GENITAL HERPES: TREATMENT
Treatment of genital herpes is aimed at relieving the symptoms, and preventing recurrences. Being a virus it does not respond to antibiotics, and even the new anti-viral drugs do not actually eradicate the bug from the system, but they do help to decrease the degree to which it causes symptoms, and the rate at which the virus multiplies.
The anti-viral drug acyclovir can be prescribed by doctors. It is a very expensive drug, and consequently there are some restrictions placed on its availability by the government bodies who regulate such things. At the time of publication it was available (for the cost of a normal prescription) to people suffering a severe, or moderately Severe first attack of genital herpes. It is also available to people who suffer ten or more recurrences a year, as it can help to prevent recurrences if taken regularly. It is also available to people who have recurrent herpes and are immunosuppressed (their infection fighting systems are damaged through other illnesses or medications). It can be prescribed to people who do not fit into any of these categories, but the (very) high cost of the drug must be borne by the patient. The prescribing guidelines for medications do change from time to time. Acyclovir may become more readily available in the future.
Symptomatic relief remains the major form of treatment for most people. There are many home remedies that have been used for coldsores for generations. Salt baths and ice packs can be helpful. There are proprietary creams for coldsores on the market which may be helpful as they often contain local anaesthetic, an antiseptic, and an agent which can decrease the severity of an attack. (Some of these creams are not recommended for use during pregnancy; check with your pharmacist or doctor if this is an issue for you.)
The open blister may occasionally become infected with other bugs, like bacteria, although this is not common. Some people recommend careful washing, and application of an antiseptic to prevent this.
Because an outbreak of herpes is often quite painful, particularly the first episode, analgesics (painkillers) may help. These can be oral, like paracetamol or aspirin tablets, or sometimes more powerful drugs like codeine. Local anaesthetic ointment (which can be prescribed by a doctor) can be applied directly to the sores, and is particularly useful for those people who have trouble passing urine during an attack.
For those people who have recurrences, the same methods of treatment may be helpful. Some people notice that their lesions come back when they are ‘run down’, or stressed, or have another infection, such as a cold. These are factors which may make a recurrence more likely, and for this reason, as well as for your general health, you could pay attention to diet, exercise, relaxation—all those boring sensible things, which probably do make a difference.
It is not surprising that many people who find they have herpes get pretty upset about it. It can be painful, recurrent, contagious, and sexually transmitted. Talking to someone about how you feel can be helpful. This may be a friend, a doctor, or someone else. There are groups in most capital cities, which offer support to people who have herpes.
*76\52\4*
