Saturday, January 20, 2007

Cold Sores FAQ

Do You Suffer From Cold Sores?

Do you ever ask yourself, What causes them? Where do they come from?
This article will help answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding "Cold Sores"

What are cold sores?.... Cold Sores are small red sores that appear on or around your lips, and even in your mouth! They are caused by the herpes simplex virus (type 1). A cold sore has nothing to do with a common cold or with getting a fever.

What are the symptoms?.... When you first come into contact with the cold sore virus, you may experience mild flu-like symptoms. You won't actually get a cold sore from your first exposure to the virus. In fact, only about 30% of the people who get the virus ever develop cold sores at all! If you are one of the 30%, a day or so prior to getting the sore, your mouth will probably tingle, itch, or feel warm in places. Then you will develop a small cluster of blisters which will become a painful sore. Over the next 7 to 10 days, the sore will crust over and slowly go away completely.

How do you get cold sores?..... Usually by kissing or sharing a utensil (fork or spoon) with someone who has a cold sore. You can also catch the virus from a persons saliva who doesn't have a visible cold sore at the time. The bad news is once you get the virus, you will always have it. It lies dormant in the nerve cells behind your ear. That is until you develop a cold sore again!
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is not the same thing as HSV-2. HSV-2 is the virus that causes genital herpes.

How can I prevent cold sores?..... You need to keep your immune system as healthy as possible for one. Eat healthy, get plenty of rest, exercise, and just keep good general health. Outbreaks increase on people with a run down immune system. For some people the sun can cause outbreaks from the UV rays. Use a lip moisturizer with a sunblock in it. If you have a weak immune system, you might want to consider using supplements to boost it.

What's the best way to treat cold sores?..... Although not serious, a cold sore can be a very painful, and embarrassing occurrence. Some things you can do to help treat your cold sore are:

Applying ice to a cold sore can help relieve the pain.

Avoid spicy, salty, and sour foods.

Apply a water based zinc ointment to help dry it out.

Try lemon balm.

Take echinacea.

These will help reduce the symptoms of your cold sore.

If I told you there was a way to STOP Cold Sores from coming back Forever, you probably would think I was Crazy! Well think what you want, because not only am I not crazy, but I DO NOT get Cold Sores any longer. And you can do it Naturally from the comfort of your own home! CLICK HERE for Cold Sore Freedom