Ways to Prevent Recurrent Cold Sore Outbreaks
It is bad enough suffering from cold sores periodically, but for those who suffer from regular, recurrent outbreaks, the effects can be psychologically depressing.
Unfortunately, there is no easy or guaranteed way to prevent outbreaks, but it is true that there may be steps you can take to reduce the possibility of an outbreak and certainly to prevent the infection from spreading to the people around you.
The conventional route
For a long time medical professionals have sought to achieve cold sore treatment with antiviral drugs such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir. These have been shown, whether taken orally or in some cases topically, to have some efficacy in shortening the duration of symptoms. However, such treatments all come with potential side-effects and are the kind of powerful pharmaceutical solutions that many people may wish to avoid and, unless you are an immuno-compromised individual or similar, are not likely to be recommended for use as a preventative.
Read more: Ways to Prevent Recurrent Cold Sore Outbreaks
Complications of a Cold Sore
Cold sore outbreaks tend to be relatively mild and short-lived, particularly if you have a reliable cold sore cream you can turn to. However, in some instances, complications may arise and it is essential that you are aware of when you might need to seek medical help. Below we examine some of the potential complications you should look out for.
Herpetic whitlow
This complication of the cold sore virus is rare, affecting around 2.5 per 100,000 people each year.
Herpetic whitlow typically occurs when a cold sore blister comes into contact with a cut on the fingertip or near the fingernail. Although this kind of secondary infection can usually be treated with antiviral medicine, such as acyclovir, it can sometimes be confused with a bacterial infection and, if not treated appropriately, can lead to further complications such as herpetic encephalitis.
Read more: Complications of a Cold Sore
Preventing the Spread of Cold Sores
Cold sores are contagious and as a cold sore sufferer you will, at some point, have contracted the virus as a result of coming into contact, at least indirectly, with someone who was experiencing an outbreak.
Ever since that date, you will have had to endure living with cold sores so will no doubt be keen to avoid passing the virus on to anyone else. But how you do you go about preventing fluid from a cold sore blister coming into contact with another person, something that can be especially difficult if you have a congested family, work or social life. After all, all it takes is one kiss, accidentally shared cutlery or body-to-body contact for infected fluid and saliva to transmit the virus from you to another person.
Below we take a look at what you can do to reduce the possibility of another person ever having to Google the phrase “best cold sore treatment”.
Read more: Preventing the Spread of Cold Sores
Cold Sores Prevalent Among Astronauts
A new piece of NASA-funded research has found that Earth is not the only place where you might be required to apply a dose of your cold sore treatment.
Although it has long been known that astronauts face a peculiar mix of health challenges when they are in space, there has been little to document this besides observed losses in bone density and muscle strength in a microgravity environment.
However, the latest piece of exhaustive research reveals that cold sore activation is a particular area of concern, with 60 per cent of all astronauts who visit the International Space Station developing cold sores during their stay, compared to around 30% of cold sore-infected people back home on the ground.
Read more: Cold Sores Prevalent Among Astronauts
Sugar, Immunity and Cold Sores
It has long been known that sugar is harmful to a person’s immunity because of the way it inhibits the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria. As such, eating sugar-rich foods, particularly those that are heavily processed, is likely to make you more prone to cold sores and, if you already have a cold sore, may significantly interfere with your body’s ability to fight the virus. However, in a world in which sugar is near-ubiquitous, it can be difficult to avoid, particularly as many products are packed full of hidden sugar – i.e. they are not necessarily products you would think of as being sugar-rich. This is why the people of Herstat, the makers of the propolis-based cold sore treatment, have decided to compile a list of some hidden sugar products you might wish to avoid if you are hoping to prevent or avoid a cold sore outbreak.
Read more: Sugar, Immunity and Cold Sores
