Cold sores

 Cold sores can appear on the mouth, lips, or nose. A cold sore is a small, painful, fluid-filled blister that is caused from a virus. Cold sores generally heal up in a couple days but they are never completely eliminated from the body so they do recur. Cold sores are actually a form of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Herpes simplex infections are contagious. Most people who have cold sores can get them from kissing or having close contact with a person who is shedding the virus.

You can also spread the cold sores through infected saliva. Dental offices always sterilize their equipment to prevent the spread of such viruses. A person with cold sores is the most contagious when they have active blister-like sores. Within a few days, the blisters will dry and crust, and the risk of spreading the virus is reduced. If you are infected with HSV, you can spread it to another person even if you do not have a cold sore. The virus is spread through your saliva, but it is next to impossible to catch HSV from towels, washcloths, and surfaces that have been touched by a person with HSV.

If you are infected with HSV, is will enter your nerve cells and travel up the nerve until it comes to a ganglion. The virus will remain in the ganglion and multiply several times. Once it has multiplied, it will travel down the nerve to the skin and cause a new cold sore to appear. You may think you have cured your cold sore, but it will remain in the ganglion area in a dormant stage. Certain conditions cause the virus to become awake and it will reoccur. Many people will experience cold sores when they have a head cold, fever, or the flu. There are also things that lead to cold sores, they include: stress, immune system changes, menstruation, sun exposure, trauma to the skin, and hormonal imbalances.

Cold sores are common for individuals who are learning to play a musical instrument that requires you to blow, such as the flute or tuba. As you pucker your lips to blow, the mouth comes in contact with the metal of the instrument and your skin can become irritated by it. Until your body builds a stronger immune system, you will continue to get cold sores from playing the instrument. The recurrences may come sparingly sometimes once a month or even once a year.

The herpes virus is divided into two different categories: oral herpes and genital herpes. Oral herpes is actually the most common form of herpes infection. For individuals infected with oral herpes, you can expect the virus to last for 21 days, with the last part being a remission period.

People who are at risk for oral herpes include the following: "poor hygiene, overcrowding, lower socioeconomic status, and birth in an undeveloped country." HSV is a virus without a cure. There is not even a vaccine available that will help to prevent or even eliminate herpes. Herpes is treatable through different procedures to help keep the virus from entering the skin.

Infection from HSV
Your body will never completely remove HSV from the immune system. Your first infection from HSV will be long and painful. The virus will remain in your body in a latent period and multiple. During this time, your body is producing antibodies to the first infection from HSV. The second infection from HSV will not be as strong since your body has some antibodies to help fight it.

 The infection will last 14-21 days. The main symptom of oral HSV is called acute herpetic gingivostomatitis, which will occur in the first 5 to 10 days of infection. Along with cold sores, HSV may also provoke other symptoms to occur. Ulcers, canker sores, fever, bleeding gums, sore throat, and the flu are common symptoms many individuals experience when they have cold sores.

Adolescents who are infected with HSV will see it appear as lesions on the cheek, gums, and lips. Some people even have problems swallowing because HSV infects their lymph nodes and causes them to swell. The beginning stages of HSV will cause a burning and reddening of the skin around the infected area. The next stage will be blistering on the lip tissue and the area between the lip and skin.

Primary herpes generally occurs in childhood or adolescence. Oral herpes can be treated without the help of a medical professional; however a severe attack does require treatment from a medical professional. Your doctor may be able to prescribe a medication that will shorten the attack. It is important to eat and drink when you are infected with HSV because many people become dehydrated and require medical attention. Individuals who are receiving chemotherapy may have a serious outbreak of cold sores. Your immune system has been broken down significantly and does not have enough antibodies to fight off an infection.

Cold sores also cause skin lumps on some individuals. The skin lumps usually appear on the front of the legs and they will go away on their own in about 3 to 6 weeks. Your doctor may be able to give you a medication that may make the skin lumps go away sooner.

Diagnosing Cold Sores
A cold sore is pretty easy to diagnose since it is a bright red, oozing sore on your lip or on the area of skin between the lip and cheek. Your doctor will diagnose the severity of your cold sores based on the appearance of the lesions. Generally you will not need to have testing for cold sores, unless your doctor suspects there is a problem.

Treating Cold Sores
If you have cold sores, you need to wash your hands often, especially after touching your face. You should never share your eating utensils or share drinks, as this will only spread the infection more. A cold compress may relieve the pain temporarily and taking Lysine will help to clear up the cold sores. There are other vitamin supplements that may help reduce the healing time it takes for cold sores to dry up.

 You can find some topical ointments to rub on the cold sores and there are also over the counter medications. Topical ointments will promote relief, but they will not decrease the healing time. Most ointments include benzocaine, lidocaine, tetracaine, or dibucaine that will help to relieve burning, itching, and pain. Lipactin gel and Zilactin are two great ointments that can help cold sores, but they only provide relief for a few minutes. You should apply skin protectants like petrolatum to keep the lesion moist and prevent cracking to the lesion. Using lip balm will help control additional outbreaks. Lip balm with sun screen will protect your lips from the sun, which can worsen the effects of your cold sores. If you are experiencing additional pain with your cold sores, you can take ibuprofen. Do not use steroids like hydrocortisone ointment to the lesions.

Prescription strength topical medications will cut the healing time in half. Topical treatments have poor penetration to the lesion and do not promote proper healing. If you choose to use treatments, you need to apply it at least 5 times a day. Most cold sores will go away on their own and will not require a follow-up appointment. If you have additional symptoms such as flu, stomach aches, and other things, you will need to follow-up with your doctor in about 21 days.

The sun will worsen your cold sores, so you should limit the amount of time you have in the sun when you have an outbreak. Since stress causes cold sores to get worse, you should try and limit your stress. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to relieve stress. Yoga is a great way to remove stress from your body and provide a calming release to all the muscles in your body. Meditation can also help your body remove stress and focus on remaining relaxed and calm. There are prescription medications that will help your body stay calm and free from stress. While stress cannot be avoided, it can be controlled.

It is important to remember that there is no cure for cold sores; you can only manage the condition they are in. Herpes lodges deep within your nerves and remains there in a harboring mode and produces more viruses. Your body will learn how to fight the virus for the next outbreak you have, but it will never be able to completely destroy it.

Always avoid touching the cold sores on your lips as the virus can spread to other areas of the body such as your fingers, nose, and eyes. Always wash your hands and use Q-tips or plastic gloves to apply the ointment to your cold sores. Remember that you are the most contagious when your sores are in the first 5 to 10 days. If herpes is spread to another area of your body, you need to seek medical advice immediately.