Fact 4: Antiviral Medications Aid in Symptom Management
Currently, there’s no known cure for genital herpes. However, that doesn’t mean individuals are left defenseless against the discomfort it can bring. Enter antiviral medications. These are the frontline defense against HSV, offering a beacon of hope to those affected.
The primary objective of these drugs isn’t to eliminate the virus—unfortunately, HSV has a knack for evading complete destruction. Instead, these medications focus on curtailing the virus’s activity. They can reduce the duration and severity of an outbreak if taken promptly. For those with frequent recurrences, taking antivirals daily can decrease the frequency of these episodes.
But the benefits of these drugs aren’t limited to outbreak management alone. They have a twofold advantage. Firstly, by suppressing viral activity, they reduce the risk of transmitting the infection to an uninfected partner. This is particularly vital for discordant couples, where one partner is HSV-positive, and the other isn’t. (4)
