General Herbal Care

Valtrex is a popular antiviral medicine that effectively slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection. The active ingredient in Valtrex is valaciclovir. The antiviral medicine is found helpful for treating genital herpes, shingles and cold sores. Though Valtrex does not cure herpes, it is found immensely useful in reducing the symptoms of the infection.

Valtrex for shingles works by stopping the virus cells from replicating and spreading. It achieves this goal by blocking the action of viral enzyme called DNA polymerase that assists the herpes virus to replicate. Valtrex stops the herpes infection from replicating and spreading. This allows your body’s immune system to deal with the virus much quickly than it would naturally. In addition, Valtrex antiviral medicine can also decrease the risk of passing genital herpes infection to your sexual partner.

To get effective results of Valtrex for shingles, you must use it as prescribed by your doctor. For best results, treatment with Valtrex should be started as early as possible after the first appearance of symptoms. It is suggested that you take the dose with a full glass of water. Drinking plenty of water while you are taking Valtrex helps to keep your kidneys function properly. You must also complete your course of Valtrex medicine, even if the symptoms get better. This will help Valtrex to deal with the infection in a better way and prevent any further outbreaks from occurring.

Although Valtrex is a well-tolerated medicine, in some patients it may cause side effects such as headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, confusion, decreased kidney function, dizziness, nausea and vomiting and disturbances of liver function. In case, any of the above reported side effects become bothersome and if you face any unusual side effect, please report to your doctor immediately.