Causes of herpes on the lips (colds)
Herpes on the lips, the causes of which in the primary lesion of the body have a huge spectrum, is an incurable disease. If we talk about why herpes appears on the lips, herpes should be divided into primary and recurrent. Naturally, in this case, the features of the reasons will be different. Below we will consider why herpes appears both during primary infection and during relapses, and also touch on the features of seasonal exacerbations.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE APPEARANCE OF HERPES ON THE LIPS
Herpes on the lips, in the common people called a cold on the lips, is quite widespread. The disease is extremely disease-causing, pathogenic, highly contagious. It is characterized by characteristic, fairly familiar to all, formations of a blistering rash both on the lips themselves and on the border of the lip edging and a consistent sensation of severe pain. In the initial phase of healing, rather extensive sores with a drying crust are formed.
A feature of paramount importance in herpes is inevitably its incurability. It is almost impossible to get rid of a virus that has entered the human body. At least to date, medical science has not yet developed drugs that can do this. At the same time, the amazing ease of effective transmission of herpes on the lips causes its widespread prevalence almost throughout human civilization.
CAUSES OF THE COLD ON THE LIPS AND THEIR BEHAVIOR
The appearance of a cold on the lips occurs due to the carriers of the herpes virus, which is almost every currently sick person.
Herpes owes absolutely all these high qualities directly to its causative agent – the herpes simplex virus of the first type (HSV – 1).
And in quite rare cases – the herpes simplex virus of the second type (HSV – 2).
If they accidentally get on the mucous membranes of a person, the development of an extremely active local lesion of the cell layer suddenly occurs and after a while (from five days to two weeks) all somatic signs of herpes begin to appear.
Such circumstances are the main reasons for the appearance of herpes viruses, provided that some time before the encounter with herpes, the body in fact had no immunity to it. So this was the first meeting. After a primary viral infectious disease, the human body forms a fairly strong eternal immunity to herpes, but the virus itself cannot be completely removed from the body. The thing is that DNA, already at its first flash, has time to firmly gain a foothold in the nuclei of nerve cells.
THE FIRST ENCOUNTER OF THE ORGANISM WITH THE VIRUS
The causes of herpes on the lips during primary contact clearly represent the active penetration of the established pathogen into the body through the skin or mucous membranes, in which there are no antibodies of this type of rather dangerous virus. The immune system gradually begins to form them for the first time. A significant difference between this type of lesion is an extremely bright, intense manifestation of the characteristic symptoms and a particularly severe course of the disease. A noticeably large proportion of the primary mass infection usually ends with a process in the lip area. With high immunity, this form can easily end without exacerbation.
Herpes on the lips and the reasons for the first acquaintance of the body with the virus occurs in several ways:
sharing various items such as dishes, clothes, towels, toothbrushes, etc.;
direct bodily contact with an infectious person, these are kisses;
close contact, as well as sneezing and coughing, since the virus has an airborne transmission route.
The pathogen is equally dangerous for all people. On the lips of men, herpes pops up as well as in women and children.
Re-infection usually takes place in the same ways. Due to the fact that in this case the body has already met with this virus and it already has a clear mechanism for active resistance, an exacerbation of a new penetration of HSV may not occur. Even if rashes can appear on the lips, the disease will be much easier and faster. However, you need to know that the body does not fully develop protective properties for herpes viruses, so there remains a high probability of re-infection with herpes on the lips.
RECURRENCE OF HERPES ON THE LIPS
If the immune system fails, herpes can come out easily and systematically in the form of a relapse, which is why a cold appears on the lips. The weakening of immunity itself usually occurs for completely different reasons:
there is no regular, in sufficient quantity, intake of vitamins into the human body that protect us and maintain immunity. In particular vitamin E, vitamin C, which are considered typical antioxidants;
hypothermia of the body threatens a person, causing the development of various pathologies, including herpes on the lips;
overheating has a rather powerful adverse effect on the body. An extremely dangerous result of overheating is dehydration;
strict diets, when there is a refusal of food, which may contain minerals that are very important for the human body;
with emotional stress, the state of the nervous system worsens, which causes reduced immunity;
with physical exhaustion, changes in the immune organs occur due to an increase in lymphoid tissue, the active functioning of lymphoid structures;
a cold may appear on the lip due to poisoning, which leads to a decrease in immunity due to a lack of fluid in the body and nutrients;
frequent viral, colds; rather persistent purulent skin lesions; swollen lymph nodes; respiratory diseases; sinus diseases; frequent sore throats;
poor healing of various ulcers and wounds.
SEASONAL FEATURES OF THE MANIFESTATION OF HERPES ON THE LIP
Very often, herpes on the lips occurs in cold climates, usually during the winter seasons. The opinion of many people that a cold on the lips can pop up due to low temperatures and weather conditions has been rightly noted to some extent.
But not always the virus that spills out in the form of herpes on the lips is associated with the winter cold. After all, in winter there are other reasons for the activation of the virus:
increased incidence of influenza;
ARVI and acute respiratory infections are quite often observed;
there is a lack of fresh air;
low content in the menu of fresh vegetables and fruits;
fresh berries are almost absent in the diet;
often affects the immobility of a person.
Literally any of these reasons can be a trigger for the activation of the virus, which is why herpes appears on the lips. A significant increase in the frequency of possible relapses is often observed at any other time of the year. The main reason for the appearance of herpes remains low immunity in the human body of any gender and age.
Very often, exacerbations of the disease occur in early spring due to a large lack of vitamins in the body. Some of the main vitamins for the immune system are:
vitamin C – destroys bacteria and viruses in the blood, stimulates the production of antibodies, cell function, helps the body fight infections (oranges, lemons, bell peppers, garlic, potatoes, onions, cabbage, black currants, sea buckthorn, strawberries);
vitamin E – a typical antioxidant, effective in protecting the skin, helps to treat ulcers, wounds and various infectious diseases (sunflower, linseed, corn oil; almonds, peanuts, walnuts, beans, peas, cabbage, buckwheat, bread, dairy products);
vitamin B9 – creates the power of immunity in the body (raspberry leaves, linden leaves, birch buds, mint, nettle leaves, beets, carrots, cucumbers, pumpkins, bananas, apricots, meat, liver, eggs, dairy products, fish).
A serious burden on the immune system can be affected by many allergy sufferers, who begin to suffer greatly from all sorts of irritating factors. The herpes virus, respectively, can immediately take advantage of this.
Despite the fact that the herpes simplex virus type 1 contributes to the cause of herpetic manifestation in the form of a rash on the lips, herpes lesions of the lips can also occur due to a virus that is usually localized on the genitals.
So, summing up, it is necessary to remember that a cold on the lips can jump up to one degree or another during seasonal exacerbations. In addition, it should be noted that frequent herpes can come out with constant failures in the immune system, so do not neglect a healthy lifestyle.