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Over the Counter Herpes Treatment

Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments are available for both oral and genital herpes. However, care should be taken by an individual to only use them as indicated and to follow other recommendations, such as taking anti-viral medications prescribed by a physician, to manage herpes outbreaks.

  1. OTC: Topical Agents

    • OTC topical medications are recommended in the treatment of oral herpes (cold sores). According to the Mayo Clinic, these include topical lidocaine and benzyl alcohol.

    Identification

    • Both lidocaine and benzyl alcohol can be used to treat the discomfort associated with active cold sores. However, it's important to only use those OTC treatments indicated for intraoral (within the mouth) herpes when treating cold sores inside the mouth.

    Relief

    • OTC painkillers can be used if following the manufacturer's instructions and a doctor's advice to manage pain caused by outbreaks of either oral or genital herpes.

    Contraindications

    • The International Herpes Management Forum warns that topical agents can slow down healing of genital herpes sores by causing them to stay moist. This is especially true for women.

    Types

    • There are also non-medical steps people can take to manage herpes outbreaks. These include using ice (genital herpes) or ice and heat (oral herpes) to relieve the area, and wearing loose undergarments and keeping sores clean and dry to avoid irritating sores, according to GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Valtrex, a herpes medication.

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