Cold sores.

Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: giant cold sore!
From: campbell.angis.su.oz.au (Rowena Campbell)
Date: 3 Oct 1995 03:13:52 GMT

Speaking of giant cold sores, I have just recovered from the most enormous one. Of course, my neighbour had to finally decide to ask me out on the day that it came up, and then introduced me to his friends. I wanted to say to him "Are you sure? Can you see this thing on my lip?" but what can you do?

I've found a good technique for the control of cold sores. It isn't fool proof (witness the above), but it's helped enormously. I hadn't had one for months since following this procedure.

Yes, cold sores are certainly brought out by stress. But they can also be stimulated by eating foods high in the amino acid ARGININE. This includes chocolate, nuts and eggs. Since being informed of this I have minimised my intake of these foods. I have noticed that:

1. I ate 3/4 of a packet of chocolate biscuits and woke up the next morning with a cold sore.
2. I ate an egg and salad roll for lunch and had a cold sore the next day.
3. A friend of mine had 3 egg-based meals in one day and developed a cold sore.
4. My last cold sore arose after I had Thai food 2 nights in a row which contained peanuts and eggs. I don't think the chilli in it helped either as it stressed my delicate mouth(!).

The cold sore virus (Herpes simplex) is suppressed by the amino acid LYSINE. This can be taken internally whenever you feel a tingle coming on. It is easily obtained from Chemists in tablet form. I take it often. It's an enormous help. I have heard it can also be applied topically.

I find cold sore lotions next to useless, although I understand that some people find them helpful. Washing the blister with warm salt water is recommended.

It is highly important to wash your hands regularly with warm water and soap when you have a cold sore as it is very infectious, and warm water and soap is one of the best ways to kill stray virus particles that are lurking around. The virus is passed on by direct contact with the blister - so no kissing and no sharing of food or eating-utensils! And no fiddling with the damn thing either!

Many people do not realise that the only difference between Herpes simplex
I and II is virulence. Both strains cause cold sores and both strains can also cause genital herpes. It is possible to give yourself genital herpes by transferring particles with your hands from the blister on your mouth to your genitals. (This is a grisly thought and makes me neurotically clean when I have a cold sore. It's an especial pain for women who are most likely to be run-down and therefore most likely to develope a cold sore when they have their period). You can also get them in your eyes and every time you have one it leaves a scar on the retina which causes a blind spot.

And, of course, once you have the virus in your system, you have it for life.

Have I scared you enough now? :-)

I believe there is a fairly new anti-viral drug on the market but I believe it is very expensive. Ask your doctor if you feel particularly concerned.

Regards,
Rowena

PS There's nothing worse than having a cold sore and finding that everyone you meet talks to you with their eyes fixed on your mouth instead of your eyes! If you do meet any unfortunate sufferers, please try not to gaze with fascinated curiosity at their disfigured lips. They feel bad enough already! :-)

From: itype.aol.com (Itype)

A client of mine (I'm a typist, not a physician) happened to mention she was on the way to the store to buy a pint of whole milk for her son to put on his cold sore. She claims she puts it in a small container, gives him a cotton swab and he keeps reapplying the whole milk to the cold sore. He does this over the course of the evening and by morning the sore is gone. Worth a try anyway, huh!

From: cyli <cyli.visi.com>

I've had luck with taking a vitamin C tablet or an aspirin tablet and pushing it firmly against the cold sore for as long as it (the tablet) would hold together. It hurts a lot, especially at first, as both C and aspirin are acid and the tissue involved is sensitive even before it's opened and raw from the sore.

There is probably some destruction of tissue and I'd think there'd be some possibility of scarring. Never noticed either one.

I can't recommend this uncritically, but it's worked for me. Try some gentler methods first and give this a shot only as a last resort.

From: robins49.pilot.msu.edu (ROSE)

I always put an ice cube on for as long as I can stand it, and repeat as often as necessary, usually until the "tingling-burning" stops. Also, my dermatologist gave me a tube of Zorvirax (acylclovir) in case it doesn't work.