What herpes looks like, everyone knows. According to statistics, carriers of this virus are from 70 to 80% of the adult population. This is because it is very easy to get infected with herpes, but getting rid of it is unrealistic. The virus infects the nerve endings and thus "hides" from the immune system, and the danger of infection still remains, even if the manifestations of the disease are invisible to the eye. In the active phase, herpes usually pops up on the nose. Crusted ulcers are the hallmark of the disease.
Infection routes
You can get infected with the herpes virus in several ways:
- It is transmitted by airborne droplets by coughing and sneezing, when saliva infected with the virus enters the respiratory tract of another person. It's just that when talking, herpes cannot get on the mucous membranes of another person. But this is quite possible when using common utensils, towels and other items.
- Another way to "pick up" the disease is close contacts and exchange of fluids during kissing, intimate communication.
- A baby can get herpes when passing through the mother's birth canal.
- The virus can enter the body during medical procedures performed with non-sterile instruments.
The disease spreads especially easily in the active stage, so if a person who is nearby has herpes on the nose, you must take precautions to help avoid infection:
- do not use shared utensils;
- do not touch his face;
- wipe the phone, door handles, etc with an antiseptic;
- turn away if a person coughs or sneezes;
- wash and antiseptic hands after contact with an infected person.
This may not completely protect against the virus, but its chances of entering your body are drastically reduced. It is worth observing these measures, even if you are already a carrier of herpes, since the virus has several different forms and you can "catch" another one.
Symptoms and Causes
With the initial infection, the patient's condition is very similar to that of a cold or flu. He feels weakness, dizziness, muscle or joint pain. Body temperature is often understood, appetite decreases, and a broken state appears. Herpes can be suspected by the complete absence of other signs of a respiratory illness: runny nose, cough, sore throat.
After a few hours, a maximum of 1-2 days, external signs of herpes appear. On the nose, upper lip, and sometimes on the genitals, severe itching, burning and other unpleasant sensations appear. They are caused by the influence of the virus on the nerve endings, which it tries to "disconnect" from the body in order to become invisible to it.
When the virus succeeds, the discomfort stops, and in these places, multiple small bubbles are formed, filled with a transparent liquid containing a huge amount of the virus. If you comb them with your hands, then it is easy to transfer the disease to other parts of the body. After 1-2 days, the bubbles burst on their own, and a shallow wet sore remains in their place. Gradually, it dries up, becomes covered with a crust and heals, after which the virus goes into a "dormant" state.
Re-activating the virus and provoking the appearance of herpes on the nose can be the reasons that weaken the immune system, which suppresses it in a healthy person:
- chronic lack of sleep;
- constant stress;
- colds, hypothermia;
- another viral disease;
- the transferred operation;
- serious injury.
Long-term use of antibacterial drugs can also weaken the immune defense, especially when they are used without medical supervision.
Traditional methods of treatment
There are a lot of folk methods on how to quickly cure herpes. Some of them are really very effective, others are openly questionable. Moreover, with the advent of the Internet, the number of recipes for how to treat herpes sores on the nose has grown rapidly and it is not easy to navigate them. Below are only those that will not harm and guarantee quick healing at home:
- Essential oils. Some of them have powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and are destructive for most pathogenic microorganisms, including viruses. Clove, eucalyptus, rosemary, juniper, cedar, tea tree oil help well. Apply a small amount to a cotton swab and lubricate the sore. Repeat up to 5-6 times a day.
Garlic juice. It is also an excellent natural antibiotic. It can be used alone or mixed with pine or sea buckthorn oil. It should be applied with a cotton swab on the wound itself and 1-1.5 cm of the skin around it to avoid further infection.- Earwax. Indeed, it has an excellent drying effect, promotes the rapid formation of crusts and tightens the wound. But it contains exfoliated epithelial cells, particles of dust and dirt. Therefore, it is better to still use the pharmacy option - sulfuric ointment. Moreover, its cost is low.
- Ice cubes. It is better to prepare them from decoctions of medicinal herbs: chamomile, calendula, celandine, St. John's wort, elecampane. They relieve inflammation, promote active cell regeneration, and have antiseptic properties. Pour a tablespoon of the selected plant with a glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes over low heat, when it cools down, strain and pour into molds. Apply an ice cube to the wound several times a day.
