How can symptoms be relieved?
Warm baths or wet tea bags (not herbal) may give relief. Loose cotton clothes will help prevent chafing. Keep the sores dry by sprinkling cornstarch in undergarments — moisture can slow healing. Holding cool compresses or ice packs to the sores may be soothing. Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may help relieve pain and fever. A clinician may prescribe acyclovir, famiciclovir, or valacyclovir. They may speed up the healing of sores and weaken the virus. Using these medicines during outbreaks themselves is called episodic therapy. I personally recommend trying a treatment with all natural therapy to minimize the physical pain of the lesions while the prescribed antiviral does its job. H-Balm has been reported to minimize the length of outbreaks as well as reducing associated pain.
