Being Tired Or Stressed
When your body is tired all the time, it can cause an outbreak. It is important to allow your body to recover from being overly tired. If you are a person that overwhelms yourself with work and kids, or whatever your life consists of, your body may be trying to tell you it is time to slow down. Managing your time wisely may help to decrease the number of cold sore outbreaks you may have.
Being stressed may also cause an outbreak. Being stressed out causes the immune system to break down. This may cause the outbreak of cold sores. Dealing with your stress is important if you are a person who frequently has outbreaks.
Upping Your Intake Of Lysine
Older laboratory of studies performed in vitro showed that lysine an essential amino acid that you get from food may be able to help prevent cold sores. Lysine is also available as an oral supplement and as a cream.
Lysine is thought to prevent against cold sore outbreaks because it reduces the activity of arginine, an amino acid needed by the herpes simplex virus to replicate.
The richest sources of lysine are foods that are high in protein, such as:
- meat, specifically beef, chicken, and pork
- cheese, especially parmesan
- fish, particularly cod and sardines
- soybeans
How Can You Control Cold Sores While On Birth Control
The best way to manage existing cold sores caused by birth control is to avoid known triggers. While hormonal swings will act as a trigger, you can still be proactive. Being mindful of your environment and your diet can go a long way.
Additionally, managing your sores with a proven and non-conflicting OTC is priceless. Cold sore remedies only become an issue if they cancel out the needed effects of birth control. However, blister remedies that work without issue can heal cold sores fast.
Although contraceptives can potentially create more blister outbreaks than normal, a strong OTC can clear them within days. This is likely a worthy trade for most women if it means cold sore healing and effective birth control.
To recap:
- Avoiding known triggers is a proactive way to manage cold sores while on birth control. You can potentially reduce your hormonal swings with quality nutrition and general wellness.
- Cold sore treatments can work in the face of birth control. As long as the medication does not limit the effects of your contraceptive, everything will be fine.
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Are Other Skin Conditions Caused By Changing Hormones
Conditions such as acne and menopause can lead to dramatic changes in the skin. These include not only visual alterations of the skin but also texture and general skin health issues.
Stress, fear, worry, etc., especially as a teen, can potentially trigger acne. While acne can also be caused by food and drink, hormones play a major role. In the same way that fatigue can give you a worn down appearance, hormonal shifts can also result in visual symptoms.
Regarding menopause, the decreasing of hormone production can leave women with dry and damaged skin. When the body no longer can naturally protect and moisturize skin, the skin itself can lose life and elasticity. This can result in cracking, burning, and even rashes.
Hypothyroidism, a condition marked by the thyroid gland failing to function properly, can also produce a host of issues. Dry, flaky, pale, and even waxy skin can all be a byproduct of this serious disease.
What Triggers Recurring Cold Sores
As mentioned, after being infected by the herpes simplex virus once, the stored dormant virus in your cells means you can develop cold sores from a number of triggers.5
Do you keep getting cold sores one after another? One of the following may be the culprit: 6
- Stress
- Environmental exposure to sun and wind
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References:
Why You Get Herpes Outbreaks During Your Period
When I was diagnosed with herpes six years ago, it was a little bit of a shock. Not because I had herpes the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 6 people between the ages of 14 and 49 in the U.S. have genital herpes, and the World Health Organization released a study in 2015 that estimates two-thirds of people in the world have the HSV-1 strain of the virus but because my symptoms didnt look anything like the scary pictures they showed us in sex ed. I didnt have an array of oozing blisters and my vulva didnt look like something out of a horror movie. Instead, it took months to see a doctor because I didnt associate achy skin on my thighs and butt and tingling in my vulva with herpes.
But after several months of nerve pain that was so bad it hurt to wear pants and quad muscles so sore that sometimes my legs gave out and what I thought was a recurring ingrown hair that itched a lot, I walked into Planned Parenthood and asked them to swab the lesion to see if it was herpes. But it had already scabbed over, making a swab test impossible. However, a blood test quickly confirmed what I was starting to suspect: I had HSV-2, or genital herpes. That day I also found out that the other super weird symptoms I was experiencing the tingling and the achy skin and the sore quadriceps were also a result of herpes.
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Celiac Disease And Autoimmune Disorders
The human body has an immune system which helps to fight off infections. It is a sophisticated system comprising of several type of cells that play a variety of important roles in killing an organism when it invades the body. The immune system gets activated when an organism such as a virus or bacteria enters the body but goes back to the resting phase once the organism is killed. It is smart enough to recognize what is part of its own body and what is foreign coming from outside. However, in some instances the immune system becomes abnormal and starts to recognize part of the body as foreign. It then goes and attacks those parts of the body causing damage with serious health consequences. These are called autoimmune disorders.
