Cold sores are simply a huge interruption to your life.

They are painful, hideous blisters that commonly appear on the edge of the lip or nose. However, they can occur any place where the herpes simplex virus can penetrate through a crack in the skin.

Specifically, the herpes simplex virus (type 1 or 2) is responsible for all cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes blisters during the process of creating new virus offspring. Both types of herpes virus cause identical wounds.

Each family - or invading group - of herpes simplex virus will claim a nerve fiber nearest its entry site as its lifetime home. This virus will create all cold sores at the same place every time - at the surface end of its chosen nerve.

Most of the time the virus is dormant and hiding in the root cells of the chosen nerve. When it senses the right conditions, it will wiggle to the surface and enter the individual nerve cells there.

This herpes virus cannot reproduce like bacteria can. The cells have to create the virus from scratch. To do this, it forces the cells it enters to become virus-creating factories. That is why I refer to them as parasites.

When the cell becomes full, or exhausted, the virus destroys the cell to release new virus particles. This massive cell destruction causes the open, gaping cold sore wound.

Cold sores are extremely painful because the herpes virus builds these blisters on the end of the nerves.

The herpes virus does not jump through the air, but it is very contagious. You are contagious to others from the first tingling of the target area until the healing redness is totally gone.

Cold sores can happen anywhere on your body. You will see them on fingers, arms and cheeks. Victims report these cold sores to be MUCH more painful than the lip or nose variety.

And, cold sores in the eyes will cause damage to the cornea.

Please use extreme caution when your cold sores are active. Normally either kissing or contaminated fingers spread cold sores. Most children catch the virus from loving relatives before they are ten.

You may be surprised to know that over 90% of the world population - ten years or more - carry the herpes virus. Some don't, but the majority of these people get at least one cold sore, fever blister or oral herpes outbreak each year.

One really good piece of news is that all the damage occurs on the surface of your skin, where you can get at it and treat it. It does not travel or cause damage within your body as far as we know today.

Your immune system creates anti-bodies - targeted soldiers - which attack the cold sore virus. These soldiers also help discourage the virus from becoming active. These defenses weaken, however, when there is stress in another part of your body.

Stress often produces the "right conditions" for the herpes virus to become active. Besides affecting your immune system, stress lowers your pH balance into the acid zone. Low pH makes your body open to many disease attacks.

The good news - there are many cold sore treatment options that have been discovered in recent years.

Now, it is important to note that your body can cure cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes without any extra assistance from you. But, your body will take twice as long to do the healing by itself. It is best if you help.

Your best bet for healing and beating cold sore attacks still are the natural home cold sore treatment remedies.

Medical science has come up with anti-viral medicine. But, as quickly as they are developed, the virus becomes immune to it. Very similar to the story of antibiotics. And, of course, liver and kidney damage is always a concern.

Some of the most proven cold sore treatment methods include lysine (internal remedy), zinc (internal and external), garlic (internal and external) and continuous cleansing with peroxide.

Applying ice at the very first sign of impending cold sores is very comforting and will delay, or prevent, the cold sore. After the sore opens up, your best bet is to apply heat in the form of hot tea bags.

Cold sores, fever blisters and oral herpes can really affect your social life. They are painful and persistent. But understanding herpes gives you a great advantage in reducing its effect on your life.

Fact is many people have developed their personal cold sore treatment recipe and have eliminated cold sores from their lives totally. You can too.