Male UltraCore Blog

Gaining weight is not favorable, especially for those who are already overweight and even those who have normal weight. But if you are under medications, there are instances when you will experience an inevitable side effect, such as if you are taking drugs for depression, blood sugar, migraine, and blood pressure. And one of the drugs to treat high blood pressure is beta-blockers.

Usually, these medications can make you gain weight, and some even make the condition worse. But then, gaining weight is not an indication that you need to stop taking your medication. Before doing this, you need to seek help from your doctor.

How Can Drugs Make You Gain Weight?

The main reason for gaining weight is not entirely attributed to one factor as there are many. And one of the reasons why you are gaining weight maybe because of the medications you are taking. These medications can affect your weight in many ways, such as by:

Increasing your appetite

Some medications, such as those for depression, can stimulate your appetite. Beta-blockers are not only used for treating high blood pressure, but they are also used in treating anxiety, which is prescribed off-label. If this happens, then you are compelled to eat more. If you don’t change your diet or if you don’t engage in physical activities, you will most likely gain weight.

Fluid retention

Some drugs can make your body hold more salt. This occurrence can lead to water to build up in your body. Sometimes, the main reason for gaining weight is not always due to increased fat storage. Instead, it is just water.

Increasing fat storage

Some drugs affect your fat storage. Sometimes, your body is stimulated to make tissues, such as fat cells, which typically results in weight gain.

Slowing your metabolism

Drugs like beta-blockers are known to slow down your body’s metabolism. If this happens, then you will most likely gain weight because the calories you burn are fewer as required. That is the reason why if you are taking beta-blockers, it is best to have a healthy diet and regular exercise to burn calories and prevent weight gain.

Difficulty exercise

Beta-blockers can make you feel dizzy, weak, and drowsy. This situation will make it hard for you to exercise. It will not make you feel like exercising. If you experience these symptoms, it can even be hard for you to get up and engage in physical activities. Sometimes, it will be hard for you to breath; that is why it can be harder for you to exercise. If this happens, then you burn fewer calories.

How Will You Know if Your Medication Makes You Gain Weight?

After taking beta-blockers, such as within six months from the time you started taking these drugs, you will notice that your pounds are increasing. The amount of weight gained may be different on each person, depending on various factors. Some gain about 10 pounds in a year, while others gain about 60 pounds in just six months.

If you did not change your diet, if you did not stop exercising, or if you don’t feel stressed as often, then maybe beta-blockers are to blame. To know this, you need to seek advice from your doctor.

What to do if You Are Gaining Weight

Beta-blockers are life-sustaining medications. Usually, these are prescribed to prevent further risks of heart attack or other heart-related problems. Although these drugs can make you gain weight, you are not advised to stop taking them right away.

You should consider talking to your doctor first. If you don’t want the effects of these drugs, your doctor may allow you to change medications. There might be an alternative drug that can address your condition without the side effect of weight gain.

Ask your doctor whether a certain drug can make you gain weight and discuss the possibility of changing medications. Meanwhile, you can adjust your physical activities and diet to compromise the weight you gain from taking beta-blockers.

Do Beta-blockers Make You Gain Weight?

Yes. One of the side effects of taking beta-blockers is weight gain. On average, you can gain around 2.6 pounds. But there are kinds of beta-blockers, such as carvedilol, which don’t make you gain weight. Although gaining weight is a common effect, this can stabilize weeks after.

You should remind your doctor not to prescribe beta-blockers that might make you gain weight. Usually, these drugs are only prescribed if the first alternative is not effective. This might also be prescribed if you are suffering from a certain heart problem, which might require you to take such a drug.

The exact reason for weight gain may not be pointed out by experts, but the main reason for this occurrence is due to its effects on your metabolism. As already mentioned, beta-blockers can slow your metabolism, which can make you burn fewer calories and make you gain weight.

Conclusion

Beta-blockers can treat various conditions, such as heart failure, glaucoma, anxiety, migraines, and high blood pressure. But the reason for weight gain as a side effect cannot be determined exactly. One thing that is pointed out is due to its effect on your metabolism. If you have a slow metabolism, chances are you will gain weight. But certain kinds of beta-blockers don’t make you gain weight. Weight gain is a usual effect if you take beta-blockers, but this can stabilize when your body already adjusts to these drugs.  

Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that is used as a prescription drug, either as generic drugs or as brand-name drugs, Toprol XL and Lopressor. Metoprolol comes as tablets, capsules, or injectable. This drug is used to treat various conditions such as heart failure, high blood pressure, and angina or chest pain. It is also used to prevent heart attacks.

How Metoprolol Works

High blood pressure usually happens when your blood vessels are tightened. This makes your heart strained, which makes your body demand more oxygen. Taking beta-blockers can prevent the adrenalin from associating with your body’s beta receptors in the heart and blood vessels.

If this happens, your blood vessels tend to relax, and your heart rate slows down, thereby reducing your heart’s plea for more oxygen. Consequently, your blood pressure decreases, and chest pain reduces.

Side Effects of Metoprolol

People taking metoprolol may experience diarrhea, tiredness, dizziness, constipation, bradycardia, breathing problems, rash, and reduced sex interest. These are just mild side effects of the drug. Sometimes, these symptoms go away after a few days or weeks.

Some people experience serious side effects such as low blood pressure, very slow heart rate, cold hands and feet, extreme fatigue, and serious depression. If these become severe, you should seek help from your doctor right away.

Drugs Causing Interactions with Metoprolol

Metoprolol might interact with other medications, herbs, or vitamins. This happens when a certain substance changes the way it should work. This can prevent the drug from being effective much worse, and it can be harmful to your entire well-being.

