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Coldsores
15 Answers
What causes them?
What aids their healing?
What hinders their healing?
I currently have two... got them both with Zovirax at the 'tingle' stage but didn't make a difference, think I'm immune to the stuff.
Not feeling particulary stressed, taking Berocca each day, plus 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off of echinachea & wheatgrass.
A friend has said to avoid chocolate... I'm hoping this is just an old wives tale coz I *need* chocolate!!
What aids their healing?
What hinders their healing?
I currently have two... got them both with Zovirax at the 'tingle' stage but didn't make a difference, think I'm immune to the stuff.
Not feeling particulary stressed, taking Berocca each day, plus 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off of echinachea & wheatgrass.
A friend has said to avoid chocolate... I'm hoping this is just an old wives tale coz I *need* chocolate!!
Answers
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Can manage without red wine... only time I have it is in mulled wine with with a mince pie around this time of year... more of a vodka girl myself. But no chocolate? I think not!!!!
I'm at work... just checked the fridge... no freezer compartment & therefore no ice cubes... will have missed the tingle stage by the time I get home tonight... dammit!
:-(
I'm at work... just checked the fridge... no freezer compartment & therefore no ice cubes... will have missed the tingle stage by the time I get home tonight... dammit!
:-(
Cold Sores = Herpes SImplex Virus Type 1 (HSV1). It is transmitted by close personal contact (body fluid exchange), and invades the epidermis, causing fluid filled blisters to appear. The virus travels along nerve paths to the roots of the nerves, where it becomes dormant.
Its reappearance tends to be triggered by a weakening of the bodies immune system allows a reawakening of the virus. The weakening of the immune system can be due to a variety of causes, such as the common cold, stress, etc.
I think exposure to the sun can reactivate it as well.
Approx. 80% of the population has antibodies to HSV1 ( ie they been exposed to the virus)
Its reappearance tends to be triggered by a weakening of the bodies immune system allows a reawakening of the virus. The weakening of the immune system can be due to a variety of causes, such as the common cold, stress, etc.
I think exposure to the sun can reactivate it as well.
Approx. 80% of the population has antibodies to HSV1 ( ie they been exposed to the virus)
Yeah, I know about the virus & stuff... & about being rundown etc... I kinda meant more like the info above... like chocolate & red wine are triggers... & the tip to use ice... thanks for those!
I go swimming regulary (well, not at the mo with these growths on my face...) Surely if someone in the pool had a coldsore, the chlorine would kill the bugs & stop me getting it? What about going in steam rooms? Are they a bad idea? I do that at least once a week.
I go swimming regulary (well, not at the mo with these growths on my face...) Surely if someone in the pool had a coldsore, the chlorine would kill the bugs & stop me getting it? What about going in steam rooms? Are they a bad idea? I do that at least once a week.
Not sure what you mean fairy...Are you asking if you originally contracted the virus via the swimming pool or sauna/steam room?
Or are you asking if you will recontract it or something?
Neither is likely... you will have contracted the virus at some point during your life, and it is there to stay, Im afraid. All you can do is to treat the outbreak when it occurs, and to minimise the outbreaks, which happens ,in essence, due to depression of the immune system.
There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that any food group can trigger the reemergence of cold sores... none, nada, zip, doodly squat.
Or are you asking if you will recontract it or something?
Neither is likely... you will have contracted the virus at some point during your life, and it is there to stay, Im afraid. All you can do is to treat the outbreak when it occurs, and to minimise the outbreaks, which happens ,in essence, due to depression of the immune system.
There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that any food group can trigger the reemergence of cold sores... none, nada, zip, doodly squat.
LazyGun - i've had them since i was a kid, so yeah, i know i'm stuck with them. I'm just really sick of them & trying to find practical ways of avoiding them/killing them off quicker.
With regards to the swimming pool/steam room part of the question... i mean, as i know i'm prone to them, is a swimming pool/steam room a place i could easily catch one? Like if someone had one & was in the pool, would the chlorine kill off the germs or would they float around in the water & attach themselves to my face & grow?
