The herpes simplex virus is a complex virus. Unlike other viruses, you may get when you get the flu, this particular type is difficult to eradicate. Once the HSV 1 or HSV 2 virus gets into the body, it buries itself deep within the nervous system. During most of its time there, it will lie dormant, not causing any type of symptoms and usually not doing any damage to the body.

Controlling Herpes

The herpes simplex virus is a complex virus. Unlike other viruses, you may get when you get the flu, this particular type is difficult to eradicate. Once the HSV 1 or HSV 2 virus gets into the body, it buries itself deep within the nervous system. During most of its time there, it will lie dormant, not causing any type of symptoms and usually not doing any damage to the body.

For many people, there will be instances when a herpes simplex virus outbreak occurs. For some reason, the herpes simplex virus reactivates and becomes active in the body again. This is when an outbreak may occur. For some people, outbreaks may occur on a regular basis, even every few months. For others, they occur very infrequently and so much so that they are easier to control.

There is no way for you to know when the herpes simplex virus will again reactivate within the body. It can be very frustrating, too, for you not to know when it happens. However, once you see some of the early warning signs of an onset of the outbreak, you can take action. These actions include taking medications that can slow or even stop the onset of the outbreak.

Medications are one of the best ways for you to overcome the difficulties of this outbreak. There are two main options available. For those with frequent outbreaks, doctors may recommend a dose of antiviral medications. These medications do have the ability to keep most outbreaks under control, however there are side effects and eventually the virus can learn to overcome the antiviral medications.

Another option that you have is to take episodic medications. These medications work at the onset of the herpes simplex virus outbreak. When you spot the early warning signs of an outbreak, take these medications. At that point, you will be able to provide your body with medications that can slow down, severely weaken or even kill the herpes virus before the outbreak takes hold. This will reduce the severity of the outbreak and in some cases may even stop it from occurring.

Everyone who has had cold sores knows the need to treat them quickly to avoid the pain and discomfort they cause.

Cold sores are caused by a virus known as the herpes simplex virus (HSV) which hides deep in the nerve roots. They are small, painful, fluid-filled blisters or sores that appear on the lips, mouth, or nose and usually last a few days. The body’s immune system normally has great difficulty in dealing with the virus which is why the sores often reoccur.

One should treat them quickly as they are very contagious. The virus can be passed from one person to another by kissing or close contact with the sores or contact with what appears to be normal skin that is shedding the virus. Saliva if infected is another way the virus can be transmitted to others. If you have a cold sore, contact with infants, anyone who has eczema or people with a suppressed immune system, i.e. people with cancer, AIDS or an organ transplant, should be avoided.

After a few days when the blisters have dried and crusted over, the risk of passing the infection to others is greatly reduced. However, someone with the virus, even if a cold sore is not visible, can pass on the virus to another person via saliva.

To treat cold sores early one should be aware of the symptoms. Some people get an early warning of an impending viral attack. Typically this involves a burning or tingling sensation, called the prodrome, from a few hours or a few days prior to the appearance of the blisters. The area of the lips, mouth or nose may become reddened and develop small fluid filled blisters. Sometimes small blisters may come together to form a larger blister.

When they reoccur, the blisters dry up more quickly but leave scabs that typically last from a day to several days. When people have weak immune systems, medical care should be sought to treat the cold sores early to avoid complications.

Steps can be taken to try and guard against cold sores and prevent them from spreading to other parts of ones body or being passed on to others. The following suggestions should be applied.

- Avoid kissing and skin contact with people while blisters are present; the virus can spread easily as long as there are moist secretions from your blisters.

- Keep your hands clean; wash your hands often, especially after touching an infected area.

- Avoid sharing items; cups, plates cutlery etc. should not be shared with others.

- Be careful about touching other parts of your body; eyes and genital area are particularly susceptible.

- Avoid triggers; avoid or prevent conditions that stress your body, such as colds and flu, lack of sleep and anxiety. - Use a sunblock; apply a sunblock to your lips and face before exposure to the sun.

Remember to act quickly to treat cold sores and minimise the discomfort they cause. There are many treatments available across the counter or from your family doctor, to treat them, producing various results, but now there are extremely effective and fast acting natural treatments available that allow you to treat cold sores quickly and eliminate them forever. If you suffer from unsightly cold sores then you may want to investigate these natural treatments which so many people are now raving about.

Horrible doctor handwriting is a long-standing joke. For whatever reason, it seems like one of the requirements to practice medicine is to have inscrutable penmanship. But while it may seem like a strange joke, unreadable physician handwriting is no laughing matter. It can result in any of a number of possible errors, from a misfilled prescription to misunderstood directions to unreadable medical instructions on a patient chart. If a doctor’s handwriting isn’t legible, the chances for a hospital or pharmaceutical error go up, putting you at risk.

A Well-Known Error

Errors due to unreadable handwriting are more common than you might think. While some errors are easily correctable, others can have serious implications. In one well-known case, a cardiologist wrote a prescription for a man who was suffering from heart pains. Because the pharmacist couldn’t read the doctor’s handwriting, the prescription wasn’t filled as it should have been. The patient was supposed to take drugs for his chest pains once every six hours. But because the pharmacy had filled the prescription with a completely different drug. Because he wasn’t taking the right drug, the man suffered from a heart attack and died.

While the family of the man was able to sue the doctor for medical malpractice, the money didn’t bring back their deceased loved one. The case became a rallying point for reformers pushing for more responsible prescription writing.

The Digital Movement

Many across the health care industry are calling for a digital reform. They say that the tradition of handwritten prescriptions is anachronistic in today’s digital world, and that it leads to tragically preventable errors. A systemic shift is needed in order to bring patients the level of care they deserve. Some believe that illegible prescriptions are the single largest preventable cause of malpractice, as such a simple, correctable problem causes potentially catastrophic results.

The reformers suggest that it is the patient’s right to expect - and to demand - a legible prescription. They recommend that you refuse any prescription you have misgivings about, regardless of the doctor’s reaction. After all, it is your medication, and your health. Even if only 20% of patients began demanding legible prescriptions, it might cause doctors to rethink the system that is in place.

If you have any questions about medical malpractice law, or would like to learn about how to prevent doctor error, visit the Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams today.