You need to know what medications, herbs, or vitamins that can cause interactions with metoprolol. Here are just a few lists of drugs that may interact with metoprolol:

• Mental health drugs

If you take metoprolol with mental health drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and reserpine, you may increase the effects of the former. It can cause a slower heart rate and lightheadedness. Examples of MAOIs are tranylcypromine, selegiline, phenelzine, and isocarboxazid.

• Heart rhythm drugs

Taking heart rhythm drugs such as digoxin, propafenone, and quinidine, can cause your heart rate to slow down.

• Calcium channel blockers

Since these drugs are also used in treating high blood pressure and various heart-related problems, combining these with metoprolol might be detrimental for your health. Calcium channel blockers might include verapamil, nisoldipine, nimodipine, nifedipine, nicardipine, isradipine, felodipine, diltiazem, and amlodipine.

• Drugs processed similarly with metoprolol

Your body processes metoprolol and drugs used in treating depression, anxiety, and other mood disturbances similarly. If you use these drugs such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, clomipramine, bupropion, desipramine, fluphenazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and thioridazine, it could increase the metoprolol levels in your body.

Drugs such as antihistamines, antifungal drugs, antimalarial drugs, antiretroviral ritonavir, and blood pressure drug can also increase the metoprolol levels in your body.

• Alpha-blockers

Alpha-blockers such as reserpine, clonidine, prazosin, and alpha-methyldopa can lower blood pressure. If these are combined with metoprolol, these can highly decrease your blood pressure. But if you stop taking these drugs abruptly, it can also cause a big increase in your blood pressure.

Effect of Caffeine While Taking Metoprolol

There are various types of beta-blockers. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that aids in treating heart failure, high blood pressure, and angina or chest pain and preventing heart attacks. Beta-blockers are made to have anti-anxiety effects that are the reason why it is sometimes used to treat anxiety, although one of its side effects is depression. 

But, if you drink coffee while taking metoprolol, it can reduce the anti-anxiety effects of the drug. And since caffeine, one of the active ingredients of coffee, is responsible for increased anxiety, it may not be advisable to drink coffee while taking the drug.

Caffeine may also interact with metoprolol, which can cause your blood pressure to increase. And metoprolol is typically used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. If you are fond of drinking coffee, ask for your doctor’s advice regarding the appropriate caffeine intake while using the drug. In general, you should avoid drinking or even eating foods rich in caffeine while taking beta-blockers.

Effect of Alcohol While Taking Metoprolol

If you are taking metoprolol, you are prohibited from drinking alcohol because it can decrease the effects of beta-blockers. Take note that beta-blockers might also be used to treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome. This drug can reduce alcohol withdrawal syndrome symptoms such as altered vital signs, agitation, and tremors.

Conclusion

Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that is used to treat various conditions such as heart failure, high blood pressure, and angina. Metoprolol comes as tablets, capsules, or injectable. Metoprolol works by preventing the adrenalin from associating with your body’s beta receptors in the heart and blood vessels. And this can lower your blood pressure because it relaxes your heart and provides an adequate amount of oxygen to your body.

Metoprolol might interact with other medications, herbs, or vitamins. Drugs such as mental health drugs, heart rhythm drugs, calcium channel blockers, alpha-blockers, and drugs processed similarly with metoprolol might change the way metoprolol works. If this happens, then the effectiveness of the drug could not be affected, much worse, it can be detrimental to your health.

Alcohol and caffeine may interact with metoprolol too. That is the reason why drinking and eating foods with alcohol and caffeine are not advisable as they may have adverse effects on your medication. If in case you want to drink coffee containing caffeine, you may seek help from your doctor. Your doctor might allow you to drink caffeine in moderation and in prescribed amounts.

It has come to the public consciousness of how sex addiction results in a lot of rehabs, support groups, treatment centers, and specialized therapists. But, little did we know that sexual avoidance or commonly known as sexual anorexia is equally devastating as sexual addiction.

Sexual avoidance or sexual anorexia is a concept manifesting the compulsive restraint of sexual intimacy and nourishment. People who are less interested in sexual contact might have sexual anorexia.

Just like anorexia, which means an interrupted appetite, sexual anorexia also means the same but is merely connected to sex.  If you fear, avoid, or dread sexual intimacy, you have sexual anorexia. The condition is also called as sexual avoidance, sexual aversion, or inhibited sexual desire. This condition may also be related to physical problems, such as erectile dysfunction in men. Anyway, sexual anorexia can be experienced by both men and women.

Symptoms of Sexual Avoidance

As the name suggests, sexual avoidance is the constant refusal to have sex. It is the lack of sexual interest or desire. People who have sexual anorexia experience anger and fear when sex is the topic. Sexual anorexia makes someone so obsessed with avoiding sex.

Causes of Sexual Avoidance

There are two main causes of sexual avoidance- physical and emotional.

Physical causes may include recent childbirth, hormone imbalances, breastfeeding, medication use, and exhaustion. On the other hand, emotional causes may include sexual abuse, a negative attitude toward sex, rape, stringent religious perception towards sex, power struggles with a loved one or a partner, and communication problems.

How Sexual Avoidance is Diagnosed

Diagnosing sexual avoidance can be difficult. A specific test is not yet available to determine the condition. But if you are suspecting that you are experiencing sexual avoidance, it is best to consult with your doctor or counselor. A sex therapist, psychiatrist, or counselor can also help diagnose whether or not you are suffering from sexual anorexia.

Who’s at Risk of Sexual Avoidance

As already mentioned, both men and women can be affected by sexual anorexia. But people who experience sexual rejection or sexual abuse in the past will most likely suffer from sexual anorexia. Most of these victims are not aware of the reason why they find it difficult to have sexual contact.

