The cold sore's and their relaton with stress

General
1

COLD SORES- why mostly appear before an important events?

Have you ever heard someone complaining that they develop lip sores before special events. They have little itch or tingling on lips a day before and on the day of event come these ugly blisters, tend join them on every function, ruin their confidence and every photograph and leave quietly afterwards.

What are cold sores- this condition is Herpes labialis, outcome of a viral infection caused generally by Herpes Simplex Virus1 (HSV1). These are worse than and canker sore as are contagious. These sometimes appear in patches or singular blister which bursts and ooze liquid which contains active viral particles. It takes upto 2-3 weeks to completely heal from episodes of infection and they appear almost around the same spot again. The first episode might be more severe.

Prevalence- 64% of world population (WHO) is infected by HSV1.

Working mechanism- viral cells hijack epithelial cells and then cause lysis of same to further increase infection to reach peripheral sensory and autonomic neurons. Then it stays in an latent state in nerves until is reactivated by stresses like- emotional stress, sun exposure, menstruation or illness. When it reactivates, immune system responds and leads to symptoms- blisters.

Treatment- although many antiviral treatments, ointements and topical creams are available for relieving discomfort but there is no cure for HSV1 making it a lifelong infection, although the severity and frequency of symptoms lessen over time. There are infected individuals who remain asymptomatic.

Prevention - one should try avoiding sharing utensils, lip products as sores might shed on these, even when infection is in latent phase. Someone who has infection should make conscious efforts to not spread infection, wash hands after touching sores and avoiding skin contact when has developed sores.

Reference

PMCID: PMC2907798

Mayo clinic

Medline plus

.https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.0187

You might have now figured out why infected individuals develop sores before important event..

coldsores
coldsores1024×683 60.3 KB

MBH/AB

3 Likes
2

Great information!!!:100:

1 Like
3

Viral infections are difficult to treat due to their innate capability to mutate. Herpes simplex is one such virus which causes various forms of rashes over the body. One such noticeable rash in the mouth could spread easily. Stress could further complicate its mechanism and aggravate its reaction.

1 Like
4

Cold sores often appear before important events because stress and hormonal changes weaken immunity, reactivating latent HSV-1. Awareness, early care, and prevention help reduce outbreaks and transmission

2 Likes
5

Good insight on cold sores. Cold sores aren’t a coincidence, they’re often triggered when stress and immunity dip right before big moments. Understanding this helps reduce the stigma that it’s a common, lifelong infection that flares up, not a personal failure.

1 Like