling your partner will help keep the infection from spreading.
Genital Warts Vs Herpes
Human papillomavirus – the virus which causes genital warts – and herpes, are both common STIs.
HPV is more common than herpes, and it is understood that nearly all sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their life. Both viruses have the potential to cause genital lesions, and they can also both present without any symptoms. For this reason, it can be hard for some people to tell which one they have.
While genital warts and herpes can both be passed on via sex, the sores have different causes, and different treatments. In general, the symptoms of herpes are more painful. Using condoms can significantly reduce your risk of both genital warts and herpes.
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Meet Some Of Our Doctors
Our physicians are Canadian-licensed and practice family or emergency medicine right here in Canada.
Dr. Michael Verbora
Dr. Verbora practices family medicine in Toronto, and specializes in student health. He received his Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of Windsor, his Masters of Business Administration from Odette School of Read More
Dr. Verbora practices family medicine in Toronto, and specializes in student health. He received his Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of Windsor, his Masters of Business Administration from Odette School of Business, and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Verbora completed specialty training at the Toronto Western Hospital, while acting as the OCFP Chair of the Residents Committee.
Dr. Gita Kruger
Dr. Gita Kruger is a practicing family medicine and urgent care physician in Calgary, Alberta. Her pre-medical education includes Masters of Science degrees in both Audiology and Speech Pathology from Syracuse University Read More
Dr. Garth Slysz
Dr. Slysz has practiced as a family physician in Charlottetown in PEI for 26 years. Throughout that time he has cared for his patients in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He has taught family medicine residents and medical studen Read More
Dr. Aleksandra Ferenc
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Types Of Antiviral Drugs
There are three oral antivirals recommended for the treatment of oral or genital herpes:
| Famvir, 250 mg | Twice daily |
Preventing genital herpes recurrence is important as it reduces the risk of HIV. According to the CDC, having an active genital herpes infection increases the risk of HIV by 200% to 300%.
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How Our Service Works
- Start an order by selecting the Start order button above.
- Fill in a short questionnaire about your health and lifestyle.
- A Superdrug doctor will check your answers and approve the treatment if its right for you.
- Well then post your order directly to you or you can pick it up the same day at a Superdrug store near you.
How To Get Testing And Treatment
If you would like to place an order for one of our genital herpes home test kits or genital herpes antiviral treatment prescription, you can follow the steps below:
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When Is Treatment Necessary
Herpes can cause blisters to form on or around the mouth or genitals. These blisters then break, forming open, painful sores that may take at least 1 week to heal.
The symptoms may clear up on their own, and they may reappear later, in what some people call outbreaks or flare ups.
Once the virus enters the body, it never completely goes away. Some triggers that can cause herpes symptoms to reappear include:
- friction in the genital area
- a weakened immune system
Doctors may prescribe one of the following antiviral medications to help manage herpes symptoms. A person can also take some steps at home to ease the symptoms, and we describe these later in the article.
Please note, the writer has not tested these products. All information is research-based.
Talk With Your Doctor About Herpes Medications
Its important to first talk with your doctor before using over-the-counter products like docosanol or other home remedies.
If this is the first time you have symptoms of HSV with blisters or sores, your doctor will first diagnose if you have HSV, the type and discuss options to manage your condition. They will tell you about prescription and nonprescription alternatives to treat your HSV infection.
Tell your doctor if you have any serious health conditions including if you have a weakened immune system.
Your doctor will also tell you what you can expect with an HSV infection, how long it may last, and what do to prevent spreading HSV to others while you have an active infection.
Here are answers to a few commonly asked questions about herpes simplex virus.
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Herpes Treatment: Buy Valacyclovir In Thailand
Herpes is incurable, but it doesnt mean that it will reduce your quality of life. There are numerous treatments like Valacyclovir that can help manage and control outbreaks, so you can live a normal and happy life.
Read this article to know more about the medicine and where to buy Valacyclovir in Thailand.
Eye Herpes Vs Pink Eye
An ocular herpes simplex virus infection shares common signs and symptoms with another common eye infection called conjunctivitis , caused by bacteria, a virus, or allergies.As many as 25% of eye herpes cases go misdiagnosed as pink eye.6
While the two conditions are similar, there are slight differences that include:
- Conjunctivitis usually occurs in both eyes
- HSV eye infections typically only occur in one eye
- Eye culture that is positive for an HSV infection
- An adenovirus causes pink eye
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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 Long Does Valacyclovir Take To Work
The amount of time it takes for Valacyclovir to work highly depends on the severity of the outbreak and how soon you take the medicine as soon as you notice a symptom.
For both initial and recurring outbreaks, taking this antiviral drug can provide relief in as little as two or three days. Thats why its important to take it right after you notice a symptom or feel an outbreak about to start.
