| Coldsores, also called fever blisters and oral herpes, | | | | them frequently. Then the virus sheds to our fingers - |
| are a global epidemic - or pandemic.Coldsores are the | | | | and is easily transmitted to another location or |
| visible symptom of an active herpes virus infestation. | | | | person.Self-control is imperative. Each time you touch |
| More specifically, coldsores are the result of the | | | | your coldsores, you must wash your hands.Keep little |
| reproduction process of the herpes virus.The World | | | | bottles of hand sterilizing soap or baby-wipes on hand. |
| Health Organization estimates 85% to 91% of the | | | | Baby-wipes have a sterilizing ingredient and are |
| world population currently carries the herpes simplex | | | | particularly handy and useful. You can dab the |
| virus type 1 or 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2). For all practical | | | | coldsores with them instead of your fingers. This also |
| purposes, that means just about everybody is infected | | | | speeds healing of coldsores.Coldsores are brought on |
| with the coldsores virus. Recorded history shows that | | | | primarily by physical stress. Keep in mind even mental |
| this has been true since about 500 years prior to the | | | | stress will manifest itself physically. Colds (thus the |
| Roman Empire.HSV-1 is responsible for about 80% of | | | | term coldsores), fever (thus the term fever blisters), |
| reoccurring coldsores. The other 20% of coldsores are | | | | pregnancy, injury, and nearly any physical trauma can |
| caused by HSV-2.Of those infected with the herpes | | | | easily bring the virus out of hibernation and cause |
| virus, 76% will have one or several coldsores within the | | | | coldsores.Fact is, upcoming weddings, according to the |
| next 12 months. The other 24% often go a lifetime | | | | mail I get, are one of the biggest causes of |
| without experiencing any symptom of coldsores.The | | | | coldsores.There are a huge variety of treatments for |
| herpes virus most of the time is latent, or in hibernation, | | | | coldsores. These include over-the-counter medications, |
| in the nerve ganglia nearest to the site of your | | | | prescription anti-viral pills and salves, and many natural |
| coldsores. In the case of facial coldsores, this would be | | | | remedies.You'll find over-the-counter products are |
| in an area behind the jawbone, near the brain | | | | mainly comfort medications. None of them have ever |
| stem.When the coldsores virus becomes active, they | | | | proven to shorten your coldsores. One exception to |
| travel up the nerve fibers to the surface where they | | | | this - some have antibacterial agents. This prevents |
| replicate and create those painful coldsores right on | | | | secondary bacterial infections. If you do get a bacterial |
| the end of the nerves.Coldsores normally occur on the | | | | infection, and this is common, it will greatly lengthen the |
| face, appearing on the edge of the lip, called the | | | | healing times and discomfort of your coldsores.Much |
| vermilion border. The nostril is also a common site for | | | | of the benefit of over-the-counters is a numbing agent |
| coldsores.What most people don't know, however, is | | | | to reduce pain. Some contain oils that help keep the |
| coldsores can appear anywhere from the waist up. | | | | scab softer so it doesn't crack.Prescription medications |
| For example: fingertip coldsores do occur. They're | | | | for coldsores, up to this point, have been dismal failures. |
| often a much more painful event because of the | | | | There are several brand names but the generic name |
| constant use of the fingers in our daily | | | | for the active ingredient is acyclovir. The antiviral salve |
| routine.Coldsores are extremely contagious. The | | | | will take, maybe, one or two days off your 3-week |
| coldsores virus spreads externally, not internally. Kissing | | | | coldsores. The antiviral pills helped reduce the number |
| is the primary way coldsores are transmitted to others | | | | of coldsores for only 47% of the people tested. This |
| - especially from adults to children. Most people are | | | | was a very short study so it wasn't very |
| infected before they're a dozen years old.The lips, | | | | accurate.Please note this medication is not to be taken |
| mouth and nose are not protected by skin and are an | | | | if you're pregnant or going to be pregnant soon. Also, |
| easy target. Coldsores can also spread to anywhere | | | | there is some concern for liver damage.Your best |
| on the body where the virus can find an opening - like | | | | option, in fact your ONLY option for coldsores right |
| a cut on the finger.Although coldsores are not life | | | | now, is the variety of known natural remedies for |
| threatening, coldsores can cause a lot of grief and | | | | coldsores. In real life studies, natural remedies have |
| damage if spread to the eyes with contaminated | | | | shortened the duration of coldsores by as much as |
| fingers. This can cause loss of sight. Also, with oral | | | | 85%. Among these are honey, DMSO, tea tree oil, zinc, |
| sex, the coldsores can be spread to the vagina or | | | | lysine, aloe vera, certain herbs and a few others in |
| penis, creating the dreaded genital herpes.Coldsores | | | | certain forms and combinations.Coldsores can literally |
| are contagious from the first itching stage to the | | | | be a real pain. But you can easily, like many thousands |
| disappearance of the final red spot. They are most | | | | of others have, discover the right combination of |
| contagious during the open weeping and crust stages. | | | | remedies for yourself and enjoy a lifetime of freedom |
| The crust cracks frequently when you move your | | | | from coldsores.Denny Bodoh is a 33-year newspaper |
| mouth, as in smiling.The fluid from these coldsores is | | | | veteran, and an alternative health and nutrition research |
| absolutely teaming with the coldsores virus.Extreme | | | | writer. Learn more about coldsores, and what you can |
| caution must be taken with active coldsores. | | | | do about coldsores, by going to his wildly popular cold |
| Coldsores itch and hurt a lot, so we tend to touch | | | | sore site. |