Herpes outbreaks can be painful. No one looks forward to them. However, with a few simple measures and precautions, you can improve your comfort level during an outbreak. First and foremost, you should avoid touching open lesions or sores. During an outbreak, you should watch your hands frequently and clean underneath your fingernails.

Secondly, it’s best to keep the area surrounding the outbreak clean and dry. Avoid wearing tight-fighting clothing such as jeans. Don’t rub the lesions with a towel after you shower. Instead, you can apply cool, dry air to the area. Some sufferers report relief from putting a hair dryer on the COOL setting and drying the area that way. For those with genital herpes, you should wear loose underwear. Cotton is best, preferably white. Nylon and synthetics can be worn when you feel better.

You can also apply ice packs to alleviate the pain of an outbreak. If urination is painful, then try to pee in a cool shower if and when you can. Avoid sexual contact during an outbreak of genital herpes and kissing with an outbreak of oral herpes. Over the counter medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil) can also be taken to reduce pain and swelling.

Finally, make sure you rest a lot and keep stress to a minimum. These are the two best tools to help you get over the hump of a herpes outbreak. Over time, you’ll learn what methods work best for your body and how to best manage your condition.

It can be done!