What Exactly is a Cold Sore?

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are small wounds that appear on the lips or around the mouth. These sores seemingly appear at random & can be both painful & embarrassing. The reality is that the herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes cold sores.

Most people find the link between herpes & cold sores to be very alarming, but it’s not. There’re two types of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1 & HSV-2. HSV-1 usually causes cold sores & is found in most people. HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes & is much more rare. Some times HSV-2 does cause mouth herpes & HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it’s uncommon & not seen very often.

The HSV-1 virus is usually transmitted through contact with a contaminated fluid such as kissing, or it can spread through sneezing, coughing, or touching a cold sore. The HSV-1 virus is often spread from parent to child when the child comes in contact with an item that a parent with a cold sore has touched or used. The first time a person is infected with the HSV-1 virus is called the primary herpetic stomatitis & usually doesn’t result in a cold sore. The virus can lie dormant for many years. Most people come into contact with the HSV-1 virus by the time they’re five years old but do not get their first cold sore until after puberty.

Cold sores usually go away on their own over the course of a week to ten days. They do not leave scars & often do not recur for many years. The cold sores often burst open after a few days & expel a clear fluid before drying up & disappearing.

For some people, cold sores are too painful or embarrassing :oops: to be left alone to simply disappear independently. For these people, there’re OTC & prescription medicines to speed up the healing process. Cold sores are a painful nuisance that nearly virtually everyone experiences. There is no prevention for cold sores, but there’re many treatments available to make the experience as easy as possible.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.


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