Herpes Simplex Infections are simply cold sores that can be seen mostly on the lips and around the mouth.
Even though the lips are most commonly affected by the virus, outbreaks can also spread to other body parts. This is possible because the herpes simplex virus is fairly contagious.
There are two different herpes simplex viruses. More specifically, there are herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). HSV-1 is the virus causing cold sore outbreaks. Again, those are mostly around the mouth area, but the virus can also spread to the eyes.
The sores that result from this virus can be quite painful, and at times they may be accompanied by fever, which makes it even more uncomfortable to have.
In order not to spread the virus even further, please keep in mind that the virus can be passed on even when the cold sore is not physically present. Also try to always strengthen your immune system, because it will help against old sores.
This is important, because you might have noticed that cold sore outbreaks often occur when you are particularly stressed or off-balance. This is also a time when the immune system is especially weak.
In terms of treatments, there is no shortage of options. You will be the best person to judge how you want to go about it. Of course, if the duration or the pain is too much for you to handle, consulting a doctor would probably be the best decision.
With that being said, if the outbreaks are rare and you feel okay about them, you might not even want to do anything, but just let them heal naturally.
Should you wish to attack the cold sores, over the counter medication is also available and so are home remedies. Just simply choose what matches your personal needs.
2011年10月13日星期四
2011年9月29日星期四
Opera singer performs despite his illness
There was an audible groan through the audience at Wednesday night’s performance of Iphigenia in Tauris when it was announced that baritone Russell Braun had a cold.
But the Canadian Opera Company audience was quickly elated — and some clapped with joy — when they learned Braun was going to perform anyway.
A cold can do serious damage to a singer’s vocal chords, Braun says in an interview from his Georgetown home Thursday, so he was cautious about performing when he felt ill.
The 46-year-old performer, who has only once withdrawn from a performance due to ill health, first noticed he was getting a sore throat on Monday night after being asked to sing “O Canada” at his son’s sporting event.
“I’ve been around a lot of colds with the kids back at school and at the opera too,” says Braun, adding he set out immediately on Tuesday morning to fight the cold with everything that he had.
Vitamin C, Cold FX, Echinacea and oil of oregano are Braun’s standard cold treatments. A few years ago the family built a steam room in the basement and, while it seemed a luxury at the time, Braun says it comes in handy to fight congestion.
“Fifteen years ago, 10 years ago, I would have panicked,” says Braun, but he knows all sorts of tricks to stave off a cold and protect his voice in a production.
Admitting it’s a double-edged sword to announce that a performer has a cold — it sets people up to expect something inferior and then they wonder what all the fuss was about — Braun decided it was the proper way to acknowledge to those who know his voice well that he wasn’t in top form.
The role of Orestes is emotionally and physically taxing, says Braun, and throughout the opera’s run which began Sept. 22 he’s learned not to overexert his voice in the explosive opening.
Even when healthy, he says: “I always feel incredibly drained after this opera.”
He’s resting and drinking lots of fluids and hoping he’ll be much better on Saturday afternoon for the next show.
But the Canadian Opera Company audience was quickly elated — and some clapped with joy — when they learned Braun was going to perform anyway.
A cold can do serious damage to a singer’s vocal chords, Braun says in an interview from his Georgetown home Thursday, so he was cautious about performing when he felt ill.
The 46-year-old performer, who has only once withdrawn from a performance due to ill health, first noticed he was getting a sore throat on Monday night after being asked to sing “O Canada” at his son’s sporting event.
“I’ve been around a lot of colds with the kids back at school and at the opera too,” says Braun, adding he set out immediately on Tuesday morning to fight the cold with everything that he had.
Vitamin C, Cold FX, Echinacea and oil of oregano are Braun’s standard cold treatments. A few years ago the family built a steam room in the basement and, while it seemed a luxury at the time, Braun says it comes in handy to fight congestion.
“Fifteen years ago, 10 years ago, I would have panicked,” says Braun, but he knows all sorts of tricks to stave off a cold and protect his voice in a production.
Admitting it’s a double-edged sword to announce that a performer has a cold — it sets people up to expect something inferior and then they wonder what all the fuss was about — Braun decided it was the proper way to acknowledge to those who know his voice well that he wasn’t in top form.
The role of Orestes is emotionally and physically taxing, says Braun, and throughout the opera’s run which began Sept. 22 he’s learned not to overexert his voice in the explosive opening.
Even when healthy, he says: “I always feel incredibly drained after this opera.”
He’s resting and drinking lots of fluids and hoping he’ll be much better on Saturday afternoon for the next show.
2011年5月25日星期三
Vet says horse owners only need to play it safe
On the heels of the cancellation of last weekend’s Little Britches (and parade) and Rough Stock rodeos and the Outriders Gymkhana, Dr. Gordon Laity of the Lakeland Veterinary Clinic in 100 Mile House held an information seminar on Saturday (May 21) morning.
Organizers cancelled the events as a precautionary measure, following the news of an outbreak of Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 (nEHV-1) traced back to a National Cutting Horse Association event in Ogden, Utah, April 30-May 8. They ruled on the side of caution because all strains of the disease are highly contagious.
Dr. Laity told the six people who gathered on Saturday he wanted to calm any potential panic that might be occurring because people are reading and passing along blogs and reports on the Internet.
It’s not a new disease, as it has been around for a long time, he said, adding most horses have come in contact with it their first year of life.
Noting the equine herpes virus (EHV), or rhinovirus, is an extremely common virus and there have been numerous outbreaks in the past, he explained that once a horse is infected, it always carries the disease.
