Medications may be used to control outbreaks. No medication can get rid of the herpes virus. However, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, such as acyclovir, to prevent the virus from multiplying. Most people are treated with an antiviral medication.
An antiviral cream or ointment can relieve burning, itching, or tingling. An oral (pill) or intravenous (injection) antiviral medication can shorten an outbreak of herpes. Research suggests that garlic may have antiviral properties against both strains of herpes. Crush a fresh clove of garlic and mix it with olive oil to thin it.
You can apply this mixture to a sore spot up to three times a day. There is no cure for genital herpes. However, daily use of antiviral medications can prevent or shorten outbreaks. Antiviral medicines can also reduce your chance of infecting it to others.
Gladiatory herpes (herpes mate) is a skin infection caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-), the same virus that causes cold sores. If a person has a weakened immune system and has genital herpes, there is rarely an increased risk of developing inflammation of the brain, eyes, esophagus, lungs, or liver, as well as a generalized infection. The genital herpes virus cannot be transmitted through general contact with objects, such as toilets, doorknobs, or towels. Eating certain foods and avoiding others can boost your immune system and, in turn, help your body respond to the herpes virus.
A person with an oral herpes outbreak may first feel itchy, burning, or tingling around the mouth, lips, or tongue. Many factors, such as stress, illness, menstrual cycles, sunlight, and certain foods, can trigger herpes outbreaks. Meanwhile, over-the-counter herpes treatments, often creams, can help control tingling, itching, and pain. There is no cure for the herpes virus, however, there are preventive measures you can take to prevent an outbreak.
When HSV is present on the skin, it can easily be transmitted from person to person through contact with the moist skin of the mouth and genitals, including the anus. The characteristic symptoms of genital herpes are small blistering lesions, also called cold sores on the face, which are usually found around the genitals, rectum, or mouth. When there are no sores, other medical tests, such as blood tests, can detect the herpes simplex virus. After a person has an initial outbreak of genital herpes, they are likely to have more because herpes never completely goes away.
People can also get tested for herpes at home, although they should see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and seek treatment. These sores tend to develop on the penis, around or inside the vagina, on the buttocks, or in the anus, although they can form on other areas of the skin. To confirm that a patient has herpes simplex, a dermatologist can take a sample of a sore and send it to a lab. Zinc therapy can reduce the number of herpes outbreaks and, at the same time, prolong the time between outbreaks.