People who experience sexual avoidance may also have existing problems with other addictions such as substance addictions, food addictions, and other anxiety-driven or obsessive problems. Those who have a strong belief regarding sexual repression or oppression due to social, cultural, or religious groups may also be vulnerable when it comes to sex avoidance.

How Can Sexual Avoidance be Treated?

Sexual anorexia may be due to several factors. Abuse, anxiety, depression, body image issues, relationship problems, inexperience with sex can contribute to sexual avoidance. These are usually emotional causes that can be treated by psychotherapy. For couples, relationship counseling can be a big help if one of the partners have sexual anorexia. Aside from that, sessions with a sex therapist or attending relationship training may help.

Therapy can also aid in improving your thoughts regarding sex. This can also help in coping up with your past experiences, as well as negative emotions that contribute to sexual avoidance. People who have no experience with sex, but with sexual anorexia, may also learn from sex education. This can make them more aware of sex when they finally decide to have sex. For those who used to think that sex is wrong, a professional therapist may be hired.

On the other hand, people who have sexual anorexia due to low estrogen or testosterone levels may undergo hormone therapy. This is an effective form of treatment, especially for men who have erectile dysfunction, because they are most likely to experience a lack of sexual desire or interest. For women, especially those in the menopausal stage, they may find it helpful to undergo hormone replacement therapy to help improve libido.

Sexual Avoidance vs. Sexual Addiction

People who have sexual anorexia may also experience the same symptoms of sexual addiction. Both of these conditions may be due to the same system of belief. Both conditions have something in common such as preoccupation with sex, feelings of despair, and control of one’s life.

If you have a sexual addiction, you are most likely promiscuous or compulsive in controlling and dealing with your life’s negativities. On the other hand, if you have sexual anorexia, you reject sex just to gain control of your cravings.

Conclusion

People with sexual anorexia extremely avoid sex because of some reasons. This condition is also called as sexual avoidance, sexual aversion, or inhibited sexual desire. As the name implies, sexual anorexia means the loss of sexual appetite. A person who lacks interest or desire for sex may just be one of the symptoms of sexual anorexia.

This condition may be due to two main causes-physical and emotional. One may be suffering from sexual anorexia due to recent childbirth, hormone imbalances, breastfeeding, medication use, and exhaustion. It may also be due to sexual abuse, a negative attitude toward sex, rape, stringent religious perception towards sex, power struggles with a loved one or a partner, and communication problems. It can be hard to diagnose sexual anorexia, and both men and women can be affected by this condition.

You might think that once your cold sore outbreak is over, you won’t have to deal with the pain and discomfort again. But what’s really problematic about the herpes virus is that once you’ve got it, the virus stays with you for the rest of your life.

It’s a lifelong infection. This means that it can’t be cured, nor will it go away completely. You’ll experience recurring outbreaks at some point in time. The only thing that you can do is to manage your symptoms well and avoid whatever triggers your cold sore outbreaks.

Overview

HSV1 is the first type of the herpes simplex virus. It’s the one that’s behind most oral herpes infections. It’s also the virus that causes those painful cold sores. The other type of herpes virus, HSV2, is the one that usually causes herpes blisters in the genital area.

When you get infected with HSV1, the virus stays in your system and hides in your nerve cells. When triggered, the virus starts to actively replicate. An itching, burning, or tingling feeling on your lips or around your mouth is the first sign of HSV1 becoming active again.

World Health Organization experts estimate that about 3.7 billion people all over the world have herpes. Many of those who are infected acquired the disease during early childhood.

Those who were already adults when they acquired the disease most likely caught it by kissing someone who has oral herpes or by giving oral sex to someone who has genital herpes. Aside from direct skin contact, HSV1 may also be transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids such as saliva and the fluid oozing from cold sore blisters.

The herpes virus can also be transmitted through asymptomatic viral shedding. This means that the virus is present and active, but the infected person who is shedding the virus is not showing any symptoms at all. In short, it’s totally possible to acquire oral herpes from someone who doesn’t even have cold sores.

Avoid Herpes Triggers

After an outbreak of cold sores, HSV1 usually stays dormant inside your nerve cells. If you’re lucky, the virus won’t become active again for quite some time. However, when you’re constantly exposed to cold sore triggers, you would experience recurring outbreaks quite often.

Sunlight

Exposure to sunlight is considered a common trigger of HSV1. If you feel that your cold sore outbreaks are happening too often, try to minimize your exposure to sunlight. Always wear sunscreen whenever you go outside.

Extreme temperatures

For many people with oral herpes, exposure to extreme temperatures may also trigger another outbreak. Going somewhere that’s too warm or too cold may also cause your cold sores to reappear.

Stress

A lot of people with oral herpes experience recurring cold sore outbreaks whenever they’re exposed to a high-stress situation. If you feel that stress may also be a trigger for you, try to manage your stress levels as much as possible.

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Boost your immune system

When your immune system becomes weak, you might suffer another cold sore outbreak. Even a slight fever or a cold can already weaken your immune system and cause the herpes virus to reactivate.

Multivitamin and mineral supplements can help strengthen your immune system. Make sure your supplement contains vitamins C, E, and B6. An antioxidant supplement may also be helpful.

Cold Sore Treatments

If you’re looking to prevent future cold sore outbreaks or shorten the time it takes for your herpes blisters to heal, the best way to do it is to take prescription oral antiviral medicines. Doctors usually give a prescription for valacyclovir, acyclovir, penciclovir, or famciclovir in order to treat cold sores.

If you prefer to use over-the-counter treatment options, you actually have a lot of choices. Here are a few:

Cold sore creams

These are topical creams that you apply directly to the herpes blisters. Some products contain antiviral active components like acyclovir, while other products contain benzyl alcohol or docosanol. When buying a cold sore cream, check the ingredients. Some products only contain topical anesthetics which are only helpful in relieving the pain.

