Medications for Genital Herpes - Reston Hospital Center | Reston, VA
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There is no cure for genital herpes , but you can control the symptoms and prevent some future outbreaks. Medicine that is used to control the symptoms is called outbreak or episodic therapy. Medicine that is used to prevent future outbreaks is called suppressive therapy.

Keep in mind that even when you are taking medicine for an outbreak, you are still contagious. You can still infect your partner or your baby. Suppressive therapy may reduce your risk of infecting others, but it will not eliminate this risk entirely.

Episodic Therapy

When you begin to experience any early symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak, you can take medicine to control the severity and the duration of the symptoms. You take the medicine only when you are experiencing the symptoms to make you more comfortable. The disadvantage of episodic therapy is that it may not reduce the risk of spreading genital herpes to your partner. This is because some outbreaks may not trigger symptoms.

Suppressive Therapy

Suppressive therapy is used to prevent future outbreaks of genital herpes. This involves taking the medicine every day to help suppress or prevent the outbreaks before they occur. You may want to take suppressive therapy if you tend to frequently have outbreaks.

Antiviral Medications for Episodic and Suppressive Therapy

Antiviral medicines are commonly prescribed to treat genital herpes. Examples of these medicines include:

  • Acyclovir (Zovirax)—If you have a severe form of genital herpes or complications, your doctor may give you acyclovir intravenously (through a needle that goes into your arm). The medicine is also available as a pill or a cream. Pills seem to be more effective, though.
  • Famciclovir (Famvir)—available as a pill.
  • Valacyclovir (Valtrex)—available as a pill .

Possible side effects include:

  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin irritation (acyclovir)
  • Feeling tired or weak (famciclovir)
  • Stomach pain (famciclovir and valacyclovir)

If you are pregnant or nursing or have another condition such as HIV , talk to your doctor because your treatment may have a different treatment approach.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Copyright © EBSCO Publishing
All rights reserved.

References

  • Acyclovir (Systemic). EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what . Updated January 18, 2013. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Aoki FY, Tyring S, Diaz-Mitoma F, Gross G, Gao J, Hamed K. Single-day, patient-initiated famciclovir therapy for recurrent genital herpes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Clin Infect Dis . 2006;42(1):8-13.

  • Famciclovir. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what . Updated January 18, 2013. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Genital herpes fact sheet. US Department of Health and Human Services Womens Health website. Available at: http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/genital-herpes.cfm . Updated August 10, 2009. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Genital herpes treatment. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases website. Available at: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/genitalHerpes/understanding/Pages/treatment.aspx . Updated January 26, 2011. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Herpes genitalis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what . Updated September 4, 2012. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Martens MG, Fife KH, Leone PA, Dix LP, Brennan CA. Once daily valacyclovir for reducing viral shedding in subjects newly diagnosed with genital herpes. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol . 2009;2009:105376.

  • Valacyclovir. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what . Updated January 18, 2013. Accessed February 25, 2013.

  • Workowski KA, Berman S, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2010. MMWR . 2010;59(No. RR-12):1-110.