although there is no known cure for herpes there are treatments for the outbreaks. there are oral medications such as acyclovir (zovirax) famciclovir (famvir) or valacyclovir (valtrex) that prevent the virus from multiplying and even shorten the length of the eruption. although topical (applied directly on the lesions) agents exist they are generally less effective than other medications and are not routinely used. medication that is taken by mouth or in severe cases intravenously is more effective. it is important to remember that there is still no cure for genital herpes and that these treatments only reduce the severity and duration of outbreaks. since the initial infection with hsv tends to be the most severe episode an antiviral medication usually is warranted. these medications can significantly reduce pain and decrease the length of time until the sores heal but treatment of the first infection does not appear to reduce the frequency of recurrent episodes. in contrast to a new outbreak of genital herpes recurrent herpes episodes tend to be mild and the benefit of antiviral medications is only derived if therapy is started immediately prior to the outbreak or within the first 24 hours of the outbreak. thus the antiviral drug must be provided for the patient in advance. the patient is instructed to begin treatment as soon as the familiar pre-outbreak "tingling" sensation occurs or at the very onset of blister formation. finally suppressive therapy to prevent frequent recurrences may be indicated for those with more than six outbreaks in a given year. acyclovir (zovirax) famciclovir (famvir) and valacyclovir (valtrex) may all be given as suppressive therapies.
what is the treatment for genital herpes?