April 26th, 2008 | by admin |
- Currently, there is no treatment to cure herpes; however, there are medications to treat symptoms and control outbreaks.
- Three antiviral medications (in pill form) are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of herpes: Zovirax® (acyclovir), Famvir® (famciclovir), and Valtrex® (valacyclovir). All of these medications, which are taken orally, work by attacking the herpes virus and disrupting its ability to multiply.
- Each of these medications can be used during a recurrence (outbreak) to help speed the healing process of an outbreak.
- All three drugs are FDA-approved for daily, suppressive therapy to help reduce the frequency of outbreaks.
- Zovirax is also available in the form of an ointment, but the medication has been proven to be much more effective for genital herpes when taken orally as a pill.
- Valtrex, when taken daily (suppressive therapy) by a person with recurrent genital herpes, can reduce the risk of transmission to a partner.
- According to the manufacturers, the most common short-term side effects reported are nausea and headaches. A large volume of research suggests that the medications are safe and have few or no side effects. These medications have never been noted to cause any long-term side effects.
- Using medication to treat genital herpes is not required. However, if a person would like to use antivirals, speaking with a health care provider can help determine which treatment may be right for them.
- Over-the-counter creams and/or ointments are not recommended for genital herpes, since they can interfere with the healing process in a number of ways, causing genital outbreaks to last longer. Keeping the area clean and as dry as possible and allowing the area to get air can help to speed the healing process.
