Many are familiar with the herpes virus, which, having entered the human body, is no longer going to leave it. Currently, eight varieties are known that can be harmful to he alth. There are drugs to fight this virus. The treatment of herpes "Acyclovir" reviews is positive, but you need to know how to use the drug correctly.
Drug action
More than 90% of the population of our planet is a carrier of the herpes virus, but not all of them show their negative effects. Most often, the virus is quietly dormant in anticipation of suitable conditions. And those for him are:
- Hypercooling.
- Prolonged stress.
- Weakening of the body on the background of a long illness.
You can fight the virus if you use modern antiviral drugs. This group also includes "Acyclovir" from herpes, reviews confirm its effectiveness. The action of the drug has the following:
- Reduces pain anddiscomfort at the site of the rash.
- Reduces the chance of complications.
- May prevent herpetic blisters.
- Speeds up healing.
Penetrating into the body, the active substance of the drug spreads rapidly, bioavailability ranges from 15 to 30%. Metabolism of the drug occurs in the liver cells, and the excretion of metabolic products is carried out by the kidneys.
Tablets "Acyclovir" for herpes on the lips, the reviews confirm this, it must be taken at the dosage recommended by the doctor, taking into account the patient's condition, his age. If the infection is primary, then the dosage of the active substance should be higher, since the body has not yet formed enough antibodies to fight the virus.
Medication form
Manufacturers produce the drug in several dosage forms:
- Ointment in tubes with a concentration of active ingredient 5%.
- Cream with the same concentration.
- Tablets with a mass fraction of the substance 200, 400 and 800 mg.
It is necessary to choose the form of the drug, taking into account the severity of the course of the pathology and the localization of the virus in the body. If you use Acyclovir tablets for herpes, in the reviews people say that they can quickly defeat the manifestations of the disease. The ointment with cream has also been proven to be effective.
Indications for use of the drug
You can use the drug in different forms for the following pathologies:
- Herpes on the skin.
- Genital herpes.
- Shingles.
- Recurrent herpes.
The drug has also proved its effectiveness as a prophylactic.
Characteristics of ointment and cream
The drug in this form is used for external treatment. Means differ slightly in their composition. The ointment has a greasy base in the form of petroleum jelly or lanolin, and the cream has a lower fat content, so it is absorbed faster.
It is necessary to choose an ointment or cream, taking into account the place of the rash. According to reviews, "Acyclovir" against herpes on the lips is best used in the form of an ointment. It is not only active against the virus, but also has a moisturizing effect, which prevents the formation of poorly healing wounds.
When treating herpes on the genitals, it is better to use a cream that quickly penetrates the skin and does not stain underwear.
Duration of therapy is usually at least a week, although improvement occurs on the second day.
Rules for the use of cream and ointment
"Acyclovir" in such forms should be applied directly to the affected areas of the skin. For efficiency, it is recommended to adhere to the following application rules:
- The place on the skin should be treated with a cotton pad, which is dipped in warm water. This manipulation will prepare the skin for the application of the drug.
- Apply ointment or cream to the skin. It is best to do this pointwise using a Q-tip to prevent spread to he althy areas.
- Apply every four hours.
- Therapy lasts about a week if the woundsheal poorly, the course can be extended up to 10 days.
When applying, it is important to prevent the product from getting into the eyes. Do not mix ointment or cream with other cosmetics.
Reviews of "Acyclovir" against herpes are good, but if lesions appear in the eye area, then it is better to entrust the therapy to a specialist in order to prevent the spread of the virus to the mucous membrane of the eyeball. Such lesions can cause complete or partial loss of vision.
Herpes therapy is recommended to be combined with immunostimulants, which will speed up recovery.
Characteristics of tablet form
Reviews of "Acyclovir" from herpes on the lips in tablets are described only on the positive side. This form of release gives good results if you start taking them when the first symptoms appear. They have proven their effectiveness in both genital and herpes zoster.
The main component of the drug, having penetrated into the body, is integrated into the genetic material of the virus and blocks the reproduction process. If you drink a course of the drug, you can achieve the following results:
- Accelerate healing.
- Prevent new herpetic blisters.
- Reduce itching, redness and soreness.
Therapy, unfortunately, is not able to permanently get rid of the virus. Pathology goes into remission. An exacerbation can provoke a decrease in immunity, so it is necessary to pay attention to increasing protectiveproperties of the organism.
In the presence of immunodeficiency, Acyclovir therapy is inappropriate, since the patient's body produces few enzymes that support the virus. The same can be said about patients who have undergone chemotherapy.
Regulation and dosage
Confirm the reviews that "Acyclovir" from herpes is effective if treatment is started immediately, as soon as the first manifestations of the pathology appear. After taking the tablet, you should drink plenty of water. During herpes therapy, it is recommended to take more fluids so that the toxic waste products of the virus are excreted.
The doctor recommends the dosage and duration of administration for each patient individually, but in the instructions for the use of Acyclovir-Akrikhin tablets for herpes, the reviews confirm this, it is recommended to take it according to the following scheme:
For primary infection, 200 mg up to five times a day. The duration of therapy is at least five days. If there is an immunodeficiency, then the dosage should be increased to 400 mg at a time. For the treatment of the virus that provokes the development of chickenpox, it is necessary to take 800 mg of the drug every four hours. 8-hour break at night
For prophylactic purposes, taking Acyclovir tablets for herpes in adults, reviews of which are only positive on the Web, it is recommended to drink 200 mg four times a day. You can double the dosage, but take twice
Use the drug better after meals to reduce the negative impact on the gastric mucosa. If taking medicationmissed, then the next time the dosage should not be increased, just take the next dose.