Do remember that this varies from person to person, so it can take a faster or slower time to work than normal.
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What Are The Signs Of Herpes In Children
The herpes virus can be spread to babies and children if they are kissed by someone that is infected and has active cold sores. Although rare, it is also possible to spread herpes to a child or infant by touch if a person touches their cold sore and then touches the baby or child.
Precautions can be taken to protect infants and other children from getting the virus. Avoid kissing children if you have a cold sore and ask other people not to as well. Wash your hands frequently if you have a cold sore and you are around children.
Treating A First Outbreak Of Herpes
A first outbreak of genital herpes can cause a long illness with severe genital sores and can also affect the nervous system. Even if your first episode of herpes is mild, you may have severe or prolonged symptoms later. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone who has a first episode of genital herpes take antiviral drugs.
Almost everyone who has one episode of genital herpes caused by HSV-2 also has later breakouts of sores. Later episodes are less common if your case of genital herpes is due to an HSV-1 infection.
The frequency of genital herpes outbreaks slows down over time in many people.
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How To Prevent Spreading Herpes To Your Partner
If you have genital herpes and your partner doesnt, you can spread the virus that causes it to your partner during sex. For this reason, dermatologists recommend the following:
Tell your partner you have genital herpes
Explain that there is a risk that you can give your partner the virus that causes genital herpes. Be sure your partner knows that the following can reduce this risk:
-
Skipping sex when you have sores. To avoid giving your partner genital herpes, its recommended that you skip all sexual contact while you have sores and for one or two days after the sores clear. If your partners skin or genitals touches a herpes sore, your partner can easily catch the virus.
-
Using a condom when youre free of sores. Even when you dont have sores, its possible to spread the virus to your partner. When the virus isnt active, it travels from your skin to nearby nerve cells.A trigger can wake up this virus at any time. Common triggers include stress, illness, and surgery. If the virus wakes up, it travels back to your skin .Sometimes, when the virus wakes up, you wont have any sores or symptoms. During these times, you wont even know that the virus is on your skin . Its during these times that you can spread it to your partner. Condoms help reduce this risk.
Even when taking an antiviral every day, a condom must be used every time you have sex.
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How Is Genital Herpes Passed On
As mentioned above, genital herpes is extremely contagious and is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact with a person who has the virus. The risk of spreading HPV infection to another person is greatest when symptoms are present . However, those who carry the virus but do not have any symptoms can spread HPV, as the shedding skin will carry the virus and infect another person. In fact, the majority of infections are spread by those with no symptoms .
You can spread HSV from one place on your body to another. If you touch lesions around your mouth , you can carry the virus on your fingers and spread it to your genitals, for example. The virus can be spread to your partner in this way, or during intimate sexual contact, regardless of where the active lesions are located. It is true that cold sore lesions can lead to genital herpes!
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How Do You Get Herpes Causes And Risk Factors
Herpes infections are caused by herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2. These contagious viruses are spread through skin-to-skin contact with a person who is having a herpes outbreak.
You get herpes by touching a herpes sore or the skin, lips, genital fluids, or saliva of a person with an oral or genital herpes infection. Herpes can be spread even when there are no visible blisters or sores.
This article discusses how herpes is spread. It also explains who is at high risk for herpes and how you can protect yourself.
How To Take Valtrex
Valtrex is a tablet that should be swallowed. You can take Valtrex with or without food. It is important to stay hydrated when using Valtrex.
If you are taking Valtrex for cold sores, chicken pox, shingles, or genital herpes, start treatment as soon as possible after your symptoms start. Initial signs of infection may include tingling, itching, or burning, or when the sore appears.
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Dosage: How Much Valtrex Should I Take
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor’s orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form :
- For treatment of chickenpox:
- Adults and children below 2 years of ageUse and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- Children 2 to 18 years of ageDose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The usual dose is 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, taken three times a day for 5 days. However, the dose is usually not more than 1000 mg three times a day.
- For treatment of cold sores:
- Adults2000 milligrams every 12 hours for one day.
- Children 12 years of age and above2000 milligrams every 12 hours for one day.
- Children below 12 years of ageUse and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For treatment of genital herpes, first outbreak:
- Adults1000 milligrams two times a day for ten days.
- ChildrenUse and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Is Genital Herpes Painful
While many people with the HSV virus experience no symptoms, when sores do develop, they can be painful.
Blisters around the area of infection can itch and tingle, and then turn into open sores when they are ulcerated. Some people also experience flu-like symptoms during their first outbreak, such as fever, muscle aches, headache and swollen lymph nodes in the groin.
Prescribed medication for genital herpes, such as aciclovir, valaciclovir and Valtrex, can help to manage the condition and ease symptoms. You may also use over the counter pain medication such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
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