Essential oils

Several essential oils are known to help provide relief from cold sores. Tea tree oil, sandalwood oil, and peppermint oil are all often used as home remedies for cold sores. Dilute the oil then wet a cotton swab with it. Dab it on your cold sores.

Aloe vera gel

This plant is known to have various helpful properties. Aloe vera is often used to help heal wounds and to soothe and moisturize the skin. Aloe vera gel is also known to possess antibacterial and antiviral properties, and it can also help make your cold sores heal faster.

Lip balm

To keep your lips moist, try using a lip moisturizer that contains lemon balm and provides sunscreen protection. Because it has antiviral properties, lemon balm can help kill HSV1 and shorten your healing time.

Things to Avoid

Here are a few things that you should avoid whenever you have cold sores.

• Don’t kiss anyone, especially children

Since HSV1 can be transmitted through direct skin contact, you can pass the virus to your loved ones if you have herpes blisters on your lips and you kiss someone.

• Don’t touch or pick at your herpes blisters

You might inadvertently touch your cold sores, especially when you’re applying cold sore cream or when your sores are feeling particularly painful or itchy. Wash your hands right away if you happened to touch a herpes blister.

• Don’t share your drinking straw

When you have cold sores, it’s possible that the virus is present in your saliva. If you use a drinking straw or drink straight from a glass, can, or bottle, make sure no one else uses it to prevent spreading the virus.

You may be wondering how you happened to contract oral herpes when, as far as you can remember, you never kissed anyone or had sexual contact with anyone who has cold sores.

It’s entirely possible that you contracted the disease when you were still a child or someone who has herpes but doesn’t show any symptoms might have passed it on to you. Cold sores are not hereditary, but you could have acquired the disease when you were still in the womb or during your birth. Continue reading to learn more about neonatal herpes.

The Herpes Virus

The herpes simplex virus causes an infection that’s lifelong. The first type, HSV-1 or herpes simplex virus type 1, is the one that usually causes cold sores or oral herpes. The second type, HSV-2, is usually associated with genital herpes.

In truth, though, either type can cause oral and genital herpes, it will just depend on how you contracted the disease. For instance, if you had oral-to-oral contact with someone who has cold sores or even asymptomatic oral herpes, then you will most probably acquire oral herpes as well.

If, on the one hand, you gave oral sex to your partner when she had a breakout of genital herpes, you would acquire oral herpes caused by HSV-2. And if your partner is the one who has oral herpes and she gave you oral sex at a time when she had cold sores, then you would develop genital herpes caused by HSV-1.

The herpes virus is transmitted through direct skin contact with a herpes blister. You would also contract the disease if you had direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as saliva. This can happen if you kissed someone who had herpes blisters inside their mouth.

There’s also asymptomatic herpes viral shedding. This occurs when a person who is infected with the herpes virus sheds the virus without showing any symptoms. A lot of people who have herpes actually don’t go through cold sore outbreaks. However, they can still be contagious, especially when they are shedding the active virus.

Neonatal Herpes

When newborn babies acquire herpes, it can be very dangerous for them. Babies can catch the infection during delivery when they come into contact with herpes-infected fluids in the birth canal. Experts estimate that this is the cause of 85-90% of neonatal herpes cases.

A small percentage of newborns catch the herpes virus while they’re still in the womb. Approximately 10% of neonatal herpes cases are acquired after birth. This can happen when someone who has cold sores kisses the baby, or when the baby is held by someone who is going through asymptomatic viral shedding.

Complications of Neonatal Herpes

Because the immune system of newborn babies is not yet fully developed, several possible complications can happen when a newborn gets infected with the herpes virus. In adults, cold sores can be left untreated and they will just go away in a matter of days. When babies who catch the herpes virus are not treated, however, it can lead to death.

Herpes encephalitis can happen when the herpes virus travels to the baby’s brain and causes inflammation. Herpes encephalitis causes various symptoms such as seizures. Herpes encephalitis can also lead to loss of vision and hearing, as well as intellectual disabilities.

If the baby is not treated on time, herpes encephalitis may lead to death. In cases wherein the virus spreads to other internal organs like the lungs or liver, the mortality rate can be as high as about 30%.

Managing Childhood-Acquired Cold Sores

Although oral herpes can be very dangerous for newborns, the disease is not as deadly among older children and adults. If you happened to acquire oral herpes when you were still a child, chances are high that you already had your initial outbreak of cold sores.

The first outbreak can be accompanied by severe symptoms such as pain, inflammation, headaches, and muscle aches. Subsequent recurring outbreaks, however, tend to be accompanied by less severe symptoms. Here are some tips on how you can manage oral herpes symptoms.

Know your triggers

It may vary from one person to another, but cold sores are known to have various triggers. The herpes virus goes through an active phase and a dormant phase. Once the first cold sore outbreak is over, the virus becomes dormant. When triggered, the virus becomes active again.

Common cold sore triggers include exposure to sunlight, stress, and hormonal changes. Infections and other health problems that can weaken your immune system may also cause the herpes virus to reactivate.

You should try to find out what usually causes your cold sores to flare up again. Knowing what triggers your cold sore outbreaks can make it easier for you to prevent frequent cold sore outbreaks.

Keep your cold sore medication handy

Although you can leave your cold sores untreated, you will be able to shorten the healing process and prevent frequent recurring outbreaks if you take prescription oral antiviral medicines like valacyclovir. You can also use a cold sore cream that contains docosanol, which can help inhibit the virus.

The best way to fight a cold sore outbreak is to treat it as soon as you experience the warning signs. A cold sore flareup is usually preceded by an itching or tingling sensation near the area where your cold sores usually form.

