What is it that Causes Cold Sores?
Well, first of all, what are cold sores? They are lesions on the lips, or on the skin near the mouth.
People can be exposed to different causes of cold sores, each and every day. They are often referred to as “fever blisters.” These lesions can be painful. They usually last a few days. They are caused by a virus. But, unlike other viral infections, these sores are not completely eliminated by our body’s defense system. This is the reason why they usually recur over time.
So … What Causes cold sores?
The main cause of cold sores is the herpes simplex virus is t. While there are two types of herpes simplex virus, the main culprit for these fever blisters is Type 1. This type affects the body tissues that are found above the waistline.
Most viral infections are caused by exposure to the germs themselves, but this is not one of the causes of a cold sore. It occurs, not with the recent contact with the herpes simplex virus, but with the reactivation of the HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) particles that are already in your body. These germs are already residing inside the body before being reactivated, but are then “awoken.”
Initial contact with the virus does not result in the formation of the actual sores; and therefore it cannot be detected immediately.
A person with this virus would first be inflicted with fever, headache, and difficulty swallowing. The person might also be easily irritable. A day or two after these initial symptoms occur, the person will usually feel pain in his mouth, and the gums will also become inflamed. On the third day blisters appear near the mouth or lips. The blisters will pop, over time, but the person’s mouth will remain painful it will be hard to eat.
The sores themselves will heal over time. The infection period lasts between 10 to 14 days. But when the virus remains in the body, cold sores can repeat again at a later date.
Most cases of such infections occur before the age of seven. This is why many people don’t know the actual causes. Further, the majority of people who are inflicted with fever blisters (another word for cold sores) don’t even know they have them. The symptoms are subclinical, and not obvious to the normal person. The patient might only feel one or two mild sores near his mouth.
Fever usually accompanies the sores, and the common flu virus can also reactivate the virus. Getting your skin sunburned might also trigger cold sores.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
QUESTION:
What causes cold sores on your lips?
I know they are a herpes strain, but what causes them to come out? Is it stress, vitamin deficiency, or what?I get one then it heals and another one pops up at a different spot on my lip. I just want to know what is causing them all to come out now.
Thanks! 10 pts for best answer!
-
ANSWER:
Stress is a big trigger for outbreaks, definitely.There are some dietary things that can tip the scales toward outbreaks, too… foods high in the amino acid ARGININE, especially.
Increasing your intake of LYSINE-rich foods to tip the arginine/lysine balance will help to control outbreaks. Here’s a link with some really good info: http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/living_with_herpes/41149
-
-
QUESTION:
What are causes of cold sores on lips? I had it two months ago and it came back just a few days ago.?-
ANSWER:
The causative organism is a virus, called HSV,or herpes simplex virus,type I. It stays dormant within the nerves that go to the infected area of the skin, so when it gets activated, it keeps going back to the same spot. There are several known trigger factors, including sunburn, stress, fever, fatigue, hormonal flux such as with periods.
-
-
QUESTION:
Can Chapped lips cause chances of getting Cold sores?
I once got a cold sore on my lip after kissing my boyfriend, I thought it was from kissing him. However, examining and experimenting with the thought i noticed I as well as my sister have gotten cold sores when our lips are chapped. Is it cause chapped lip are technically ‘open wonds’ in some sense of the word? or is my thoughts on cold sores and chapped lips wrong?-
ANSWER:
Chapped lips are caused by dryness and splitting/cracking of the sensitive skin that covers the lip area. Anyone can get them, and they aren’t contagious at all. On the other hand, cold sores are actually the result of the Herpes Simplex 1 Virus (HSV-1), a virus that transmits between people via contact with the sore itself. HSV-1 is closely related to the STD genital herpes (HSV-2) and less closely to chicken pox (Varicella zoster, which can cause herpes zoster, or shingles).If you already have HSV-1 and get cold sores on occasion, they will be worse if your lips are already chapped when one of the sores pops up. However, having chapped lips doesn’t make you more or less likely to get cold sores – that is entirely dependent on whether or not you’re exposed to HSV-1 (by kissing someone with a cold sore, for example).
-
-
QUESTION:
do u only get cold sores on your lips cause I got 1 right under neath my nose, what does that mean?
I had cold sores before but never between my nose and lip, could it be cause I’m pregnant and stressed.-
ANSWER:
yes
-
-
QUESTION:
What causes Cold sores in your mouth and on your lips?-
ANSWER:
Lysine is the remedy for cold sores.If you want to know the causes of cold sores try a Yahoo search for “cold sores” + causes.
-
