Many authorities state there is no cold sore cure. On the other side, many highly respected medical professionals claim there is definitely a cure for cold sores. Which group is being honest?

Surprisingly, BOTH GROUPS ARE RIGHT. Sounds confusing until you realize that each group is talking about something totally different from the other.

When my friends at Mayo state there is no cure for cold sores, they are talking about the root cause of cold sores - the herpes simplex type 1 virus that has invaded the body. They are stating, quite truthfully, there is currently no way to remove this cold sore causing herpes virus once you are infected.

The herpes virus, when it is not busy causing cold sores, is hiding in the nerve cells in the nerve ganglia below the surface. This sub-microscopic virus hides so well even the immune soldiers cannot find them. If the cells could be identified, they would have to be destroyed to eradicate the virus.

Nearly everybody carries the cold sore virus, according the Center for Disease Control. It is so contagious that even if science could eliminate the virus from your body, you would quickly catch it again.

BUT, THOSE WHO CLAIM THERE IS A COLD SORE CURE ARE ALSO RIGHT!

They are referring to the idea that eliminating the symptoms of a disease is curing that disease. The medical community has always claimed you are cured when they eliminate your symptoms. We all carry cancer cells, for example, but without outward symptoms, you are not diagnosed with cancer.

Every pathogenic disease is identified based on the display of a specific set of symptoms. The cause may be there, but if there are not any symptoms, there is no disease. This is true with cold sores as well. The primary symptom of a cold sore is the blister on the lip or nostril.

When you no longer get cold sores, by medical definition, you are cured. Whatever treatment you used to accomplish this can be called a cold sore cure. Who cares about the virus, as long as it never becomes active again?

In trying to find a cold sore cure, we should not be looking to remove the virus from the body. This is a futile task. We should, instead, be focusing on eliminating the cold sore symptoms and preventing future cold sores.

Fortunately, even though nearly everyone carries the virus that causes cold sores, 43% will never get a cold sore in their life. Some folks just seem to have a built-in cold sore cure. The rest of us have to find remedies and treatments that will cure our cold sores.

A large selection of very good cold sore treatment options are available. Most drug store over-the-counter cold sore remedies are primarily comfort treatments and will do little to heal or prevent cold sores. Do not give up. You are a unique, one-of-a-kind person. What works for others may not work for you.

If you are bothered with cold sores, there is a cold sore cure for you. That is the truth. It may be as simple as applying ice at first sign, or taking a vitamin supplement every day. You will have to try different cold sore remedies, and maybe combine them, to find or create the perfect cold sore cure for yourself.