Fever blisters and cold sores,
herbal treatments and preventative herbal supplements
What are fever blisters and
cold sores?
Fever
blisters or cold sores are caused by the Herpes
simplex virus (HSV-1). Cold sores are just another name for
fever blisters and this name originated because often fever blisters
appear during the same time that a patient is suffering from a cold or
flu.
Fever
blisters first appear three to ten days after exposure
to the virus and an outbreak of fever blisters can last up to three
weeks.
Unfortunately,
this virus remains in the body and moves into
the nervous system.
Outbreaks can be
triggered by stress, emotional trauma, a cold or a viral infection,
exposure to
sun and wind or a weakened immune system.
Fever
blisters are highly contagious and studies have shown
that children as young as ten carry the virus.
Symptoms
of a fever blister outbreak
There are several warning signs that a fever blister is about to make
its appearance, the most common being the tingling, itching feeling on
the lips or around the lips. As an outbreak of fever blisters
usually go hand-in-hand with a weakened immune system, you might find
that a day or two before your cold or flu starts, you will have an
outbreak of fever blisters.
Having a fever and fatigue are also common symptoms of a fever blister
outbreak. Often the patient will complain of a sore throat
and difficulty eating as well. Fever blisters are easy to
identify: a group of blisters on a painful base that is often
hot to the touch and very painful. The blisters that
form will dry up rapidly and leave scabs. Depending on the
severity of the infection, these scabs may last for a few days up to a
few weeks.
Fever blister sores are not limited to the lips, it can sometimes be
inside the mouth, on the face, and even inside or on the
nose.
There
are several stages of the development of a fever
blister:
-
Stage
1:
no sores are
visible yet, but there is a tingling, prickling feeling around the affected area.
-
Stage
2:
swelling starts and the
affected area is red and often hot to the touch.
-
Stage
3:
the first signs of tiny
blisters appear and
itching and pain increases.
-
Stage
4:
a soft, very painful
ulcer forms.
What causes fever blisters?
Fever blisters or cold sores are caused by the Herpes
simplex virus (HSV-1).
Herpes is a group of viruses that cause painful blisters
and sores and the Herpes simplex virus can cause both cold sores
around the mouth and genital area. HSV-1 (herpes simplex
virus 1) is responsible for fever blisters and HSV-2 (herpes simplex
virus 2) is responsible for sores around the genital area.
HSV-1 is
considered to be the most common herpes simplex virus and most people
develop it in early childhood.
The Herpes viruses are known as neuroinvasive viruses which mean that
they enter and hide in your body"s nervous system. This
unfortunately means that once you have contracted the Herpes simplex
virus, you will be prone to outbreaks for the rest of your life.
Once you have contracted the Herpes simplex virus 1, a recurrence can
be triggered by stress, fatigue, colds and flu, over-exposure to the
sun and wind, a weakened immune system and even changes in hormones
such as menstruation.
How do fever blisters spread?
Fever blisters are extremely contagious and can spread easily to other
areas on the face. The HSV-1 virus spreads through direct contact,
either skin contact or through contact with the oral secretions from
fever blisters. You can still pass on the virus even when
fever blisters are not present. You can transmit the virus by
sharing eating utensils and glasses or cups.
If a person has fever blisters
on the mouth,
the Herpes simplex virus-1 can be transmitted during oral sex and cause
herpes in the genital area.
Touching the fever blister and
then touching a mucous membrane will also cause the virus to spread.
Mucous membranes are the moist, protective linings found
in areas of your body like the nose,
eyes, and the inside of the mouth.
Wash your hands regularly to
prevent the spread of the virus.
Do not share face towels and face cloths and discard your toothbrush
after an outbreak of fever blisters as you might cause re-infection.
How can supplements help me?
The list of herbal supplements and herbal remedies listed here can all
help to minimize future outbreaks and speed up the healing process.
The herbal supplements must all be used in combination and often
results are seen within a few days.
The most useful and powerful of the herbal remedies recommended for
fever blisters is the amino acid lysine.
Lysine is an
essential amino acid that the human body cannot synthesize on its own,
therefore it needs to be obtained from your diet or from an herbal
supplement. Using a lysine supplement long-term can help to
prevent fever blister outbreaks. Increasing the availability of Lysine
in the human body slows the virus replication and inhibits the use of
Arginine, which is an amino acid that the Herpes simplex virus 1
utilizes.
Lysine is available in pill form and cream form. At the onset
of an outbreak of fever blisters, start with a dosage of 1000 mg Lysine
daily and as the condition improves, take a therapeutic dosage of 500
mg daily. Lysine cream can be applied topically to the
affected areas to reduce the symptoms of painful outbreaks.
|
Supplement Recommendations
|
|
Supplement
|
Dosage
|
| Lysine |
1000 mg 3 times a day
for flare-ups, then 500 mg a day as a therapeutic dose |
| Melissa cream |
Apply cream to the
affected area 2-4 times a day |
| Vitamin C / Flavonoids |
1000 mg vitamin C and
500 mg flavonoids 3 times a day |
| Vitamin A |
10 000 IU twice a day
for 5 days |
| Echinacea / Goldenseal |
200 mg echinacea and
125 mg goldenseal 4 times a day |
| Vitamin B complex |
100-150 mg of each
B-vitamin daily |
Taking
a Flaxseed oil supplement can assist in speeding up the healing process
by promoting cell renewal. Recent studies have shown that
Vitamin C may be effective in treating fever blisters when applied
topically.
Patients
with recurring fever blister outbreaks can apply melissa cream
regularly to prevent outbreaks.
The
herbal supplement and herbal remedies listed here can all be used
safely with prescription antiviral creams such as acyclovir, which also
promotes the healing of fever blisters.
Other recommendations
Using a protective lip balm with an SPF of 15 or higher can prevent
fever blister outbreaks.
As mentioned before, do not touch the blisters as you will spread the
infection.
Holding an ice cube on the affected areas can help to reduce the pain
and swelling associated with fever blisters.
Try to avoid foods that contain the amino acid arginine. As
mentioned, arginine is used by the Herpes simplex virus.
These foods include nuts, chocolate, whole-grain cereals and
gelatine.
Reminder
Please consult your medical practitioner prior to using any herbal
medications should you be under their care. Suggestions
offered
are not intended to replace appropriate medical investigation and
treatment.
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