Cold Sores (Herpes Simplex)

Cold sores are a harmless, but chronic and recurring infection caused by the herpes virus (a relative of the chickenpox and shingles viruses). Cold sores are extremely common, affecting millions of people per year. The condition is benign, except for women in the later stages of pregnancy, as there is a risk that the virus will be passed on to the newborn baby during delivery

Cold sores are likely to reappear during an infectious illness or at menstruation, or may come back to spoil one's first few days out in the sun. They are infectious, and are most contagious when the blisters are newly formed, as they are full of the virus.

You may experience a few warning tingling sensations, a redness, a burning or itching feeling; then about two or three hours later, a sore appears on the lips, buttocks, or in the genital area. It consists of small, fluid-filled blisters that sting or burn. The fluid is clear at first, but eventually it clouds and thickens to form a scab, which falls off in eight or ten days, leaving no scar.

Treatment will be both general and topical. and has three main objectives: to shorten the duration of the outbreak, to reduce discomfort, and to strengthen the patient's terrain in order to try to prevent further outbreaks. At the current time, there is no definitive cure for cold sores that would eliminate them once and for all.

Preventive measure

It is vital to:

• Protect yourself from the sun's rays by using an effective sunblock, especially when you are in the mountains or by the sea
• Reapply the sunscreen every two hours
• Rinse your face and lips with fresh water after a bath, because dry, cold conditions on dry lips only encourage the return of herpes

Dietary advice

These tips are essential:

• Eliminate all heavy, fatty foods, especially dairy products, fried foods, and sauce dishes
• Avoid salted peanuts
• Drink large quantities of water
• Eat plenty of foods rich in vitamins B and C, and in copper
• Increase your consumption of onion and garlic
• Garnish your food frequently and consistently with condiments such as thyme, cinnamon, and oregano, herbs recognized for their ability to combat infection

Foods rich in vitamin C

Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, and grapefruit), green vegetables (celery, green cabbage ++, watercress, spinach, sorrel, parsley, and horseradish), fruits (such as pineapple, blackcurrants ++, guava, and kiwi fruit ++), red berries (strawberries, raspberries, and red currants), potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes.

Homeopathy

Vaccinotoxicum to be taken early and systematically.
- Six 7c tablets to be sucked slowly between meals, once a day for one week

Vaccinotoxicum

- Animal origin: nosode made from the herpes vaccine
- The specific homeopathic remedy for herpes and shingles

Nosodes are homeopathic remedies prepared from microbial materials, animal or vegetable tissues, secretions or excretions taken from patients suffering from certain diseases. This is the case with the smallpox virus.

Rhus toxicodendron

- Four 5c tablets to be sucked slowly like sweets, three times a day as soon as the first symptoms appear. Reduce the frequency once there are signs of improvement, stop the treatment when cured

Rhus toxicodendron

- Vegetable origin: the fresh leaves of the sumach or poison ivy plant
- The homeopathic remedy for blistered skin
- A specific indication: the condition improves with heat

• You could also try Mezereum-homaccord@ (Heel), which contains mezereum and Acidum arsenicosum in various potencies:
  - Available in drop bottles containing 30 and 100ml
  - In general, 10 drops 3 times daily. In acute disorders, initially 10 drops every 15 minutes

Oligotherapy

Copper or a combination of copper, silver, and gold

Copper is usually found in the diet, which should be varied and of high quality. In cases of deficiency, copper can be given as a medicinal supplement.

Foods rich in copper

Seaweed, almonds, avocados, cocoa, cereals (especially whole wheat and whole-grain rice), mushrooms, shellfish, oysters, calf and sheep's liver ++. dried fruit, green vegetables, walnuts, fish roe, plums, and tea.

• Copper treatment: this is available in various brands and forms - such as Organic Minerals (Colloidals) which contains 70+ trace minerals:
  - Available in 946ml bottles
  - Take 1-3 caps just before breakfast and/or evening meal
  - Children 1 teaspoon daily for each 20lbs of body weight

Or Maximol (Ionized colloidals):

- Available in 500ml bottles
- Take 1/2 capful once or twice daily on an empty stomach

• You could also try Lamberts@ ZindCopper, which contains a blend of zinc (15mg per tablet), and copper (1 mg per tablet):
  - Sold in containers of 90 tablets
  - Take 1 tablet daily on an empty stomach

Vitamin C

This vitamin is to be taken systematically a dose of 1 ,000mg per day for adults, 500mg daily for children.

Vitamin C-based supplements

Synergisti-C (Thorne) which contains 650 mg ascorbic acid, 400mg Echinacea Igustifolia, 100mg Baptisia tinctoria and 100mg hesperidin: -Available in containers of 60 capsules
-Take one to two capsules twice daily

Biocare vitamin C (citrus free) 500mg containing magnesium ascorbate and bilberry:
-Available in containers of 180 vegetarian capsules
- Take one to two capsules daily

Lamberts@. Rutin+C+biofiavonoids (containing vitamin C 500mg, citrus bioflavonoids 100mg, rutin 50mg and esperidin complex 30mg):
- Available in containers of 90 capsules
- Take one to two capsules daily

You can take natural vitamin C in chewble form - Lamberts@ vitamin C 100mg:

-Sold in containers of 90 tablets
- One to three tablets daily

Or you can take chewable Redoxon@ which contains vitamin C (500mg) and Zinc (5mg)
- Available in containers of 30 tablets
- Adults up to 2 tablets per day. Children (6-12 years) 1/2 tablet per day.

Herbal remedies

Echinacea for fighting infection.

Ginseng as a tonic.

Possible Prescription: Ask your herbalist to make up a 30ml bottle of mother tincture of each of these plants. Take 25 drops of echinacea solution in a little water three times a day; 25 drops of ginseng solution twice a day.

• You can use Echinaforce (Bioforce), a tincture of Echinacea purpurea:
  - Available in 50ml and 100ml bottles of oral drops
  - Fifteen drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day by adults, seven drops three times a day by children (6-12 years old)
  
  - You can also use Red Kooga, a mixture of ginseng and multivitamins and minerals:
  - Sold in boxes of 32 tablets
  -Adults (over 12 years old): one tablet to be taken each day

Plant essential oils

Spanish oregano, mountain savory, or common thyme

Herbal Prescription: Ask your herbalist to make up a 1 ml bottle of essential oil of one of these plants. Take two drops in a little honey, twice a day.

The essential oils of oregano and thyme have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and expectorant effects, but their concentration depends largely on their geographical origin. Savory's properties are also very similar.

• You could also try Gouttes aux essences@ (Lehning), whose ingredients include essential oils of cinnamon, lavender, and thyme:
  
  - Sold in 45ml bottles of oral solution
  - Twenty drops to be taken in a little water, three times a day. For children over the age of 30 months: five drops to be taken in a little water, four times a day

Topical applications

It may be useful to apply mother tincture of calendula, essential oil of lemon, or camomile lotion, two or three times a day for a few minutes. They can be used alone or in combination with acyclovir cream, Zovirax@. To my mind, it is perfectly justifiable to use a classical medical treatment in this way if it is effective and well taler ated, which is the case with Zovirax.