Genital Herpes Treatment
Although there is no official cure for the disease, genital herpes treatment options are available to limit the appearance of symptoms. The most effective genital herpes treatment methods involves using medications regularly to avoid the outbreaks. If taken on a regular basis these drugs can help a patient with the disease live a normal life. In addition, these medications are also capable of treating the symptoms when they do appear from time to time. The three most common antiviral drugs used as a genital herpes treatment are Zovirax (Acyclovir), Valtrex (Valacyclovir), and Famvir (famciclovir). Most physicians recommend taking these pill forms as topical solutions often result in little to no improvement in the condition.
In addition to the regular antiviral medications, other genital herpes treatment medicines may also be of benefit to sufferers. In many cases, nutritional supplements and herbal extracts can be used. One such genital herpes treatment is the use of the herb echinacea. As the extract of echinacea improves a patient's immune system, the ability to prevent and fight herpes outbreaks is also heightened. However, a study done in the United Kingdom reported no difference in the number of outbreaks between a group taking echinacea and another group which only took a placebo. Another possible herbal genital herpes treatment may be to use an ointment that contains propolis. This ingredient is a product from honeybees and has a waxy appearance and texture. The propolis is thought to speed the recovery time of the outbreaks.
The search for an effective vaccine for herpes is ongoing, but other research for genital herpes treatment is being done as well. One vaccine has shown some promise as a possible option. It is currently only effective in preventing contraction of HSV-2 by women, but further development of the drug may lead to bigger discoveries. Another genital herpes treatment that is being researched is the use of microbicides. These chemicals work by eliminating the bacteria and viral pathogens before they are introduced to the body. This prevention means that the offending pathogens would not be able to replicate or cause an infection. One such genital herpes treatment is named BufferGel and has been proven to kill herpes in addition to other viruses that can cause a sexually transmitted disease. Other drugs that are being developed by researchers, looking to be as effective as Valtrex, attack the herpes virus's ability to replicate. A genital herpes treatment such as this one could potentially eliminate the spread of this disease.