As soon as you feel that itching sensation, take your cold sore medication right away. If you’re using a cold sore cream, apply it on the spot immediately.

Be mindful during sex

Yes, you can still enjoy sexual activities even when you or your partner has cold sores. You just need to be mindful and always remember to avoid direct skin contact with the herpes blisters. That means no kissing, and no oral sex either.

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Fever blisters or cold sores appear as fluid-filled blisters on the lips, inside the mouth, or around it. They can be painful, and they’re not really pretty to look at. Cold sores can ruin your smile, and so it’s understandable if you want to get rid of them as soon as possible.

Although there’s no permanent cure for fever blisters, there are many remedies you can try to end a cold sore outbreak quickly. From prescription medications to essential oils, here are some of the best-known ways to get rid of herpes blisters.

Overview

Cold sores can last from several days up to a couple of weeks. If you’re able to treat it during the early stages, you may be able to stop the sores from actually forming. Caused by HSV-1 or the herpes simplex type 1 virus, cold sores usually break open several days after they appear.

When the blisters break open, the fluid inside them oozes out. That’s actually viral fluid, which means it contains the virus. The stage when the fluid seeps out of the sores is actually the most contagious.

Once you’re past the stage when the fluid inside your cold sores ooze out, the blisters will then crust over. After a few days, the crust will just naturally fall off and then the cold sores will disappear. That usually signals that your outbreak is over.

When cold sores heal, it doesn’t mean that the virus is no longer inside your system. The herpes virus actually lays dormant inside your nerve cells. Certain triggers can cause another cold sore flareup.

If you’re lucky or if you’re taking precautions to prevent another cold sore outbreak, it could be months before you experience another flareup. However, if you’re always exposed to various cold sore triggers like sunlight, stress, and other infections, then you might end up having frequent recurring cold sore outbreaks.

Prescription Medication for Cold Sores

If your cold sores are recurring too frequently or if they’re causing you too much discomfort, visit your doctor so you can get a prescription for cold sore medications.

The most commonly prescribed medications for cold sores are oral antiviral medicines such as penciclovir, valacyclovir, acyclovir, and famciclovir. These antiviral medicines may also come in topical cream form or in injectable form.

Prescription antivirals are typically administered in order to shorten the length of an outbreak. However, these medicines are also great for preventing future outbreaks. If you already have a prescription cold sore medication on hand, try to take as soon as you feel an outbreak is about to occur, even when the herpes blisters haven’t formed yet.

Over-The-Counter Antiviral Medications for Cold Sores

Not all antiviral medications for cold sores require a prescription. Those that are available over-the-counter include docosanol and benzyl alcohol. Docosanol is typically sold as a topical cream that you can apply directly to your cold sores.

Docosanol works by preventing the herpes virus from entering your cells, thus inhibiting the replication of the virus. If you use docosanol topical cream, it can help speed up the healing of fever blisters. Docosanol can also provide relief from the tingling or burning sensation that usually occurs at the onset of a cold sore outbreak.

Benzyl alcohol and other topical anesthetics can provide temporary relief from the pain and itching caused by herpes blisters. Applying benzyl alcohol on your cold sores can also shorten the time it takes for your fever blisters to heal.

Many people also take lysine tablets whenever they have a cold sore outbreak. It’s actually an amino acid, but it’s been shown to help inhibit the replication of the herpes virus. Lysine can help reduce the duration and severity of a cold sore outbreak.

If your herpes blisters are causing too much pain, you can also take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to lessen your discomfort. There are also cold sore creams that contain topical anesthetics, and these are also good for reducing pain.

Home Remedies

There are certain essential oils and other home remedies that are known to help provide relief during a cold sore outbreak. Here are a few.

Lemon balm

Scientifically known as Melissa officinalis, lemon balm is known to have antiviral properties. You can use a lemon balm lip moisturizer, or you can apply lemon balm oil on your cold sores. You can also make a compress using lemon balm infusion or tea. Lemon balm is best used at the onset of a cold sore outbreak.

Ice or cold compress

Although this home remedy won’t be able to reduce your healing time, applying ice or a cold compress on your cold sores can provide temporary relief. It can also help reduce the inflammation and redness caused by cold sores.

Aloe vera gel

You might want to consider growing Aloe vera in your garden. Aloe vera gel is helpful in accelerating the healing of cold sores. Plus, it’s also good for reducing pain and inflammation.

Things to Keep in Mind

• To keep your lips from chapping, use a lip moisturizer. Better yet, apply lemon balm on your lips frequently.
• Whenever you go outside, make sure to apply sunblock on your face and lips. Sunlight is a known trigger of cold sores.
• Avoid kissing and oral sex. Since the virus can be transmitted through skin contact, you should refrain from engaging in oral sex and kissing during a cold sore outbreak.

Is It Alright to Have Sex When You Have Cold Sores?

You don’t have to completely abstain from sex whenever you have a cold sore flareup. However, to prevent the virus from being transmitted to your partner, you may want to take certain precautions such as wearing a mask during sex.

This way, even if you accidentally touch your lips to your partner’s skin, the mask can prevent direct skin contact and lessen the chances of your partner contracting the disease. If your sex drive is affected by the pain and discomfort that usually accompanies a cold sore outbreak, you should try taking Male UltraCore.

Male UltraCore is an excellent male enhancement pill that can greatly increase your libido. On top of that, Male UltraCore is absolutely effective in improving erection quality and frequency. With Male UltraCore, your sex life won’t suffer at all, even when you have cold sores.

Imagine yourself gearing up for a big day and then you suddenly feel that tingling sensation on your lips warning you of an impending cold sore outbreak. No need to panic, there are many ways to get rid of those unsightly and painful blisters in no time at all.

