WHAT ARE COLD SORES?
Cold sores interrupt your life and usually appear at the worst possible times. They are quite unsightly and uncomfortable.
Cold sores, fever blisters or oral herpes are three names for the same thing. They commonly appear on the border of the lip or nose but can form anywhere on your body where the herpes simplex virus can get through the skin.
The herpes simplex virus is the root cause of all cold sores (fever blisters, oral herpes). The herpes virus creates the sores as a side effect of creating new virus particles.
When the virus first invades your body, it will claim a nerve fiber near the entry area and reside in that fiber for life. All cold sores created by this virus family will appear at the surface end of that nerve fiber.
WHAT CAUSES COLD SORES?
When dormant, the herpes simplex virus hides in the root cells of that nerve. If and when it becomes active, it will squirm along the nerve to the surface and drill into the nerve cells there.
The herpes virus cannot create its own offspring. It needs the nerve cells to do so. When the virus enters a cell, it takes control and forces it to produce new virus clones. The herpes simplex virus is truly a parasite.
You will notice swelling of the target area as the cells fill up. Once the cells reach maximum capacity, the controlling virus destroys the victim cells and all the new virus spills out.
The open cold sore ulcer is the result of this massive cell destruction. These cold sores are exceedingly painful because you now have exposed nerve endings.
ARE COLD SORES CONTAGIOUS?
The herpes simplex is a very small sub microscopic particle. It is aggressively contagious and can enter the body through even the tiniest crack in the skin. You are contagious from the first sign until the final healing redness disappears.
Please use every caution with your cold sores. Kissing passes on most cold sores. Contaminated fingers also spread cold sores. Most children catch the herpes virus before they are 12.
You can easily spread cold sores to just about anywhere on your body. Sores on finger tips, arms and cheeks are not uncommon. Folks that get these claim they are a lot more painful than the normal lip cold sore.
Getting a cold sore in your eye can cause serious vision damage.
The herpes simplex virus is so contagious and tough that about 90 of the people on earth over 12 carry it. Around 65 of these folks will get one or more cold sores per year.
This virus does its damage only on the surface where you can easily cleanse and apply a cold sore treatment of your choice. The herpes virus, as far as we know presently, does not travel or create damage internally.
HOW DO I GET RID OF COLD SORES?
Stress is the primary trigger that activates the herpes simplex virus. When you encounter stress, your body gears up for battle, your hormones change and your pH balance drops into the acid zone. The herpes virus loves an acid environment.
Your body will heal your cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes outbreaks without any help from you. But it often takes three to four weeks. With a good cold sore treatment plan, you can cut this time in half.
Your best choices for cold sore treatment are still the natural home remedies. They still work better than anything the drug companies have come up with so far.
Some of the most proven cold sore treatment remedies are lysine, zinc and garlic. These can and should be used both internally (supplements) and as topical treatments. Continual cleansing of the area with alcohol or peroxide is very important also.
Cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes really hurt your social life. And they are tough to deal with. But with what you have just learned, you now have a great advantage in the cold sore battle.
With a little experimenting, you will develop your own cold sore treatment plan and enjoy much more freedom in your life.
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