Experts at the same time recommend taking a vitamin and mineral complex to speed up recovery.
Who should not be treated with Acyclovir
Doctors leave positive feedback on the treatment of herpes with Acyclovir tablets, but remind that the drug has contraindications. Treatment is not recommended if:
- There is a violation in the work of the adrenal glands.
- There are deviations in the functioning of the nervous system.
- A woman is expecting or breastfeeding a baby.
- Elderly patient.
If there are contraindications, the specialist will select another therapy using other drugs with antiviral activity.
Negative effects of Acyclovir therapy
If you are treated with an ointment or cream, then among the side effects, you can most often observe allergic reactions in the form of itching, redness at the site of application. Prolonged therapy may cause skin flaking.
Tablets "Acyclovir" from herpes, reviews of many patients say this, can provoke the following negative manifestations:
Nausea and vomiting
- Pain in the lumbar region.
- Disturbances in the digestive tract.
- Drowsiness and lethargy.
- Swelling of the limbs.
- Pain when urinating.
- Yellownessskin.
- Development of anemia.
- Convulsions.
- Hair loss.
Rarely, prolonged therapy with large doses of the drug can provoke a coma.
Use of the drug in the therapy of children
Children tablets "Acyclovir" for herpes, reviews confirm this, you can give, but the dosage should be different from the adult. Therapy with the drug is also indicated for other viral infections that are sensitive to the main component of the drug. Among them are:
- Herpes sore throat.
- Chickenpox.
- Weak immunity.
- Cytomegalovirus infection.
- The presence of the Epstein-Barr virus in the body.
The drug is also suitable for the prevention of complications due to influenza or enterovirus infections.
It is not recommended to give tablets to babies under two years old, and if necessary, you can stop at the ointment. The regimen and dosage of "Acyclovir" for children is recommended as follows:
- If the pathology is provoked by the herpes virus type 1 or 2, then tablets (200 mg) should be given to children from three to six years old, half three times a day.
- For older babies, the dosage can be increased to one tablet (200mg).
- Duration of therapy is at least five days.
Children who are under three years of age are not allowed to take Acyclovir tablets, there is a high risk of complications.
If for the treatment of herpetic eruptions "Acyclovir" from herpes, in the reviews of parents aboutThis is also said to be used as an ointment, then it should only be applied strictly to the affected areas. After the procedure, a film should be observed on the surface.
The treatment procedure for the child should be repeated five times a day. The duration of treatment is at least five days, and in severe cases, the doctor can extend it.
The principle of using the cream for the treatment of herpes in children is the same as the ointment, but experts recommend applying it under a thin bandage of gauze or a napkin. With extensive lesions, applications with cream should be done up to five times a day, changing the napkin every two to three hours. The duration of therapy can be up to 10 days.
Angina of a herpetic nature, stomatitis is recommended to be treated with tablets. The dosage should be selected only by a specialist, taking into account the age of the small patient, the severity of the disease.
Maximum effectiveness can be obtained if the treatment combines the ingestion of tablets and the external application of an ointment or cream.
Therapy of herpes in children should be under the strict supervision of a doctor. The baby does not have to be hospitalized, but regular visits to the dermatologist are necessary.
Analogues of the drug
Tablets "Acyclovir" for herpes reviews are good, but not everyone can use them for therapy. If there are contraindications or the drug did not fit, then you can choose an analogue that does its job perfectly in the fight against the herpes virus. Analogues include:
- Zovirax. The medicine contains propylene glycol. This substance does notdrying of the skin and copes well with puffiness. But the cost is higher than that of Acyclovir.
- Vivorax. If patients have an allergic reaction to Acyclovir, then the doctor may recommend purchasing this medicine. The active components of both drugs are the same, but Vivorax contains them in a bound form, which eliminates the development of side effects. But the remedy cannot be used in therapy for pregnant women, there is a possibility of a negative effect on the fetus.
- Virolex. It copes well with the herpes virus, but can cause headaches, allergic reactions, and neurological disorders. The drug is prohibited in the treatment of women awaiting the birth of a baby.
Gervirax. In addition to the active ingredient acyclovir, the product contains liquid paraffin, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, cremophor and nipazole. Therapy is recommended to be carried out in a strictly prescribed dosage. If it is exceeded, peeling of the skin, the appearance of itching and redness is possible
Any analogue is better to choose after consulting a doctor. Each organism is individual, and what works well for one patient may be completely useless for another.
According to reviews, we can conclude that the drug is popular to combat the manifestation of herpes. If you start applying the ointment to the affected areas as soon as suspicious symptoms appear in the form of itching, tingling, you can deal with an unpleasant problem in a few days. The main thing is to apply the ointment five to six times a day.
Some say that pills help them more than topical remedies. But we can say that if herpes worries with an enviable frequency, then you need to think about strengthening the immune system, especially during the cold season.
We must remember that it is unlikely that it will be possible to expel the herpes virus from the body forever, but it is in our power to force it to always be in a dormant state.