Cold sores generally go away and heal on their own. But it may take two weeks or so if you don’t do anything to hasten the healing process. If you can’t wait for your cold sores to naturally heal, here are several tips to help you get rid of them fast.

Don’t Eat Acidic Foods

Cold sores can be quite painful, and if you eat acidic foods such as citrus fruits or tomatoes, they can just irritate your skin and cause you more pain. Although many acidic foods contain vitamin C that can help boost your immune system to fight off the infection, you might want to opt for vitamin C supplements instead.

Cold Compress

If you’re in a hurry for your cold sores to heal, try applying a cold compress. You can use a wet towel or an ice pack. Do this at least thrice a day for about ten minutes at a time. This will help lessen the pain, as well as reduce the swelling and redness.

No Picking

Picking at your cold sores is not a good idea. For one, the virus can transfer to your hands and cause herpes blisters to grow on your fingers. That’s called herpetic whitlow. More importantly, when you pick at your cold sores, they may not heal right away. Your cold sores might even get infected with bacteria, which is another problem.

Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers

It’s alright to take pain relievers if you have cold sores. Some people experience so much pain during cold sore outbreaks that they can no longer eat or drink properly. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help lessen your pain, as well as reduce the swelling caused by cold sores.

Cold Sore Creams

Cold sore creams can help lessen your pain and provide relief against cold sores. If you apply the cream during the early stages of a cold sore outbreak, you can shorten the healing time by several days.

Home Remedies for Cold Sores

Although these home remedies can’t cure herpes, they can help provide relief and even hasten the healing process.

• Peppermint Oil

Using a cotton ball or swab, apply peppermint oil on your cold sores. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with water. Peppermint oil is known to exhibit antiviral properties and it has been shown to be effective in fighting off the herpes virus.

• Lemon Balm Oil

Research shows that lemon balm oil can help inhibit the herpes virus. Wet a cotton swab with lemon balm oil, then apply directly on your cold sores. Allow it to dry and rinse off after 20 minutes or so. For faster healing, try this 3-4 times a day.

• Tea Tree Oil

Wet a cotton swab with tea tree oil and then dab it on your cold sores. Tea tree oil is known to possess antiviral properties. It can help fight off the herpes virus and speed up your healing.

• Hydrogen Peroxide

You can shorten the duration of a cold sore outbreak if you regularly apply hydrogen peroxide on your blisters. Hydrogen peroxide acts as a mild antiseptic, and it can help dry out your cold sores. It’s also good for preventing bacterial infection of your cold sores.

• Coconut Oil

Just like tea tree oil, coconut oil can also help with cold sores. Just apply the coconut oil on your blisters using a cotton swab. Make sure you don’t use your fingers when applying coconut oil directly on your cold sores.

• Ginger Oil

Apply a diluted mixture of ginger oil on your cold sores using a cotton ball or swab. Ginger oil has been shown to reduce oral herpes symptoms and help cold sores heal faster. The oil feels warm on the skin and can help provide relief during a cold sore outbreak.

• Eucalyptus Oil

According to a lab test, eucalyptus oil can help shorten the duration of a cold sore outbreak. Eucalyptus oil can help kill the herpes virus. For best results, apply the oil directly on your blisters four times a day.

How Is It Transmitted?

The herpes virus is one of the most contagious. Even though oral herpes is an STD, you don’t need to have sex to contract the infection. In fact, you can get infected by simply touching someone’s herpes blisters.

HSV-1 or herpes simplex virus type 1 is the cause of most cases of cold sores. It can be transmitted in various ways. Skin contact with a cold sore or herpes blister is one of the most common ways by which the disease is transmitted.

If you come in contact with the viral fluid that seeps out of herpes blisters, you can also acquire the infection. Cold sores are filled with a clear or yellowish fluid, and that fluid contains the herpes virus.

So if you wipe off the oozing fluid using your bare hands, chances are high that you’ll develop herpes whitlow too. When that happens, herpes blisters will grow on your fingers and on the meaty flesh around your nails.

Kissing and oral sex are also common ways by which the herpes virus is transmitted. When you kiss someone who has cold sores, that’s direct skin contact with the herpes blisters, which means you’ll most likely get infected too.

When someone who’s going through a cold sore outbreak gives you oral sex, you’re in danger of developing genital herpes. Although genital herpes is more commonly caused by HSV-2, HSV-1 can also cause herpes blisters to grow in your genital area.

This doesn’t mean, though, that you can no longer have sex when you have cold sores. Just make sure you avoid having your partner get in contact with your cold sores. If you’re experiencing problems with your libido, try taking Male UltraCore. It’s one of the best male enhancement supplements, and it’s packed with potent natural aphrodisiacs.

Cold sores are bad news. They’re painful and highly contagious. They can be quite embarrassing too, considering that they grow on your face for the whole world to see. Add to that the fact that they’re actually signs of an STD.

What’s even worse is that there are no vaccines for cold sores. This means that if you don’t want to contract the disease, you really need to be extra careful. It also means you can’t be immune to cold sores. Read on and learn more about cold sores and the herpes simplex virus.

The Herpes Virus

The first type of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1, is closely associated with oral herpes. The second type, HSV-2, is linked to genital herpes. In truth, however, both types can cause either oral or genital herpes.

It’s just that the majority of oral herpes cases are due to the first type of herpes virus, and the majority of genital herpes cases are due to infection with type 2 herpes virus. But if you give oral sex to someone who has genital herpes, you will most likely acquire HSV-2 oral herpes.

If you’re the one with oral herpes and you give your partner oral sex at a time when you have cold sores, your partner will most likely develop genital herpes caused by HSV-1. That can happen simply because skin contact with a herpes blister is enough to transmit the virus.