With regards to the swimming pool/steam room part of the question... i mean, as i know i'm prone to them, is a swimming pool/steam room a place i could easily catch one? Like if someone had one & was in the pool, would the chlorine kill off the germs or would they float around in the water & attach themselves to my face & grow?
I'm a bit confused! By "catch" I mean, I know I already have the virus in me, so I mean, bring out a coldsore attack.
For instance, say I haven't had a coldsore for a year (wishful thinking!) & I'm all healthy & not at all stressed or rundown & then I share a drinking glass with someone who has one. The next day I will blatently without a doubt wake up with a coldsore.
You know how you're not meant to share towels, cutlery, cups etc as it spreads the virus...
So, with regards to the swimming pool/sauna, I meant do the germs hang in the air? Or would the chlorine in a pool kill them off?
ps. my lip balm has SPF 15... this high enough?
For instance, say I haven't had a coldsore for a year (wishful thinking!) & I'm all healthy & not at all stressed or rundown & then I share a drinking glass with someone who has one. The next day I will blatently without a doubt wake up with a coldsore.
You know how you're not meant to share towels, cutlery, cups etc as it spreads the virus...
So, with regards to the swimming pool/sauna, I meant do the germs hang in the air? Or would the chlorine in a pool kill them off?
ps. my lip balm has SPF 15... this high enough?
Fairy,
In theory, it is possible to contract HSV from indirect contact with objects, such as towels, cutlery etc, or hypothetically I guess via transmission in a swimming pool.
In practice, the risk of transmission of this type, and in particular via the swimming pool is so small as to be effectively non existent, for several reasons;
1. Dilution effect of being in a large body of water
2. HSV can survive only a very short time outside the body - with chlorine about, that survival time is reduced still further
3. You would need a route available for the virus to enter your system, ie a lesion, cut etc on your lips.... the odds are in your favour.
4. If you already have HSV, your immune system will have developed antibodies to it, so even if all the other factors failed to stop it, your immune system should protect you.
Personally, I think you only really have to be careful of exchanging body fluids with someone who is infected, so that means in addition to the obvious, such as kissing etc, not using intimate objects, such as towels, toothbrushes, cups, cutlery etc shortly after someone else has.
Finally, lip balm SPF15. My feeling would be that is too low. The only time my cold sores erupt nowadays is through sun exposure or serious chill factor... so I use SPF 30 or more on my lips when I am outside for any length of time.
In theory, it is possible to contract HSV from indirect contact with objects, such as towels, cutlery etc, or hypothetically I guess via transmission in a swimming pool.
In practice, the risk of transmission of this type, and in particular via the swimming pool is so small as to be effectively non existent, for several reasons;
1. Dilution effect of being in a large body of water
2. HSV can survive only a very short time outside the body - with chlorine about, that survival time is reduced still further
3. You would need a route available for the virus to enter your system, ie a lesion, cut etc on your lips.... the odds are in your favour.
4. If you already have HSV, your immune system will have developed antibodies to it, so even if all the other factors failed to stop it, your immune system should protect you.
Personally, I think you only really have to be careful of exchanging body fluids with someone who is infected, so that means in addition to the obvious, such as kissing etc, not using intimate objects, such as towels, toothbrushes, cups, cutlery etc shortly after someone else has.
Finally, lip balm SPF15. My feeling would be that is too low. The only time my cold sores erupt nowadays is through sun exposure or serious chill factor... so I use SPF 30 or more on my lips when I am outside for any length of time.
Right ok, well I feel better that I don't have to give up swimming for fear of an outbreak. Won't go while til this current coldsore has cleared up though.... I know you've said it's unlikley to be passed through the water but like me, other people may not realise this & I may therefore evacuate the pool!!
So, as I walk to work on these blistery mornings, is it the wind that's causing me the problems? If I use SPF 30 lipbalm, will this help with the wind? Or just the sun?
I'll go invest tomorrow... do Boots etc have it in their regular lipbalm section?
So, as I walk to work on these blistery mornings, is it the wind that's causing me the problems? If I use SPF 30 lipbalm, will this help with the wind? Or just the sun?
I'll go invest tomorrow... do Boots etc have it in their regular lipbalm section?
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