Knock out cold sores with at-home prescription treatment

“Cold sore” is another name for oral herpes, a very common condition that affects 50-80% of U.S. adults. Cold sores are painful blisters that form on or around the mouth and last 1-2 weeks, though prescription medication can help speed recovery. Some people never experience an outbreak and don’t know they have the virus, while others can experience mild to severe outbreaks that require ongoing treatment.

Cold sores/oral herpes are caused by two viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Typically, sores from HSV-1 (cold sores/oral herpes) are on the mouth and HSV-2 (genital herpes) are on the genitals, but they can switch locations.

Cold sore/oral herpes symptoms can include tingling, itching and/or burning for about a day before blisters appear. These fluid-filled blisters usually show up on and around your mouth, and sometimes on your fingers, chin, neck, nose, cheeks or inside the mouth. When the blisters erupt, they ooze and crust over, typically healing in about two weeks. An outbreak usually lasts about 2-4 weeks total.

Symptoms of a first-time cold sore/oral herpes outbreak can also include: fever, painful gums, sore throat, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes. Some people only experience a single outbreak, while others may have recurring outbreaks. Generally, symptoms lessen over time.

For outbreak treatment, patients take Valacyclovir or Valtrex when they first experience symptoms of an outbreak. A second pill is taken later that same day. If taken at the beginning of an oral herpes outbreak, Valacyclovir and Valtrex can help decrease symptoms and length of an outbreak. These medications also can help lessen the likelihood of passing the virus onto others.

Patients suffering from six or more outbreaks a year may opt to take Valacyclovir or Valtrex as preventive treatment, which can prevent oral herpes outbreaks up to 80% of the time. Taking Valacyclovir or Valtrex every day also can help reduce the possibility of passing herpes onto others. Daily Valacyclovir or Valtrex treatment is FDA-approved for genital herpes, while a daily treatment of Valacyclovir and Valtrex for oral herpes prevention is considered “off label.” Medical providers can write off-label prescriptions if it is concluded that they are safe and necessary.

Consultation: A virtual medical consultation for cold sores costs $15.00, which is lower than most doctor co-pays. Currently we don’t submit medical consultation claims to insurance companies, but you can use insurance for any resulting prescriptions at your pharmacy.

Medication: Dr. B only charges for the medical consultation. When medications are prescribed, we enable you to choose the most affordable or convenient pharmacy to get the prescription filled. Prices for your medication will vary depending on your insurance coverage and whether the drug is a brand or generic.