Of course, it also means that if you kiss someone who has cold sores or have sex with someone who has genital herpes, chances are high that you will contract the disease as well. In short, if you want to avoid the disease, you simply need to abstain from skin contact with the affected area.

Oral Herpes Symptoms

In cases wherein HSV-1 does cause symptoms to appear, the most common are cold sores. When herpes blisters form, they’re typically accompanied by fever and pain, especially during the first outbreak. Other common symptoms of HSV-1 include muscle pains and swollen lymph nodes.

In many cases, however, oral herpes doesn’t cause any symptoms at all. It’s also possible that you have acquired the virus a long time ago but it has stayed dormant inside your body for years, which is why you’re not showing any symptoms.

If you’ve already been infected with the virus, kissing or having skin contact with someone who has oral herpes may trigger a cold sore outbreak for you. However, if you’re one of those who don’t show any symptoms at all, you might think that you’re already immune from cold sores.

Nonetheless, you might want to consider having yourself screened, just to confirm whether you’ve got the virus or not.

Herpes Virus Asymptomatic Shedding

Most people who experience cold sore outbreaks already know that they have to avoid skin contact with other people to prevent the virus from spreading. What’s problematic, however, is the fact that there are times when the herpes virus doesn’t cause any symptoms even when it’s active. You may be unaware that you’re shedding or spreading the virus.

Asymptomatic shedding means that your body is releasing the virus even when you’re not showing any signs or symptoms of cold sores. Since the virus is active, it means that you can transmit the disease to the people around you when you’re going through asymptomatic viral shedding.

You may wonder how you possibly acquired oral herpes when you haven’t kissed or had oral sex with anyone who has herpes. It’s possible that the person who passed the infection to you was going through asymptomatic viral shedding.

Is Sex Still Possible?

Even if you have cold sores, it’s still possible for you to have sex with your partner. If your partner doesn’t have HSV, it’s best that you take precautions so as to prevent the virus from getting passed on. For instance, you should refrain from kissing your partner when you have cold sores.

You should also abstain from giving your partner oral sex, as this might cause her to develop genital herpes. If you wear a mask or some type of a barrier so that your cold sores don’t touch your partner’s skin, sex would still be possible.

You really only need to prevent your partner from getting in contact with your cold sores or the viral fluid oozing from your herpes blisters. If you can find a way to do that, then you should still be able to enjoy sex even during a cold sore outbreak.

On the other hand, if your partner also has oral herpes, then you should just agree on what you should do when one is going through a cold sore flareup. Just because you both have herpes doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking any precautions.

Even if you’re both HSV-1 positive, you could end up triggering an outbreak for each other when you kiss or have sex when one of you has cold sores.

Can Cold Sores Affect Your Sex Drive?

By itself, oral herpes doesn’t really affect one’s libido. However, other symptoms associated with cold sores may stop you from getting in the mood for sex. For instance, when you’re suffering from pain and discomfort, you might prefer resting instead of engaging in any strenuous sexual activities.

If you feel that your sex drive is on the decline, you can remedy that by taking Male UltraCore, one of the most effective male sexual enhancement supplements. What’s great about Male UltraCore is that it contains various antioxidant-rich natural ingredients that can help boost not only your sexual performance but also your immune system.

Male UltraCore is formulated using a unique combination of Long Jack, zinc, KSM-66 Ashwagandha, and fenugreek. On top of that, Male UltraCore also contains Tribulus terrestris, Horny Goat Weed, Maca, and many other herb-based aphrodisiacs and sexual enhancers.

The main active ingredients of Male UltraCore are proven effective in improving erection quality, testosterone levels, sex drive, and sexual stamina. And because these natural ingredients are antioxidant-rich, you also get to enjoy various health benefits like improved fertility and stronger immune system.

When it comes to sex, we mostly believe that it should be limitless. But there is actually a difference between uninhibited sex and one with sexual boundaries. If we can determine each of our boundaries, we could become fearless and free with the sex we are thinking of.

Knowing her boundaries could make you feel more secure as well, as these can serve as a guideline for you and your partner to achieve maximum pleasure. Whether you have a new or long-time partner, you need to know her sexual boundaries.

Here is the list of how you will know her sexual boundaries:

1. Ask for consent

Some of you will think that having her as your partner makes you entitled to do whatever you want. But, the most crucial foundation for you to establish to have a healthy relationship, whether it is sexual or not, is to ask for consent.

You should be vocal and open about what you want to do to her and what she wants her to do with you in return. Find out if she also wants it; otherwise, you should not do it. Give her time to understand what she feels as pleasurable so she can be able to communicate it with you.

Of course, it doesn’t mean that if she consented once, she allows you to do it whenever you want.  Know that she has the discretion to withdraw her consent anytime and that you should respect it. If you kept on doing something without her consent, it could become violence which might be punishable, so beware.

2. Set a safe word

It is a good idea to speak safe words with your partner. It is also one of the ways for you to get her consent every time you want to do something with her or her to do something with you. Safewords can be used as a boundary for sexual play as it provides a way for her to tell you whether or not she is comfortable with the sexual behavior you are portraying.

Although it might be hurtful if your partner says no, it can help your relationship maintain sexual health and safety. A safeword doesn’t need a lot of context or explanation, and it is a verbal sign that means to stop or no, and it can be conveyed and understood easily. This is helpful for partners who are not expressive on their sexual boundaries.

3. Be open about birth control and sexual health

Another extremely vital boundary that you have to establish with your partner is being open about birth control and sexual health. It is both your responsibility to have safe sex. If you are more aware of it, then be the one who should initiate safe and healthy sex.

Be open about your current health status. In this way, your partner will also be expressive about her sexual status too. Since diseases are already rampant due to sexual intercourse, you might want to know her last STI test. If you are not sure, you can use barrier methods like condoms or dental dams.

