Cold sores are characterized by facial lesions on the lips or around the mouth. Their medical name is Herpes labialis and they were once considered to be a ‘kissing disease’. The news they are suffering from herpes is often very scary to a person, but they need to be aware that there are two types of herpes. Type One is typically seen above the waistline, and type two below the waistline. Therefore the cold sores around the mouth are not a good indicator of the presence of genital herpes.

Herpes Labialis is unlike a regular infection in that the appearance of facial lesions is not a result of recent exposure to Herpes germs, but rather a reactivation of some of the herpes virus that has been lying dormant in the body. These dormant virus particles may have been lying around the body inactive for some time so clearly kissing, or any other contact activity, cannot be the cause of the facial lesions that we know as cold sores.

When a person is initially exposed to the virus which causes cold sores it is known as ‘primary herpetic stomatitis’. The initial exposure can be as a result of direct contact, such as kissing. The symptoms are quite different from cold sores and include:

* Fever, headaches and irritability as well as pain when swallowing.
* Swollen gums
* Painful mouth
* Tiny blisters throughout the mouth, these will usually rupture by the third day forming ulcers.

Many people cannot remember any of these symptoms, and this is hardly surprising considering that most people who contract the virus do so before the age of seven. Even then nearly every case is ’subclinical’, meaning it is never serious enough to be referred to a doctor, so is allowed to run it’s course(usually an infection lasts 10-14 days) and then forgotten.

Roughly 80% of the population is thought to carry the primary herpetic stomatitis antibody. The body only produces the antibody in defense against the virus itself, and in all cases once the virus is present particles will remain. Of that 80% however, only a small number(about one third) will have the virus reactivate and get cold sores. Some of the triggers which can serve to reactivate the virus are:

* When the victim is emotionally upset or under stress.
* Physical stress, tiredness or fatigue.
* Recent illness such as a cold or flu.
* Damage to the lips or skin, including severe chapping, sun or wind burn.
* Changes in hormone levels such as those seen during menstruation or pregnancy
* A deficiency in the immune system

In other words an outbreak is more likely to occur whenever the bodies immune system is working sub-optimally or has been heavily taxed fighting off another problem.

Beverley A Brooke

Additional Reading: Stop Herpes Now & From Coming Back for Good by Dr David Hogg

PS: If kissing is a more interesting issue for you, there is this website that talks about Kissing 101.

Let’s look at the 8 distinct cold sore stages, and what you can do now to lessen the severity, discomfort and length of your cold sore event.

Cold sore stages 2-8 are the active stages and are very contagious during this time. Usually 3 to 4 weeks is the average life-span of a cold sore. Much depends on your health and choice of treatments for each of your cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: #1 - LATENT - Here the cold sore herpes simplex virus is hiding in the nerve ganglia near the back of the jaw on the same side as your cold sore usually appears. The cold sore virus may “sleep” for weeks or years without incident. Your body’s defense “soldiers” keep them in check. When there is stress in another part of your body, your defenses may drop at this location. Then the cold sore virus can escape and travel to the surface to reproduce - beginning the active cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 2 - PRODROME - The cold sore virus reproductive cycle begins here. The cold sore virus travels down your nerve fibers to the surface. This movement causes your cold sore target area to itch or tingle. You may notice a burning or dryness sensation. This stage could last a few hours to a few days before entering the more intense cold sore stages.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 3 - INFLAMMATION Your cold sore virus has now arrived at the surface and begins it’s reproductive cycle by entering the cells at the end of the nerve. This causes a lot of swelling and redness at the cold sore site as your cells react to being invaded by the herpes cold sore virus .

COLD SORE STAGES: # 4 - PRE-SORE - Cold sores at this stage are defined by the appearance of cold sore vesicles. A full blown cold sore is not one big blister but a grouping of small blisters called vesicles. You will notice these vesicles as tiny, hard pimples or red bumps that are painfully sensitive to the touch.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 5 - OPEN SORE - Your most painful and contagious of the cold sore stages. All the vesicles break open and merge to create one big open, weeping sore. Depending on the severity, you may develop a fever and swollen lymph glands under the jaw.

The weeping fluid is teaming with newly born cold sore viruses. Touching this fluid, you could easily spread the cold sore virus to another part of your own body or to someone else - either by direct touch or shared objects such as hand towels, telephones, and faucets.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 6 - CRUSTING - A cold sore will develop a yellowish crust or scab as it begins to finally start the healing process. Your cold sore is still painful at this stage. More painful, however, is the constant cracking of your cold sore scab when you move or stretch your lips, as in smiling.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 7- HEALING - Cold sores, once scabbed over, begin healing from the inside out. As new skin forms under the crust, you will experience continued itching, irritation and some pain. Your cold sore virus is now retreating back to the nerve ganglia area where it will sleep until the next opportunity.

COLD SORE STAGES: # 8 - POST SCAB - Cold sores at this stage no longer have a visible cold sore scab and your skin has totally healed. Under your new skin, healing is still taking place as the destroyed cells are regenerated. This produces a red spot that may linger for another 2 to 14 days - depending on your personal healing speed. You are still contagious until this red spot disappears. This waiting is the most frustrating of the cold sore stages.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW -

Cold sore over-the-counter medications, experts agree, are primarily comfort treatments for the cold sore stages. Some contain numbing agents that greatly reduce your pain. Some cold sore medications contain an anti-bacterial to prevent secondary infections. None of these cold sore medications have been shown to actually shorten the life-span of any of your cold sore stages.

Medical science has been working feverishly on a cure for the herpes virus but have not, as yet, had any real success in developing an effective cold sore remedy. Prescription anti-virals, both the oral versions and the topical salves, have been a dismal failure for the most part. Vaccines are being tested but are 3-4 years out yet. New breakthroughs could be just around the corner however.

But you don’t need to wait!

More and more doctors now agree. There are times when natural science just seems to be the best choice. Often our ONLY choice. This is certainly true - right now - for herpes cold sores.

Data studies have shown natural science remedies can reduce the cold sore events by as much as 79%.

Yes! And, in fact, actually prevent your cold sores from taking place altogether.

The great news - these remedies are available to you today.

If you are a cold sore victim, you would be well advised to look into these powerful natural remedies without delay for shortening or preventing your cold sores.

by Denny Bodoh