Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Cold Sore - Medication

Treatment is aciclovir 5 per cent cream (eg Decolvir*), applied thinly to the cold sore five times a day for five days, at approximately four-hourly intervals, for five to ten days.

Aciclovir is most effective if treatment is started as soon as the first signs of the infection (a tingling sensation), begin to appear, though treatment can also be started after the blisters have appeared. It can often reduce the number of cold sores you get and may get rid of the cold sores only 1 to 2 days faster. It can also help ease painful blisters or other uncomfortable symptoms.

Here's How it Works

Aciclovir works by stopping the herpes simplex virus from reproducing and infecting more cells. Inside cells of the body that are infected with herpes simplex, aciclovir works by blocking the action of a viral enzyme called DNA polymerase. Without DNA polymerase enzyme the herpes virus is unable to copy its genetic material from RNA to DNA. This process is necessary for the virus to multiply and continue to survive.



* Decolvir contains additonal cooling and pain-relieving Menthol and Tea Tree Oil which is especially welcome during the early painful blistering stage of the disease.

Talk to your pharmacist today!

1 comment:

  1. I haven't had cold sores since January but I still keep the tube of Declovir in my drawer to nip the next infection in the bud, when the first tingling sensation appears, and avoid the embarrassing and painful sores.

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