There are numerous autoimmune disorders known. One example is type-1 diabetes, where the immune system attacks and permanently destroys the cells in the body that make the hormone called insulin. Once this happens, the patient now has to take insulin by injections for the rest of their lives. Another common example is thyroid disease, where the immune system destroys the thyroid . This leads to low thyroid function and one now has to take the thyroid hormone in the form of a pill every day. Some other examples of autoimmune disorders include lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Managing Your Stress & Preventing Cold Sore Outbreaks
As much as wed love to tell you to just stop being stressed, we know thats not possible. Stress is normal for every person, and sometimes, life throws us things that overwhelm us. Thats perfectly fine! However, its when your stress levels begin to spiral out of control that is cause for concern. This is also what can trigger an outbreak.
The first step in addressing your stress levels is understanding what causes you to be so on edge.
When you find out what causes this stress, you can look for ways to reduce it. Go through your daily life being as mindful as possible, paying attention to what changes your mood or makes you feel uneasy. Write them down. Then, look at whats triggered you throughout the week. This can then help you see what places, foods, or even people you want to avoid, as they may be contributing to these triggers.
Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation may help in reducing your stress levels.
Yoga and meditation are practices that are great for grounding yourself and appreciating the moment youre in instead of being stressed about the future or past. The moment that yoga provides can also help bring some flexibility and comfort to your daily life, enhancing your mood, and lowering those levels of stress overall.
Take care of your mind and body.
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Stress Hormone Receptor Expression In Sensory And Sympathetic Neurons
Cell-type-specific differences in adrenergic and glucocorticoid receptor expression have been reported previously . In order to identify differences in receptor expression by different populations of sensory and autonomic neurons relevant to HSV infection, we used immunofluorescence to determine the expression profiles of the glucocorticoid receptor and adrenergic receptors in cultured primary adult murine neurons from sensory trigeminal ganglia and sympathetic superior cervical ganglia .
Among sensory TG neurons, a significantly greater percentage of IB4+ neurons , which support productive HSV-1 infection, expressed the GCR than the percentage of A5+ neurons , which support productive HSV-2 infection . Therefore, IB4+ sensory neurons are likely more responsive to glucocorticoids, including corticosterone , than are A5+ neurons.
Nearly half of cultured sympathetic SCG neurons expressed the GCR . In contrast, 83.3% and 72.6% of SCG neurons expressed ARs -2 and -2, respectively . Therefore, sympathetic SCG neurons are capable of being stimulated by both epinephrine and glucocorticoids.
Common Cold Sore Triggers
- Fatigue. No sleep or being tired can open the door for new cold sores and fever blisters because a fatigued body creates stress.
- Stress. A stressed body releases cortisol which weakens the immune system.
- Weakened Immune System. A weak immune system means less lymphocytes to defend against the herpes simplex virus.
- Cold Weather. Low temperatures commonly dry out lips because the colder the air, the less water it can hold before the water condenses. Dry lips are a known trigger of cold sores and fever blisters.
- Extreme Sunlight. Similar to cold weather, sunlight is a proven trigger of cold sores. As you would protect your bodys skin with lotion protect your lips with lip balm.
- Hormonal Change. The hormones present in your body during certain times in the menstrual cycle, as well as during pregnancy, can trigger an outbreak.
- Dental Trauma & Visits. Typically the trauma of a dentist procedure triggers a cold sore however because HSV-1 is spread so easily, a dental office can be a breeding ground for it if the right preventative steps arent taken.
- Extreme Changes in Diet. Disruptions in routine diets, and especially those resulting in increased consumption of highly acidic foods has been known to increase the frequency of outbreaks.
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C Characterization Of Hsv
Early report revealed a pair of TRE located in the HSV-1 TK promoter and produced positive regulation . Additional analyses indicated that these TK TREs are positioned between TATA box and the transcription initiation site arranged as “palindromes” with six nucleotides spacing each other . TREs in this format were also found in the promoters of TSH and TSH, both exhibit negative regulations by TH in hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis . It has been suggested that this TK TREs exhibited negative regulation by TH and TR in neuronal environment .
