You are prone to different kinds of infections caused by harmful bacteria and viruses most especially if you have poor immune system. There are two kinds of harmful microorganisms that can cause such infections and these are the bacteria and virus. You may acquire different viral infections and one common example of these is cold sores.
Do you know what causes cold sores? Cold sores are tiny blisters that usually appear all over the mouth. They are clear and often full of fluid. This infection is caused by herpes simplex virus which typically attacks the nerve cells and tissues. Other terms used for this viral infection are fever blisters and herpes simplex. It is not similar with genital herpes but they are both contagious.
Oftentimes, individuals get infected with cold sores since their childhood period. The blisters will appear within few days up to weeks and even years after the initial exposure to this virus. The initial symptoms might appear as more intense compared to the succeeding outbreaks. For instance, some infected persons may feel worse pain in the part where the blister exists. Others have flu-like symptoms such as swollen glands, sore throat and fever.
Some persons get confuse with cold sores and canker sores. These sores are very different from each other. You must remember that cold sores exist all over the mouth and canker sores affect the interior part of the mouth. Furthermore, the causative microorganism of cold sores is a virus while the canker sores are triggered by bacteria. Cold sores may appear due to sunlight, stress, foods that contain arginine like chocolate, fever, allergies to certain foods and hormonal changes.
When you have cold sores, you will pass its five cold sore stages. This viral infection could last up to 14 days if left untreated. Starting treatment during the initial indication of tingling could lessen the duration of infection from 2 to 4 days. The treatment given after the existence of blisters will also help you to get faster recovery.
During the first day, you will have a tingling and itching sensation under your skin. Typically, you will feel it all over your mouth or at the base of your nose. This stage is the ideal time to begin with treatment. The second until third day is the period when the cold sores will appear. The succeeding part is known as the weeping phase. It is the time when the sores will burst and expose the reddish area. This is period where the possibility of infection’s transmission is very high.
When you reach the fifth to eighth day or the crusting stage, you will notice that the blisters are starting to dry and crust form appears which is in yellow or brown in color. Never try to prick the blisters to prevent further infections. During the ninth to fortieth which is known as the healing stage, the scabs will appear at the top of cold sore, they are smaller compared with the previous ones. This is the last stage wherein the sores will completely heal.
About 70% of the people in this world carry Herpes Simplex Virus I in their bodies. This virus can stay in the body for life. However, not all of them will encounter cold sore. Which means, whatever old sore remedies you decide to use, make sure that they can prevent the virus from reactivating. Once the cold sore is developed, the treatment must work to produce fast results.
The pain will come once the lesion begin to form. In a few hours, the blister will break. Then you will notice a scab being formed. The pain lasts for awhile but the viral attack can come back again. This is because the virus continue to remain in your body throughout your entire life.
Treating fever blisters early is the best way to deal with the symptoms. You can expect the worst attack during the first outbreak. Consequent attacks should be less severe. You can use oral cold sore treatment to ease the symptoms of the first outbreak.
Cold sores cannot be cured. The virus can spread easily. So, the following pointers should be useful for you to deal with the symptoms.
There are three categories for the fever blister medications. One category works on alleviating cold sore symptoms. The second group creates a non-conducive environment that restrict the growth of the herpes simplex virus. Last of the categories use potent ingredients to attack and eliminate the virus.
Docosanol is one of the ingredients used to stop the herpes virus from growing. Abreva is one of the topical cold sore treatments that contains Docosanol. When you apply it, the infection becomes less intense and don't last as long. This substance has to be applied many times throughout the day for it to work. For optimum results, immediately put it on when you start to have that tingling sensation.
You can get fast cold sore relief from over-the-counter. But you must know they only help you temporarily because they do not stop the outbreak from happening again.
Ingredients such as tetracaine, benzocaine, lidocaine, benzyl alcohol, camphor, and phenol act as numbing agents that help ease the discomforts of cold sore symptoms. They don't provide long term relief. But for a short period of time, you will feel relieved from the pain, the itching and the burning sensation.
Virucide is very effective treatment for fever blister and genital herpes. Put it directly onto your lesion and it will attack the virus. Zinc, lysine, phenol, and tannic acid are some of the substances that are powerful enough to eliminate the herpes simplex virus. They are all antiviral agents. They also stop the infection from spreading to other areas of the body.
Do not suppose that cold sore products with antibacterial components can fight the herpes simplex virus. However, they may help the wounds to heal faster by protecting the infected areas from bacteria attack.
