Getting a
cold
sore can be a most unpleasant
experience. And if you are one of the over 60
million people who develop a cold sore each and
every year, you already know that. Why do people get
a cold sore, and what can be done when a cold sore
appears? Here is a quick cold sore Q & A to give you
some answers to these questions and many others.
What Causes A Cold Sore?
There are many reasons why you can get a cold
sore. One of the biggest ones is due to stress. If
you are going through a very stressful time in your
life, your chances of getting a cold sore are
greatly increased. Why? Because your immunity is low
due to the stress. Being out in to much sunlight can
be a big cause. Other triggers include illness,
fevers, and believe it or not, even eating too much
chocolate can cause a cold sore to break out.
Is A Cold Sore Contagious?
Cold sores are extremely contagious. You should
avoid kissing anyone when you have a cold sore. You
will also want to avoid sharing glasses, utensils,
toothbrushes, and towels.
How Long Do Cold Sores Last?
While there is no set length of time, cold sores
can last up to 2 weeks. If you can start treating it
very early in the beginning you may be able to
reduce the length of time significantly. In many
cases it can be only 3-5 days in duration. The key
is treating it as soon as you notice something is
not right and you start noticing some discomfort.
What Is The Difference Between A Canker Sore And
A Cold Sore?
A canker sore appears on the inside of your mouth
or gums and is caused by bacteria. A
cold
sore is
caused by a virus and will most likely always appear
on the outside of your mouth. There are rare times
when a
cold
sore will form on the roof of your
mouth.
Is There Anything That Will Get Rid Of A
Cold
Sore?
While there is no cure to ever preventing a
cold sore from forming, there are products available that
will dramatically help reduce the pain and help heal
the cold sore much faster. Many times you can be
healed in as little as 4-5 days. (You can go to our
website for more details.) You can also purchase
medication from any pharmacy with a doctors
prescription. Most of the over the counter products
may help in a small way, but unfortunately, many are
simply ineffective.
