Fed Up With Recurring Cold Sores?

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, a common and infectious virus which is usually contacted during childhood and hides in the nerve ganglia near where your cold sore usually appears. The virus can remain dormant for months or years without reappearing, until your body becomes unbalanced. Your natural body defenses keep the virus in check until your defenses drop because you may feel tired, upset or stressed; you resistance is lowered, you have a fever, overexposure to the sun or wind, or maybe you are menstruating, and suddenly you feel that familiar tingling sensation.

This is when the virus is moving down your nerve fibers to the skin surface. Now you feel the tingling, itching, perhaps burning or drying sensations, lasting a few hours or a few days, to be followed by redness and swelling at the cold sore site; the virus is reproducing.

Next is the appearance of clusters of small blisters that are painfully sensitive, followed by all the blisters joining to become one large open, weeping sore. This is the most painful and most contagious stage, although next is when it starts to crust over and heal. At this stage it is painful because any movement tends to crack the scab.

Once the scab forms, the sore is healing from the inside out. The virus is retreating, but there is continued itching and some pain and irritation. Once the scab is gone, usually redness remains for another 2 to 14 days. Contagion remains until the spot disappears entirely.

Conventional treatment of the virus includes creams and lotions that can relieve the pain and reduce secondary infections, but there is no cure for cold sores. Preventative measures seem more successful than curative in minimizing the number and severity of infections. Learn to recognize the situations that usually lead to you developing a cold sore and prevent them from occurring. Also recognize the first signs of the onset of a cold sore and apply immediate treatment. A medical practitioner can prescribe antiviral drugs that will minimize symptoms and re-infections.

Avoid contact with the sores; wash your hands immediately if you touch them, and don't share linens and towels with anyone else.

Naturopathic treatments of cold sores include applications of the amino acid lysine, which is particularly effective in preventing or reducing the occurence of cold sores. A salve containing lysine makes an effective lip balm, as dry cracked lips seem to invite a cold sore. Vitamin and mineral supplements may help the body fight the herpes virus, especially vitamin C, E, B vitamins and zinc. A whole foods diet that excludes sugar and refined foods and includes plenty of fiber and alkali-producing foods also can help prevent herpes attacks.

Applying tea tree oil directly to the tingling area or cold sores with a cotton swab can minimize an outbreak, reinfection and spreading. Throw away the swab immediately after using.

The advantages of using tea tree oil are:

* Decreasing pain and shortening the healing time of the herpes lesions.

* Helping to inhibit recurrences

* Assisting in prevention of viral activity by supporting the immune system

Using tea tree oil, avoiding the conditions that bring on herpes attacks, and supporting the immune system through proper diet and hygiene are the best methods for dealing with this annoying and painful virus.

About The Author
Kathryn Beach offers extensive information about the incredible healing power of tea tree oil on her website, "Learn About the Tea Tree Oil Phenomenon!", and in her "Tea Tree Alerts" available by subscription on her website. http://teatreeoil.7affiliatecentral.com

What You Should Know About Arthritis

Should the person experience some muscle pain which lasts more than 2 or 3 days, there is a strong chance that one has arthritis.

Arthritis is a common disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This can be felt in the person's joints, skin and organs inside the body. Should the person feel anything wrong, it is advisable to go straight to the doctor.

Doctors have discovered that there are over 100 types of arthritis. Given the number, the doctor will not be able to know which one is affecting the person without an examination.

There are 2 common forms of arthritis. The first is rheumatoid arthritis which is considered a chronic disease. There is inflammation in the joints caused by cartilage damage. Anyone who has this will suffer long term joint damage that will lead to chronic pain and disability. Pain is usually felt when waking up in the morning and will gradually disappear during the day.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a problem that will not go away. This happens in three stages. The first is swelling. The second is the rapid division and growth of cells. The third is when these cells release enzymes that will eat the bone causing the joint to lose shape until the person will not be able to move it anymore.

Since this is systemic disease, it can spread and affect other organs in the body. The best way to prevent is from happening is detecting it early to prevent the person from being disabled.

This can be treated with proper medication and therapy. There many drugs available that the patient can use. Some drugs offer pain relief to reduce the inflammation. Others can just do one function.

The second is called osteoarthritis. This happens more often than rheumatoid arthritis but unlike the first, there is no inflammation present. The cartilage in the joint is damaged and will eventually degenerate. Pain will slightly be felt when the person gets up but this will hurt later on during the day.

Osteoarthritis can either be primary or secondary. When it is primary, it is often associated with age. It is similar to a car where the parts have to be replaced due to wear and tear. Doctors consider this to be normal as people grow older.

The secondary type is often associated with something else that has caused this to happen. Some of these factors are an injury that took place, heredity, obesity and bone density.

Osteoarthritis can be treated with medication, exercise, weight control, joint protection, physical and occupational therapy. This is done to relieve the pain and slow the progression of the disease.

Both of these are caused by different things. The common thing between these 2 types is that joint pain can happen anywhere in the body.

Given the many medications available to treat this disease, the patient has to be aware of the side effects of each before choosing which one to use. The doctor should explain these to the person in order to make the right decision.

Arthritis and it's different forms will not go away. Since this is an insurable disease, the best thing that the doctor and others can do until a cure if found is to help the patient ease the pain the slow the growth of the disease.

About The Author
Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides arthritis resources on http://www.your-arthritis-resources.info.