If you are curious about cold sores, this article should answer a lot of your questions. We have learned so much about cold sores in recent years. Read this article and arm yourself with the facts about these unsightly blisters.
COLD SORES - WHAT ARE THEY?
Cold sores come at the most inconvenient times. Painful and ugly, cold sores really hurt your social life.
Whether you call them cold sores, fever blisters or oral herpes, they are all the same infection. Cold sores can appear anywhere the virus can get through your skin. The lip area is usually the first infection site.
Herpes simplex virus, either type 1 or type 2, produces all cold sores. It is a very damaging virus, as you will see.
When the herpes virus first enters your body, it will claim a nearby nerve fiber as its lifetime home. All cold sores produced by this virus family will be at the surface end of that nerve fiber.
WHAT CAUSES A COLD SORE?
The herpes virus is normally dormant in the root cells of its chosen nerve. If the conditions become right, this viral family will move to the surface, through the nerve, and enter thousands of cells.
The herpes virus is not able to create new virus by itself. It needs your nerve cells to do the work. When a herpes virus particle enters a cell, it forces the cell to create new virus - as a true parasite.
As the cells fill up they balloon causing visible swelling of the cold sore site. The control virus will destroy the cell when it is full or exhausted. This will spill out hoards of new herpes virus.
The explosion of all these cells is the cause of the gaping open wound we call a cold sore. They are very painful because the sore is located on the end of a nerve group.
IS THE COLD SORE VIRUS CONTAGIOUS?
The herpes simplex virus is a tiny, sub-microscopic particle. It enters the body through contact with your soft tissue - like lips. If you have a skin crack, it will enter there too. You are very contagious during the entire event.
Kissing is the most common way to infect others. Contaminated fingers can cause new cold sore sites on you and others too. Please be very cautious. Sterilize the wound and your hands constantly.
With contaminated fingers, you can spread cold sores to any place on your body. People get these sores on fingers, necks and cheeks if the virus can get through a crack or other sore. These are usually more painful.
Be especially careful not to infect your eyes. A cold sore on the cornea will cause serious injury.
The herpes simplex virus infects nearly 90% of the world population because it is so tough and contagious. You usually contract it in your youth. About 70% of those infected will get one or more outbreaks per year.
HOW CAN I GET RID OF MY COLD SORES?
Stress is the most common reason that the herpes virus becomes active. Under stress, your hormones change, causing an acid pH balance. The herpes simplex virus does very well when your body is in an acid state.
Your body needs no help from you to heal oral herpes cold sores. But it is a slow process, often taking up to four weeks. You can cut this healing time in half with a good cold sore treatment.
Your best bet for effective cold sore treatment is still by using natural remedies. They usually work better than prescription and over-the-counter options.
Some of the best cold sore treatment tactics include lysine, garlic oil and zinc. Although lysine and zinc work best internally (supplements), all three can be used topically as well.
Any cold sore care plan should always include continuous cleansing using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or wine soaked cotton balls or tissues.
Oral herpes cold sores definitely put your social and private life on hold. Hopefully, with the information above, you are now better able to cope with those cold sore attacks.
You need to try different cold sore treatment methods to discover the best one for you. Then you too can be cold sore free for the rest of your life.
COLD SORES - WHAT ARE THEY?
Cold sores come at the most inconvenient times. Painful and ugly, cold sores really hurt your social life.
Whether you call them cold sores, fever blisters or oral herpes, they are all the same infection. Cold sores can appear anywhere the virus can get through your skin. The lip area is usually the first infection site.
Herpes simplex virus, either type 1 or type 2, produces all cold sores. It is a very damaging virus, as you will see.
When the herpes virus first enters your body, it will claim a nearby nerve fiber as its lifetime home. All cold sores produced by this virus family will be at the surface end of that nerve fiber.
WHAT CAUSES A COLD SORE?
The herpes virus is normally dormant in the root cells of its chosen nerve. If the conditions become right, this viral family will move to the surface, through the nerve, and enter thousands of cells.
The herpes virus is not able to create new virus by itself. It needs your nerve cells to do the work. When a herpes virus particle enters a cell, it forces the cell to create new virus - as a true parasite.
As the cells fill up they balloon causing visible swelling of the cold sore site. The control virus will destroy the cell when it is full or exhausted. This will spill out hoards of new herpes virus.
The explosion of all these cells is the cause of the gaping open wound we call a cold sore. They are very painful because the sore is located on the end of a nerve group.
IS THE COLD SORE VIRUS CONTAGIOUS?
The herpes simplex virus is a tiny, sub-microscopic particle. It enters the body through contact with your soft tissue - like lips. If you have a skin crack, it will enter there too. You are very contagious during the entire event.
Kissing is the most common way to infect others. Contaminated fingers can cause new cold sore sites on you and others too. Please be very cautious. Sterilize the wound and your hands constantly.
With contaminated fingers, you can spread cold sores to any place on your body. People get these sores on fingers, necks and cheeks if the virus can get through a crack or other sore. These are usually more painful.
Be especially careful not to infect your eyes. A cold sore on the cornea will cause serious injury.
The herpes simplex virus infects nearly 90% of the world population because it is so tough and contagious. You usually contract it in your youth. About 70% of those infected will get one or more outbreaks per year.
HOW CAN I GET RID OF MY COLD SORES?
Stress is the most common reason that the herpes virus becomes active. Under stress, your hormones change, causing an acid pH balance. The herpes simplex virus does very well when your body is in an acid state.
Your body needs no help from you to heal oral herpes cold sores. But it is a slow process, often taking up to four weeks. You can cut this healing time in half with a good cold sore treatment.
Your best bet for effective cold sore treatment is still by using natural remedies. They usually work better than prescription and over-the-counter options.
Some of the best cold sore treatment tactics include lysine, garlic oil and zinc. Although lysine and zinc work best internally (supplements), all three can be used topically as well.
Any cold sore care plan should always include continuous cleansing using hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or wine soaked cotton balls or tissues.
Oral herpes cold sores definitely put your social and private life on hold. Hopefully, with the information above, you are now better able to cope with those cold sore attacks.
You need to try different cold sore treatment methods to discover the best one for you. Then you too can be cold sore free for the rest of your life.
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