This step matters because aside from being safe while having sex with your partner, it can also be the best form of protection or birth control. This will make both of you enjoy pleasurable sex, compared to when you have fear or anxiety about getting pregnant, which could affect your orgasm.

4. Set your do’s and don’ts

It is important to set a guideline of your do’s and don’ts, as well as of your partner. As human as you are, you already have your sexual preferences and limits, the same thing as hers. You should know what she is comfortable with so that you will be aware of your sexual behavior.

It is helpful to get specific so that you can set clear boundaries for you and your partner to follow. You can even enjoy doing an activity with your partner who sets your body maps. In this way, your partner could be able to communicate what she wants specifically and do not like. For instance, she wants you to touch or kiss a certain part of her body. She wants you to take it slow or make it faster. Well, it depends upon your creativity.

5. Have an open communication

The conversation is not made yet after you and your partner have set each other’s boundaries. Setting boundaries should be continuous, meaning it should not be closed. As time goes by, there may be things that she used to want you to do that she eventually doesn’t want it to do to her. Do’s and don’ts can be adjusted accordingly.

That is the reason why it is important to have open communication with your partner so that you can understand each other’s boundaries within a certain time. This will enable you and your partner to have the most satisfying sex, ever.

Conclusion

To maintain your sexual relationship with your partner, it is important to set boundaries. This will enable you and your partner to express each other’s wants and desires, as well as dislikes. Consent does not make you entitled to do it all the time; instead, consent should be done in every act.

To get consent, you need to set a safe word.  It can help maintain sexual health and safety of your relationship. To avoid fear and anxiety, especially if you or your partner is afraid of getting pregnant, practice safe sex. Last and most importantly, keep your communication open.

You may be thinking that sex is just the same. But it is an ever-evolving art, which can change from generation to generation and can be different depending on each sexual preference. Far from what you think, sex in the 19^th century involves people who are fully clothed. But these clothes have special holes to have sexual intercourse.

That time, exploring other sexual positions beyond the missionary position is prohibited by social custom, unlike today, wherein we have more than just that position. So if you are fantasizing something which you want to add in your sex life, such as BDSM, we will help you learn how to start.

What is BDSM?

Of course, the first thing that you should do to start a BDSM relationship is to understand what it means. BDSM stands for bondage and discipline (B and D), dominance and submission (D and S), and sadism and masochism (S and M).

Bondage and Discipline

The element bondage includes sexual acts where the submissive is trained and restrained to do something. On the other hand, discipline allows you to modify your behavior. Punishment is the means to correct your behavior, either psychologically or physically.

Dominance and Submission

A BDSM sexual relationship includes a dominant and a submissive partner. As the name implies, the dominant dominates the submissive. For women, they are called dommes, and for men, they are called doms.  The submissive, on the other hand, is the one controlled by the dominant. Submissive partners are called subs.

Sadism and Masochism

These elements are sometimes confused although these simply mean to give or to receive pain. To get pleasure, the sadist administers pain while the masochist is being inflicted with pain. You should not confuse these with dominance and submission, as these are about control. Sadism and masochism are all about who inflicts the pain and to whom the pain is inflicted.

Here are the things that you can try if you are a neophyte to BDSM:

1. Hair pulling

To light a fire in your partner’s body, you can start by pulling her hair. This is, perhaps, the easiest way to start into play. This can be done gently or roughly, depending on you and your partner’s comfort. And yes, this does not require you any toys yet.

2. Light spanking

It is a good idea to start it lightly even if spanking is a usual fantasy. Well, you can ramp it up as time goes by. You can use your hands, as a start, then incorporate toys if you and your partner are already experienced.

3. Use aggressive language

Words like fuck, wimp, whore, jerk, and slut may be incorporated into your play. But it is important to pre-negotiate name-calling as it can be a major turn off to your partner. Anyway, some people are turned on even more if they are called as such.

4. Try with a scarf

Handcuffs and ropes may cause real damage to your partner, especially if you are still not an expert and if you don’t know how to control these toys yet. It is a good way to start with a scarf as it is made of soft materials.

5. Biting

Just like aggressive words, this should also be pre-negotiated. Your partner may be sensitive to this, or maybe she doesn’t want some marks. But if she is into it, know when you have to start chomping down.

6. Play with “Pervertables.”

“Pervetables” are just objects that you can use as toys. Everyday objects such as brushes, spatulas, spoons, thin belts, rulers, and canes can be transformed into toys. This is not really to make you save money from buying toys, but this can give excitement as your partner will not initially recognize what you will do with the objects.

7. Incorporate “madam” or “sir.”

Incorporating “madam” or “sir” during play can add up to the sexual excitement aside from the aggressive language. This can make you or your partner feel entitled to your role as a dominant or as a submissive. 

8. Subbing role playing

If you are just getting started, you can perform oral sex while having your arms tied behind your back. It is also a must try to let you or your partner beg for punishment or sex. It can be a hot entry-level activity for starters. It can also be erotic to put your partner in a submissive position.

9. Play with a blindfold

In a BDSM relationship, one is being restrained from doing something. So, you can blindfold your partner and let her feel different sensations using various objects. Maybe you can pinch her, tease her, spank her, or use a feather over her body until the edge of her orgasm. This will enable the one blindfolded to give up her control over the one who is not blindfolded who can control every situation. 

Conclusion

If you want to spice up your sex life, try something new, such as engaging in a BDSM relationship. But if you are still confused on what to do before you get started, know the basics. It can help you and your partner to become like a pro as time goes by. It is not as easy as you think, but if you are both dedicated to learning the BDSM way of sexual relationship, then it can give you pleasure, joy, and satisfaction. It can help you satisfy your fantasy, especially for women.