How to Identity the Various Cold Sores Stages
Welcome back, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting again!
In addition to the generally known five cold sore stages, there also exists the sixth stage. Never demonstrating signs or symptoms including any pain, stage 6 is in fact the first one. This is actually the dormant stage, in which the cold sore is simply latent. The herpes virus that leads to cold sores is latent at this point and hiding in the nerve ganglia. About 33% of those with the virus do not even know they have it at this stage, and won’t progress any further. This is because] the cold sore may be in the latent stage. The presence of a cold sore will only be identified by a positive blood test. If you are in this stage of cold sore development, you need not do anything about it, not even take any medicine, for the virus remains latent.
The first tangible stage of a cold sore is referred to as Prodome. The dormant virus wakes up and moves to the exterior of your face via the nerve endings. This occurs in the beginning stage of a cold sore. If you have the active virus, the first symptom you may experience is a tingling or burning feeling that is often combined with a nagging itching and dryness. After one or two days this stage will end and the next will start.
Pre-sore or inflammation is the second cold sore stage. This occurs when the virus gets into the cells of the nerves and results in redness and discomfort. The first small blisters to appear on the skin are pimple-like, normally in small clusters, and painful to the touch. At this stage headaches and fevers often start.
In the third stage the tiny boils rupture and leave a big open sore. The patient may be bedridden during this painful cold sore stage. At this stage, any discharge is likely to contain viruses, hence, this is the most contagious period. A cold sore is contagious to all other parts of your body, along with the bodies of others.
Formation of the scab takes place in the 4th stage of cold sore development. The scab will start to crack with the movements of your face and this can become quite painful at times. This remains an extremely contagious period with the pus continuing to ooze from the abscess. The scab may fall off 3 or 4 times at this point. New skin formation that’s taking place will be itchy and uncomfortable.
The fifth stage involves the scab falling off, with new skin emerging. The healing process is almost complete now, as the new skin will form and strengthen; but further healing is still going on beneath the surface with new cells that have been damaged being replaced. Thankfully the patient will not have to actually feel this process, and the soreness of the new skin should go away within two weeks.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on prescription medications to treat your cold sores. There are lots of natural remedies you can use that are cheap and effective too, from tea bags to salt for cold sore treatment. Find out more at Cold Sore Home Remedies.
Popularity: unranked [?]
No related posts.