Figure 1
Characterization of HSV-1 TK TREs. Comparison of HSV-1 TK TREs to other palindrome TREs. These TREs were organized as inverted repeats with different numbers of nucleotides spacing in between them . They are located after the TATA box and in front of the transcription initiation site .
i. TR negatively regulated HSV-1 TK transcription in neuronal cells
ii. TK was repressed by TH and TR during viral infection
iii. Liganded TR mediated TK inhibition can be reversed by TH removal
Cold Sore Outbreak Symptoms
The herpes simplex virus generally remains dormant in the body. This means you wont show any symptoms unless it is activated.
Some people experience a cold sore outbreak within a few days of exposure. Other people carry the virus but never experience symptoms.
Symptoms of a cold sore outbreak can include:
- Red, fluid-filled blisters around the lips, nose, or cheeks
- Pain in affected areas
- Formation of scabs after blisters have dried
- Itching and irritation of affected areas
During a first outbreak, you may also experience flu-like symptoms in addition to a cold sore. These include:
- Mild fever
- Sores near the eyes
- Trouble breathing
After the first infection, the virus remains inside the nerve cells of the face. You may not experience symptoms again, unless the virus is triggered.
If you experience an outbreak in the future, expect to develop a cold sore in the same place. The virus typically reactivates in the same spot each time. Symptoms, however, should be less severe in subsequent outbreaks.
Children can develop cold sores inside the mouth. These are commonly mistaken for canker sores . If your child begins to develop sores in the mouth, see the pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis.
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Can Your Menstrual Cycle Trigger A Cold Sore Outbreak
Your period can place a huge strain on your body. Although some women are affected more than others, monthly menstruation can cause cold sores and a variety of health issues.
From cramps to bloating in addition to mood swings and skin issues, a womans menstrual cycle is incredibly taxing. Cold sores only serve to make an uncomfortable situation that much worse.
In the same way that natural hormonal swings can promote fever blisters, the monthly cycle is quite similar. The only real difference is the degree of aggression concerning the shift itself. The general act of going through a whirlwind of emotions in a short period can leave the body overwhelmed and even physically ill. Too much stress can leave the body susceptible to a host of issues.
While it is impossible to shorten your period you can shorten the duration of your fever blisters. Regarding the monthly cycle acting as a catalyst, blisters often appear quite early. It is not uncommon for a woman to encounter cold sores symptoms not much longer after cramping begins.
Even birth control pills affect hormones. Thats why its so hard to keep this problem in check.
Quantitation Of Hsv Loads And Gene Expression
At 10 h postinoculation , viral DNA was extracted from neuronal cultures with TRIzol reagent , according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Viral DNA loads were determined by quantifying viral DNA by qPCR using HSV-1 and HSV-2 thymidine kinase gene-specific primers and probes . All assay results were normalized to 18S rRNA results and are reported as viral copy numbers in 200 ng of total DNA.
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How Can Birth Control Pills Trigger Cold Sores
Birth control pills can cause dramatic hormonal swings. These highs and lows within the body can cause cold sores. In fact, birth control can often lead to the same hormonal shifts that occur during pregnancy.
When the body is unstable, whether that instability is mental or physical, HSV-1 can be triggered. In truth, birth control can lead to numerous cold sore triggers at once. While most women will experience a unique reaction to oral contraceptives, fever blisters are more likely to arise.
If you are concerned that the pill is causing an issue, you should contact your physician. While cold sores will naturally heal on their own, continued use of the same contraceptive can lead to further outbreaks. Your doctor will be able to determine if your birth control pill is the problem and recommend an alternative.
To summarize:
- Birth control pills can trigger cold sores due to the hormonal swings they induce. Oral contraceptives can cause similar hormonal swings that are often seen in pregnancy.
- Instability within the body can act as a trigger. When the body is not settled, either mentally or physically, HSV-1 can be activated. It is not as much as the hormonal swing but rather what the swing causes.
- Everyone is different, and each woman will react differently to birth control. However, if you believe your fever blisters are a direct result of your pills, then you should contact your doctor. Changing birth prevention meds could prevent a cold sore outbreak.
Different Causes Of Stress Encountered
When we think of stress and how it affects our bodies, its easy to think of mental stress, first. Thats a factor that causes cold sore flare-ups. However, there are a few other stress types to consider. Once you know what they are, it may be easier to manage your flare-ups.
Cold Sores on the Lips /Lip Line
A cold sore on the lip is most common. No one knows for sure what causes them to appear in that area. The prevailing theory is that the lips are a sensitive part of the body and are more prone to dryness and exposure to the sun. Keep a chapstick with you and use it if you notice the symptoms of a cold sore.
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