Recurring cold sores can make life really difficult. Herpes on the lips is not a one-time problem that may disappear after a few days. Once acquired, the HSV virus stays with us forever, causing another viral release when the body weakens. Fortunately, the number of cold sores that appear can be minimized. Find out how.
Recurrent herpes , commonly known ascold , is caused by HSV - Herpex simples virus, which is transmitted, for example, through saliva or vesicular secretions from one person to another. Infection with it can also occur through direct contact of mucous membranes or skin, e.g. during a kiss.
There are two types of herpes viruses -HSV1andHSV-2 . The former infect the upper body, e.g. the lips, mouth or eyes. In turn, HSV-2, which can be infected through sexual contact, infects the genitals.
Characteristic of these two types of viruses is thatcannot be cured of them . Although herpes disappears for a while, the virus stays with you permanently. He is only dormant and waits for an opportune moment for his immune system to weaken and he can reactivate.
Recurrent herpes - how to treat it?
Acyclovir
When herpes appears, treat it with a preparation calledacyclovir . It acts selectively on HSV DNA, inhibiting its replication. It shortens the time of herpes occurrence and alleviates disease symptoms. To be effective, it must be applied at the very beginning of the infection.
Acyclovir comes in the form of tablets, ointments, creams or sticks. Suitable for treatment:
- labial herpes,
- genital herpes,
- herpetic corneal infection.
The only contraindications to its use are:
- allergic to any of the ingredients of the preparation
- and renal dysfunction.
Elderly people should also exercise caution when using it.
Suppression therapy
If symptomatic treatment at the time of the appearance of herpes does not give satisfactory results, and herpes takes a long timeheals or continues to relapse, the doctor should suggest suppression therapy.
Thanks to it, the tendency to recurrence of infections is reduced. Suppressive treatment is based on the continuous use of oral medications for 4-6 months. The doctor should decide whether to implement such a therapy.
The main selection criteria should be to consider how often the patient develops cold sores and how long the infection lasts.
Suppressive treatment is indicated in those patients with frequent recurrences of eczema and when herpes symptoms are severe and troublesome.
Also, those who have had episodes of erythema multiforme or have had Kaposi's eczema (diffuse blistering and purulent skin lesions) should try long-term treatment.
Symptomatic treatment
Symptomatic treatment should be used in patients when the disease is mild, is not troublesome, and herpes occurs sporadically. It is also justified when there are no skin changes indicating Kaposi's eczema and no symptoms of erythema multiforme are identified.
This type of treatment is also intended for people in whom suppressive treatment has failed to produce satisfactory results and has failed to reduce recurrences of herpes.
Recurrent herpes - how to prevent it?
If we are infected with HSV, we cannot get rid of it. But we can try to make herpes returns less frequent and the virus dormant for as long as possible.
For this to happen,a strong immune system and avoiding chronic stressis essential. These two factors are key points in inhibiting virus activity.
In addition, it is necessary to exercise appropriate caution in contact with people who are already infected:
- not touching them directly, e.g. not kissing them,
- no shared towels,
- making sure that you always wash your hands after handling them.
How to strengthen the immune system so that it protects us from the activity of the virus?
First of all, a he althy diet, rich in green leafy vegetables, berries containing antioxidants, fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
In addition, it is worth including evening primrose or borage oil with proven anti-inflammatory properties in your diet, reaching for zinc-rich nuts or sunflower seeds.
It is also necessary to supplement with vitamin D and eat raw vegetables and fruits containing vitamin C, such as, for example, peppers or kiwi.
Recurrences of herpes can be prevented by avoidingfactors that contribute to weakening the immune system and increasing the activity of the virus.
For some it will be excessive exposure to sunlight, for others it will be simply fatigue, body cooling or tooth extraction.
Herpes also appears very often during menstruation (which, as you know, cannot be avoided). In order for a menstruating woman not to have to deal with the "cold", at least a week before the expected period, she should take care of a long and regenerating sleep, rest and a he althy diet rich in vitamin C.
- Cold sores: symptoms, treatment and prevention of recurrences of cold sores
- Genital herpes - Symptoms and Treatment
- Herpes - home remedies for cold sores