subject: Types of Genital Herpes Medication [print this page] Genital herpes is a viral condition that does not yet have an actual cure. The condition results in flare ups of sores in the genital area that take a while to heal up and get rid of. This disease is normally transmitted in sexual contact, but it can also be transmitted in other ways. If you have this condition, there are medications that can help you treat the problem. There are a couple of different types of genital herpes medication that you may want to try out.
One type of genital herpes medication is the more common. Most people with this condition find that they only have flare ups once in a while after they are first diagnosed. An oral or topical antiviral drug can be kept on hand for intermittent therapy for these types of patients. Basically, whenever they feel an outbreak coming on, they will use the medication to make the outbreak less severe and to shorten the amount of time that it lasts.
Antiviral medications for this purpose can be either oral or topical, and they can be prescription or over the counter. Some new over the counter medications have recently been created. These use more natural ingredients for a gentle resolution for each herpes outbreak. They help to solve the problem just as well as the prescription medications, but they end up costing a lot less in the long run.
Most people who suffer from genital herpes only have two or three outbreaks a year at most, but some people have six or more each year. These people may be prescribed a daily dose of antiviral genital herpes medication. This is known as suppressive therapy. Basically, those who have lots of outbreaks can take medications that can suppress 70-80% of the outbreaks they were dealing with on such a regular basis.
Your doctor can help you decide which type of herpes medication will work best for you. Before you automatically start on a prescription regimen, though, you should definitely check out some over the counter options. They are getting better than ever before, and many people actually prefer them to prescription medications. These medications are also excellent because you can keep them on hand and buy more without having to fill a prescription, which is handy when you feel an outbreak coming on but don't have any genital herpes medication on hand.