Cold Sore Symptoms - Coping With Cold Sores

Cold sore symptoms are quite easy to identify and generally follow the same pattern for everyone. Cold sores develop in stages. Each stage will have specific cold sore symptoms, which you will quickly see.

When you are first infected with the cold sore virus, you will get a specific set of cold sore symptoms that generally only occur this one time. You will experience any combination of fever, headache, swollen glands under the jaw, and sore throat.

Your symptoms at this point will range from quite mild to severe. It is common to feel that you have caught the flu or a cold. They usually begin about 14 days after first infection and lasts about three to four days. Quite often you do not get a cold sore this first time.

FACTOID: Cold sore symptoms only occur by the replication activity of the herpes simplex virus. 89% of the human population carry this virus. For a large part of your life, the herpes virus hides in the cells of your nerve ganglia behind your ear.

You will not have any cold sore symptoms when the herpes virus is inactive. In about 36%, the virus NEVER becomes active. With the rest of us, we will average one cold sore every 9.1 months.

It is not uncommon for many folks to get four to six cold sores per year. Ouch.

Your cold sore symptoms of the first stage of an outbreak is a combination of itching, burning, tingling and a dry feeling at the site of the future cold sore. Symptoms, at this point, are often so mild you may not notice them.

These symptoms tell you that a cold sore could be a few hours to two days away.

The next phase of your cold sore symptoms begin with swelling of the area. Small, red pimple like bumps appear. These can be quite painful to the touch. You may feel like you are coming down with the flu. Your symptoms could include slight fever, headaches, tiredness, and the start of some swelling in your lymph glands.

Next, your little bumps swell, burst and come together causing one or two large open ulcer-like sores. You will find these quite painful as the sore is created on the end of a nerve. You will probably experience a runny nose and fever-induced headaches.

You will experience enlarged and painful lymph glands under the jaw. A highly contagious, clear fluid, loaded with new virus, will weep from the sore. At this point you can easily cause someone else to become infected - or infect another site on yourself.

Within a couple days a yellowish scab will form - beginning the healing process. You will find it still painful to touch it. Your scab can crack when you move your mouth causing a lot of pain. Your fever, headaches and swollen glands should be letting up now. Your cold sore will continue to itch as healing takes place.

Your scab will last up to a week. When it falls off, you will see new skin. Healing will still be taking place below this skin for one to two more weeks. Your cold sore symptoms now are continued itching and redness in the area. Your headache and fever should be done. Your swollen glands should be nearly back to normal.

You will find this final healing period can be quite frustrating. It seems to drag on forever. Also, while it is still healing, you could easily get your cold sore right back. You can prevent this by continued caution and use of your best cold sore remedy plan.

Sorry - there is so much more you should know that can prevent cold sores in your life, but I have run out of space right now. Please heed the following caution.

Cold sores can be spread quite easily to others or to other locations on yourself. Please be cautious as the herpes virus is very contagious from the first tingle to the final disappearance of these cold sore symptoms.

Before you buy any cold sore remedy, be sure you check out Denny Bodoh's expert free articles on cold sores and some incredibly easy cold sore treatment tactics.