Herpes treatment is as yet unable to entirely get rid of the virus from the human body, which means that there is still no cure for herpes.
As with many other sexually transmitted diseases, prevention is much more effective than treatment. However, this does not mean that there is no treatment for herpes – antiviral medications and analgesic drugs are available and are reasonable effective in keeping the herpes infection under control.
Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus, of which there are two types, commonly known as HSV-1 and HSV-2.
The two viruses cause a variety of disorders, including several types of herpes — depending upon the site of infection, the symptoms and intensity of the infection vary substantially. Common disorders that are caused by the herpes virus are oral herpes, more commonly known as cold sores, genital herpes, herpetic whitlow, and perhaps even Bell’s palsy.
Herpes treatments for all these disorders of course vary depending upon the symptoms. But the term herpes is usually used to describe infections such as genital herpes and oral herpes, and the treatment for these conditions is very similar.
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Treating Herpes
A herpes infection typically manifests itself in the form of sores, along with some itching, burning, and also pain. These symptoms usually appear in short bursts, typically referred to as herpes attacks. Antiviral medications weaken the intensity of the infection, thus limiting the damage caused by the virus.
Your doctor will prescribe an appropriate antiviral medication for you, which will effectively slow down the growth rate of the virus — this will allow your immune system to take over and suppress the infection. Antiviral medication also reduces the chances of transmission of the virus to a sexual partner — this is a very important part of treating herpes.
Herpes virus treatment also usually involves the use of various anesthetic medications. These herpes treatments act on the symptoms rather than on the virus, but can provide a great deal of relief in cases where symptoms are severe and frequent.
The sores caused by herpes can sometimes be quite painful, besides which some patients also suffer from muscle aches and headaches. All of these symptoms can be treated by using anesthetic medication prescribed by your doctor as well as over the counter medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
However, since this is a chronic disease it is better to be treated by a doctor than to self medicate. In addition, maintaining strict hygiene of the affected areas is an important part of herpes management and treatment.