- Alcohol tinctures. Used to lubricate herpes sores. Alcohol is an excellent antiseptic, and plants provide an additional healing effect. The only problem is that it will take 10-14 days to prepare such a product. Therefore, you will have to buy a tincture at the pharmacy or do it in advance if you know that you are already infected with herpes. Pour a tablespoon of calendula flowers, birch buds, anise seeds, pine shoots (choose one!) Or 15 mg of propolis, pour a glass of pure alcohol. Insist in a dark, dry place for at least 10 days.
Garlic juice. It is also an excellent natural antibiotic. It can be used alone or mixed with pine or sea buckthorn oil. It should be applied with a cotton swab on the wound itself and 1-1.5 cm of the skin around it to avoid further infection.Among other, relatively harmless, but extremely dubious in terms of results, alternative methods of treatment, the most popular remain: valocordin, burnt paper and a silver spoon. Valocordin is proposed to lubricate the wounds 2-3 times a day. It does contain essential oils and alcohol, albeit diluted. Therefore, the effect will be, but not as fast as from moxibustion with pure oil.
When the paper is set on fire, it releases mineral compounds that remain on the plate in the form of a brownish liquid. It is proposed to apply it to the wounds. But the concentration of nutrients is not too high, so you should not expect a quick result.
A silver spoon is recommended to be dipped in boiling water and applied to the wound. The only thing that can be obtained in this way is a burn. Silver will not penetrate into the body in this way. And the burned sore will take even longer to heal.
Pharmacy preparations
When a child or a pregnant woman has at the first manifestations of herpes on the nose, treatment with specially designed pharmaceutical preparations should be started immediately. Moreover, now there are already a lot of such drugs and they are sold without a prescription.
The fact is that the herpes virus in the early stages of pregnancy can penetrate the nervous system of the fetus and lead to defects in its development. And at a later date, cause a spontaneous abortion.
In the child's body, in the absence of active treatment and weakened immunity, herpes feels great, develops quickly and can lead to damage to the optic nerve, meninges and other complications.
So do not consider herpes on the nose as a harmless sore. This is a rather insidious disease that manifests itself at the most inopportune moments. Therefore, before treating it, it is better to consult an immunologist. He usually recommends a whole combination of drugs:
Antiherpes drugs: tablets and / or ointments, depending on the stage of the disease. It makes sense to take pills only on the first day or two from the moment the first discomfort occurs. Then, in most cases, it is even possible to prevent the appearance of sores. And the ointment is used to kill the virus on the surface of the ulcers.- Drying agents. It can be zinc or sulfuric ointment, balms "Doctor Mom" or "Rescuer", the same essential oils that are described above. They contribute to the early formation of crusts, relieve inflammation of nearby tissues, but do not affect the virus itself.
- Immune system stimulants. These drugs activate the body's defenses, making the treatment of herpes on the nose much faster. It is the immunity that is able to transfer the disease into an inactive form and eliminate its external manifestations.
Antiherpes drugs: tablets and / or ointments, depending on the stage of the disease. It makes sense to take pills only on the first day or two from the moment the first discomfort occurs. Then, in most cases, it is even possible to prevent the appearance of sores. And the ointment is used to kill the virus on the surface of the ulcers.This approach allows you to cope with the external signs of the disease within a few days. And modern medicine is not yet capable of curing it completely.
Herpes prevention
If you are already a carrier of the virus, and you have a herpes on the nose several times a year, it is very important to make every effort to maintain and strengthen the immune system. This can be achieved by the following measures:
complete rejection of bad habits: smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs - this is a constant intoxication of the body;- a varied, nutritious diet rich in vital vitamins, minerals and trace elements;
- a positive attitude towards life - helps to cope with stressful situations faster and easier;
- comfortable bed and high-quality bedding - ensure a good healthy sleep;
- physical exercises and tempering procedures - strengthens the entire body, including the immune system.
complete rejection of bad habits: smoking, alcohol abuse, drugs - this is a constant intoxication of the body;Better yet, always keep on hand high-quality antiherpes drugs: "Zovirax", "Acyclovir", "Gerpevir" and others, in order to quickly and effectively fight herpes at the first symptoms of its re-activation.
