When did humans become infected with the herpes simplex virus which causes cold sores? With 20 to 30% of the UK population suffering from recurring outbreaks, and an estimated 67% of the global population carrying the oral (HSV-1) or genital (HSV-2) variation of the virus, it is certainly a mystery that needed solving.
Typically cold sores will appear on or around your lips after the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) becomes active in the trigeminal ganglion and travels back up the nerve to the skin.
However, one of the complications of cold sores is that they can spread to other parts of the body. When this occurs it is known as secondary infection.
Medicinal products should be disposed of according to their expiry date - their shelf life can sometimes be quite short, meaning that you have to buy a replacement if and when the ailment reappears.
Human beings have suffered from cold sores, which are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), for centuries. In fact, there is even thought to be a reference to them in what is arguably Shakespeare's most famous play Romeo and Juliet.
The symptoms the cold sore virus HSV-1 causes can be painful and unsightly. If you suffer from recurring cold sore outbreaks, you will understandably want to reduce their frequency as much as possible.
Cold sores are the bane of many people's lives – 20 to 30 per cent of the UK population's lives to be more precise.
In a few months it will be summer, and you might already have a holiday booked. Whether you're off to the Caribbean for two weeks, Edinburgh for a couple of days, or haven't made any plans at all, there are probably two things you'd rather not see – rain, and a cold sore developing.
There are many natural cold sore remedies available to those who are seeking a different type of treatment from the usual pharmaceutical route. For example, pressing wet tea bags or ice onto your cold sore might reduce the sensations of pain. However, many of the benefits these remedies provide are relatively short-lived and only deal with one aspect of cold sore symptoms.
Cold sores tend to develop when your immune system is weakened. This is because, at these low points, it is easier for the HSV-1 virus to replicate, since your body's defences don't put up as much of a fight as they would normally do.
Cold sores and herpes are inextricably linked. The virus that causes cold sores is a type of oral herpes – herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Genital herpes, which is most often connected to sexually transmitted diseases, is caused by the HSV-2 strain of this virus.
