Don’t Wait to Treat Herpes or Shingles
Copyright @ The Manners Dotson Group 2015. All rights reserved.
(New York, N.Y, April 2, 2015) – When a young patient came to Dr. Barney Kenet’s office with a severe case of genital herpes, Dr. Kenet was surprised to learn that the patient had been advised by another doctor to allow the eruption to “bloom” before treatment.
Apparently, some practitioners are advocating allowing the eruptions of herpes and shingles to progress untreated, the theory being that this will activate the immune system and lead to a better long-term outcome.
The herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes cold sores (fever blisters) on the lips and in the mouth, and genital herpes on the genitals, buttocks, thighs, or abdomen. Herpes zoster, another kind of herpes virus causes chickenpox and shingles. Effective treatment for these painful skin eruptions is often a matter of early diagnosis and prompt use of an anti-viral medication, such as Valtrex (Valacyclovir) or Famvir (Famcyclovir), Dr. Kenet says. These medications have few side effects.
“Lately, some patients have been advised to wait it out and avoid taking medication, the theory being that one’s own immune system will fight the breakout,” Dr. Kenet says. He believes that this trend is dangerous and subjects men and women to unnecessary pain and suffering. Treatment with an anti-viral medication, ideally started within the first 72 hours of the outbreak, is the best approach, he says.
Websites have sprouted which offer herbs and honey as the solution for shingles, says leading New York City dermatologist Dr. Barney Kenet. This advice is based on a small study which showed that honey was effective for treating shingles. The researchers pointed out that honeywas a useful alternative in countries where anti-viral drugs were not available.
“The benefit of treatment with anti-virals is that they can help with the acute stage of these disorders and reduce the severity and duration of pain. These medications also promote more rapid healing of sores and prevent new sores from forming,” says Dr. Kenet. What’s more, they decrease “viral shedding”, which is the process that causes the virus to spread to others.
Signs and Symptoms (Courtesy of University of Maryland Medical Center)
HSV-1(Cold Sore, Fever Blisters)
-Small, painful blisters filled with fluid around the lips or edge of the mouth
-Tingling or burning around the mouth or nose, often a few days before blisters appear
-Fever
-Sore throat
-Swollen lymph nodes in neck
HSV-2 (Genital Herpes)
-Tingling sensation in the genitalia, buttocks, and thighs
-Small red blisters or open sores on genitals or inner thighs; in women, often occur
inside the vagina
-May be painful or not
-In women, vaginal discharge
-Fever, muscle aches
-Headache
-Painful urination
-Swollen lymph glands in the groin
Dr. Barney Kenet web site: http://www.kenetmd.com/
Contact: Bryan Dotson, bdotson@mannersdotson.com