“So they may have the virus at any age down the road, particularly if they are stressed, and they may even suffer from the disease again that they got infected with a long time ago.”
Dr. Laity noted it’s much like cold sores in people, which is also herpes virus.
He added there are two main strains of herpes virus, with strain 4 causing cold-like symptoms, resulting in a fever, a “snotty nose,” and lack of appetite.
Strain 1, he said, has the cold-like and respiratory disease symptoms, but can also cause abortions in pregnant mares and, in some rare cases, cause neurological (brain and spinal cord) disease.
There is no risk to human health, Dr. Laity stressed.
Noting this recent outbreak is particularly virulent, he said vaccination is not effective for the neurological strain of EHV, so there is no point for people rushing out to vaccinate their horses.
The main way to prevent the spread of infection is to isolate new horses arriving at a facility, he said, adding isolation for a two- to three-week period is a good practice in general.
Isolation is also important if a horse is showing symptoms because the air-borne disease is spread from an infected horse to other horses through nasal secretions.
It can also be transmitted indirectly by people caring for the horses (clothes and gloves) and the equipment (stalls, trailers, brushes and tack) they use.
“Changing your clothes and disinfecting any instruments after handling a sick horse would be a good idea,” he said, adding handlers should wash their hands with soap and water frequently.
Responding to questions, Dr. Laity said he didn’t think it would be risky riding horses in the South Cariboo now, as the risk is the same as it always was.
Because some equine events have been taking the temperatures of the horses before letting them compete, he said higher temperature is often the first sign. Anything over 38.5 C is considered a high temperature, he said, but owners should consider the environment the horse has been in, such as running around in the heat.
He added it wouldn’t be a bad idea for owners to take temperatures if they wanted to monitor their horses for signs of the disease.
If a horse is showing EHV symptoms, Dr. Laity said the first step would be to isolate it (28 days is recommended) and let it run its course.
As for preventive measures, he added keeping the horse’s stress level down should stop any latent disease from resurfacing.
He noted the horses at the Utah event were likely hauled in trailers, which makes them susceptible to many diseases, and is very stressful on the animals. This long-distance travelling, combined with being in close quarters with a lot of strange horses and the competition, he added, can be a recipe for EHV to spread quickly.
However, Dr. Laity said this isn’t what a horse, which hasn’t had a stressful moment for the past six months in a South Cariboo back yard, is likely experiencing.
“So, I don’t think I would be particularly concerned about this rhino outbreak. Just play it safe.”
Organizers cancelled the events as a precautionary measure, following the news of an outbreak of Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 (nEHV-1) traced back to a National Cutting Horse Association event in Ogden, Utah, April 30-May 8. They ruled on the side of caution because all strains of the disease are highly contagious.
Dr. Laity told the six people who gathered on Saturday he wanted to calm any potential panic that might be occurring because people are reading and passing along blogs and reports on the Internet.
It’s not a new disease, as it has been around for a long time, he said, adding most horses have come in contact with it their first year of life.
Noting the equine herpes virus (EHV), or rhinovirus, is an extremely common virus and there have been numerous outbreaks in the past, he explained that once a horse is infected, it always carries the disease.
“So they may have the virus at any age down the road, particularly if they are stressed, and they may even suffer from the disease again that they got infected with a long time ago.”
Dr. Laity noted it’s much like cold sores in people, which is also herpes virus.
He added there are two main strains of herpes virus, with strain 4 causing cold-like symptoms, resulting in a fever, a “snotty nose,” and lack of appetite.
Strain 1, he said, has the cold-like and respiratory disease symptoms, but can also cause abortions in pregnant mares and, in some rare cases, cause neurological (brain and spinal cord) disease.
There is no risk to human health, Dr. Laity stressed.
Noting this recent outbreak is particularly virulent, he said vaccination is not effective for the neurological strain of EHV, so there is no point for people rushing out to vaccinate their horses.
The main way to prevent the spread of infection is to isolate new horses arriving at a facility, he said, adding isolation for a two- to three-week period is a good practice in general.
Isolation is also important if a horse is showing symptoms because the air-borne disease is spread from an infected horse to other horses through nasal secretions.
It can also be transmitted indirectly by people caring for the horses (clothes and gloves) and the equipment (stalls, trailers, brushes and tack) they use.
“Changing your clothes and disinfecting any instruments after handling a sick horse would be a good idea,” he said, adding handlers should wash their hands with soap and water frequently.
Responding to questions, Dr. Laity said he didn’t think it would be risky riding horses in the South Cariboo now, as the risk is the same as it always was.
Because some equine events have been taking the temperatures of the horses before letting them compete, he said higher temperature is often the first sign. Anything over 38.5 C is considered a high temperature, he said, but owners should consider the environment the horse has been in, such as running around in the heat.
He added it wouldn’t be a bad idea for owners to take temperatures if they wanted to monitor their horses for signs of the disease.
If a horse is showing EHV symptoms, Dr. Laity said the first step would be to isolate it (28 days is recommended) and let it run its course.
As for preventive measures, he added keeping the horse’s stress level down should stop any latent disease from resurfacing.
He noted the horses at the Utah event were likely hauled in trailers, which makes them susceptible to many diseases, and is very stressful on the animals. This long-distance travelling, combined with being in close quarters with a lot of strange horses and the competition, he added, can be a recipe for EHV to spread quickly.
However, Dr. Laity said this isn’t what a horse, which hasn’t had a stressful moment for the past six months in a South Cariboo back yard, is likely experiencing.
“So, I don’t think I would be particularly concerned about this rhino outbreak. Just play it safe.”
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