How Are Cold Sores Diagnosed and Treated?
January 15, 2010 by Tainted Touch
Filed under Diagnosis, Treatment
Cold sores normally heal on their own within 7 to 10 days. And although no medications can make the infection go away, prescription drugs and treatments are available that can shorten the length of the outbreak and make the cold sore less painful.
If you have a cold sore, it’s important to see your doctor if:
- you have another health condition that has weakened your immune system
- the sores don’t heal by themselves within 7 to 10 days
- you get cold sores frequently
- you have signs of a bacterial infection, such as fever, pus, or spreading redness
To make yourself more comfortable when you have cold sores, you can apply ice or anything cool to the area. You also can take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
There are two ointments we’ve found to be most beneficial in treating both oral and genital herpes lesions while they heal. H-Away and Dynamiclear are both very effective treatments. We have used both and have reported positive results with each.
How Do Cold Sores Spread?
January 14, 2010 by Tainted Touch
Filed under Diagnosis
Cold sores are very contagious. If you have a cold sore, it’s very easy to infect another person with HSV-1. The virus spreads through direct skin contact or contact with oral or genital secretions (like through kissing). Although the virus is most contagious when a sore is present, it can still be transmitted even if you can’t see a sore. HSV-1 can also be spread by sharing a cup, eating utensils, or lip balm or lipstick with someone who has it.
If you or your partner gets cold sores on the mouth, the herpes simplex virus-1 can be transmitted during oral sex and cause herpes in the genital area.
Herpes simplex virus-1 also can spread if a person touches the cold sore and then touches a mucous membrane or an area of the skin with a cut on it. Mucous membranes are the moist, protective linings made of tissue that are found in certain areas of your body like your nose, eyes, mouth, and vagina. So it’s best to not mess with a cold sore — don’t pick, pinch, or squeeze it.
Actually, it’s a good idea to not even touch active cold sores. If you do touch an active cold sore, don’t touch other parts of your body. Be especially careful about touching your eyes — if it gets into the eyes, HSV-1 can cause a great deal of trouble. Wash your hands as soon as possible. In fact, if you have a cold sore or you’re around someone with a cold sore, wash your hands frequently.
If they aren’t taken care of properly, cold sores can develop into bacterial skin infections. And they can actually be dangerous for people whose immune systems are weakened (such as infants and people who have cancer or HIV/AIDS) as well as those with eczema. For people with any of these conditions, an infection triggered by a cold sore can actually be life threatening.
How Cold Sores Develop
January 13, 2010 by Tainted Touch
Filed under Diagnosis
The herpes simplex virus-1, which has laid dormant in the body, reactivates or "wakes up" from it inactive state.
The virus travels toward the area where the cold sore decides to show up (like a person’s lip) via the nerve endings.
The area below the skin’s surface, where the cold sore is going to appear, starts to tingle, itch, or burn.
A red bump appears in the area about a day or so after the tingling.
The bump blisters and turns into a cold sore.
After a few days, the cold sore dries up and a yellow crust forms.
The scab-like yellow crust falls off and leaves behind a pinkish area where the cold sore once was.
The redness fades away as the body heals and sends the herpes simplex virus back to "sleep” or it’s inactive state