You may find petrolatum and allantoin in certain cold sore treatments. Very likely you will find them in lip balms. They help to moisturize the scabs that are developed from the effect of cold sores. As they moisturize, the lesions around your lips are kept from turning hard. Meaning you won't get cracked lips that ends up bleeding. Probably more areas will be infected.
In our modern world today, different illnesses are being acquired by people like herpes. Herpes is a disease that numerous people are aware of these days. People that have yet to be infected by the disease tend to wonder about the means of getting herpes as they want to be fully aware about the disease so they can avoid it.
And to those who unluckily acquired the disease already may have probably pondered upon the ways on how they were able to acquire such. Rumors exist about the means of acquiring herpes through getting exposed to these modern ways of relaxing yourself in a bath room like steam rooms, sauna, etc. As you browse through this article, some of the know-how of acquiring herpes will be discussed.
The initial thing that you have to know about acquiring herpes is that the infection is not solely acquired by engaging in a sexual activity like many people think. There are causes of the disease which do not have any relation to sex and these approaches are the ones which have that weak probability of acquiring the infection.
Common soaps and chlorine in hot tubs can eliminate these herpes viruses which give the person less possibility of being infected. Also, if you borrowed a bath towel that has been utilized by an infected person, you would be having lower probability of getting herpes because the virus on the towel can immediately die.
Herpes virus has a requirement for a host as they require it for their survival. Also, these hosts are the reasons why they are able to propagate. Herpes viruses have a greater chance of survival inside the human’s body since they take body fluid as their food. Hence, when these viruses live in the outside environment, they have no way of surviving. They can immediately die.
Kissing is a form of oral contact. And so, you should already be aware, oral contacts is one of the ways of spreading the infection. Mucus membranes are the virus’ portal of entry which certainly means that engaging in oral sex leads you to the higher chance of obtaining the infection from your lover.
And so, herpes can be obtained in all forms of sexual intercourse like anal, oral, and vaginal. The use of condoms can be a wonderful tool in limiting the danger of having the disease inflict you. But, you have to keep in mind that it does not completely eliminate such risk.
As an addition, herpes can break out at various locations of the body like buttocks, arms, face, and abdomen. Being completely aware regarding the methods of staying away from herpes still gives you the chance of doing your preferred activities like visiting saunas.
Since herpes cannot just be caught by doing sexual activities, you need to become aware of the conditions you can have herpes so you can escape it.
Cold sores are unsightly skin problems that most people do not want. This viral infection is the result of the awakening of herpes simplex virus. Most patients are looking for an effective cold sore treatment in order to get rid of its symptoms. If you suspect that you have the signs or symptoms of cold sores, you must not hesitate to visit your doctor and get medical advice.
There are many prescription medications that you can use to cure the problem. The patients will get their medicines as prescribed by their doctors at the pharmacies. They have the confidence that someday they will get rid of the problem. However, you may be disappointed with these medications because they can do nothing to evade future outbreaks. The next following paragraphs will explain why the prescriptions for cold sores is not solving the root of the problem.
Reason #1
The first reason is that when you use a topical cream like the cream of Zovirax, you will only get an external symptom relief. Therefore, it simply means that the problem is not fully resolved. Almost everything in the market will just make the healing period short, yet they do not have the power to stop the relapse of the infection.
Reason #2
Like what is said before, a lot of medicines are offered to cure cold sores. The action that they will do once you take them is to slow the development and multiplication of the virus. It will let the patient’s body defend itself and fight the infection. Medicines like Valtrex and Zovirax are incapable to treat cold sores and herpes they will just give temporary relief for the symptoms. Do not forget that this viral infection is highly contagious and so, other people might be got infected even though you are under the treatment process already.
Reason #3
The last reason is that these herpes medicines are not advisable to be used on people who are immune-compromised. Such treatments are not ideal for the patients who have health problems like genetic defect and HIV infection.
If you are a cancer patient and you are recently having chemotherapy, you are also not permitted to use them. These drugs must not be administered on patients who are taking corticosteroids and immunosuppressant medicines. They have to consult their doctor first and they are strictly prohibited to take any of these prescription drugs with no permission coming from their doctor.
In addition, these medicines will not be good for you if you have allergic reaction to any of the ingredients used on it. This explains that you might probably acquire hazards to your health. Refrain from using them and call your doctor once you feel any side effects. You need to be brought to hospital if you have any of the following: fever, red spots on your skin, bleeding, diarrhea or vomiting.
These are the reasons why the prescribed medicines used in treating cold sores are not helping you. Perhaps, you will get at utmost help from them if your situation is just mild. However, if you have poor immune system or you have allergic reactions, such medicines will make the situation worse. Do not forget that they cannot cure cold sores but they will just alleviate the symptoms and render temporary relief.
