Will sweating irritate and make cold sores worse?

jenniator
jenniator Posts: 475 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone,

Unfortunately this morning I woke up with a HUGE cold sore on my lip and it's already got really swollen. I am taking some valacyclovir to help make the healing process faster. I really want to go to the gym and work out. But last time I exercised with a cold sore when I was taking valacyclovir, it wasn't healing and it got worse. It sucks being motivated and not being able to go. I work out hard on the elliptical and I'm constantly sweating every second. So I was wondering if the sweat could be making it worse. Does anyone know if sweat makes cold sores worse or was it just a coincidence? Also I'm always getting cold sores every few months. Not small ones, but always huge and out of control cold sores. So if anyone has any advice, I would love some tips! All I know that helps is to use valacyclovir and put the cold sore liquid medicine on the lip.

Replies

  • MelissaLimeKiwi
    MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
    I also take valycyclovir (sp?) for cold sores. I take really high doses and within 2-3 days it's gone. It is caused by stress so I can see how working out could make it worse. Maybe just take one day off? I just had one and took that day off and the third day off.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    edited March 2016
    spcmartinm wrote: »
    I also take valycyclovir (sp?) for cold sores. I take really high doses and within 2-3 days it's gone. It is caused by stress so I can see how working out could make it worse. Maybe just take one day off? I just had one and took that day off and the third day off.

    The doctor prescribed me 500mg of valycyclovir. I need to take 2 pills three times a day for like a week I think. I'm not sure if it's a huge dose or not. But even with the medicine, it always takes me a week or week in a half to get rid of my cold sores :( My cold sore is still pretty bad and it hurts a lot today, so I will have to take another day off which sucks. I will see if tomorrow is any better. It's strange since I haven't been stressed out, upset, exposed to sun, ect. So I'm not sure why it came, but most of the time it comes without any of those symptoms. I always heard exercise relieves stress and helps boost your immune system. Can exercise stress out the body too much maybe and that could result in me getting a cold sore? I do go on the elliptical for 60 to 90 minutes 5 days a week, so maybe it could be a strenuous exercise that causes stress on my body?
  • MTDDS18
    MTDDS18 Posts: 62 Member
    Things like stress and UV light can bring out a cold sore/make it worse. Exercise is considered a form a stress, so that it probably causing your symptoms.

    You could try and do something a little less intensity, like walking for a few days until your cold sore resolves
  • AliciaBerries
    AliciaBerries Posts: 52 Member
    I haven't had a cold sore in over a year since I started taking lysine every day. I know that doesn't help right now but might be something to think about.
  • Carnhot
    Carnhot Posts: 367 Member
    I read this as swearing and wondered if you were burning your mouth with the power of your profanities.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    For me, it's canker sores, not cold sores, which are different. 500 mg lysine per day as a preventive measure. I up x2 or x3 when one starts to emerge, like if I bite my younger or similar.

    I have no idea about the sweating. Try dabbing the sore with a clean damp washcloth immediately after exercise.
  • _MissBrie
    _MissBrie Posts: 114 Member
    60-90 minutes is quite a bit of cardio! Try doing 30 min, that's really all you need especially if it is strenuous. Are you able to lift weights? That will help tremendously in losing weight! That much cardio is definitely going to put some stress on your body, and will actually prevent weight loss from happening...and make sure you are eating plenty and drinking A LOT of water!
    Take ibuprofen and ice it to help with the swelling and healing, and keep it protected with a thin layer of vaseline. Mine always go away in a couple days when I do that
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    MTDDS18 wrote: »
    Things like stress and UV light can bring out a cold sore/make it worse. Exercise is considered a form a stress, so that it probably causing your symptoms.

    You could try and do something a little less intensity, like walking for a few days until your cold sore resolves

    I haven't been stressing out and in the Netherlands, there practically is no sun ever ha ha. That's strange that exercise is considered a form of stress. That makes sense that if could cause the outbreak. That really does suck :( I have been walking the dogs 30 minutes, which isn't too long, but at least it's something! I just hate being out in public with the huge cold sore and it's been pretty cold here.
  • jenniator
    jenniator Posts: 475 Member
    WomynBearPig wrote: »
    I haven't had a cold sore in over a year since I started taking lysine every day. I know that doesn't help right now but might be something to think about.

    I never heard of Lysine, but I'm going to check it out! Especially since I get cold sores so often. Thank you :)
  • enlanger
    enlanger Posts: 1 Member
    edited October 2023
    Hi there! This is very very belated but I hope it finds you because I've been battling cold sores since my early twenties and just started to get the hang of it. Though you've listed all the most googled responses that arise from cold sores I've noticed two other ones that are nearly always present: my period or a dramatic change in season. These are huge hormone and atmospheric changes that can throw your body out of whack and elicit a stress response like the cold sore outbreak. Since I got better at managing my stress, I've managed to cut down the healing time.
    About the healing time! I'm sure you know that there's no quick fix but I've gotten better at making the time from initial feeling to totally healed go down significantly.
    First off, I take 2 lisene tablets every 12 hours when I feel one coming on, in addition to my antiviral medication that my dentist prescribed.
    Secondly, and the right combination is something I'm constantly playing with, I use two different topical treatments. One is Lipclear Lysine. It's relatively inexpensive, inconspicuous, and easy to apply. This one helps the healing process and keeps the spread down. It soothes the lip to keep redness down and helps keep the ugly scabbing period as short as possible. The other, which is crucial especially it sounds like for you, is campho phenique, a drying topical ointment. I put it on IMMEDIATELY when I feel the tingle or start to scratch at my lip. It keeps the blister down and usually dries it out completely if I apply it regularly enough and soon enough. Since the most contagious part of the cold sore is when it pops or when it's in blister form, keeping this down will help stop it from spreading into other sores on your lip or popping up once you think you're in the clear. Use this and it will DRAMATICALLY cut your healing time from beginning to end.
    Other stray things I've noticed that may help: I apply all this stuff with a qtip and NEVER touch my lip or my face (at least as much as possible). I wash my hands as much as possible. And while I think exercise is something that's great as a part of your life, the habits that come during a work out may be detrimental to a quick healing process. Like constantly wiping your upper lip because of sweat, dabbing your face and potentially spreading more of the virus to other parts of your face, etc. can all contribute to a prolonged outbreak.
    When you think you're done, definitely don't stop the lisene treatment, either topical or tablets. Both will keep another outbreak from coming too soon! Additionally, make sure to change toothbrush heads, hand towels and body towels, pillowcases, dishes, and anything else that regularly comes in contact with your face once you're through with an outbreak.

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