Your first set of cold sore symptoms occur when you are initially infected with the cold sore virus. Commonly, your symptoms will include sore throat, headaches, fever and general poor feeling overall.

Your symptoms at this point will range from quite mild to severe. It is common to feel that you have caught the flu or a cold. They usually begin about 14 days after first infection and lasts about three to four days. Quite often you do not get a cold sore this first time.

FACT: Cold sore symptoms are always caused by the activity of the herpes simplex virus. This virus becomes active only to reproduce new virus. It is estimated that over 87% of people over 9 years old carry the virus permanently. This virus usually is inactive, hibernating in the nerve cells below the surface.

You will never be bothered with cold sore symptoms when the herpes virus is latent. About a third of those infected will never experience an active cold sore. For the rest of us, we can expect a cold sore once every 8 months. Many folks will get six or more per year.

Your first indication of the cold sore symptoms is often barely noticeable. In the cold sore area, you will feel symptoms such as a dryness, tingling, itching or burning. This indicates that you are in the first stage of a cold sore. The virus is moving to the surface nerve cells. Your cold sore will occur in a day or two.

Your cold sore symptoms greatly accelerate at this point. You will notice swelling of the cold sore site and the development of small, hard, pimple-like bumps that are quite painful. It is common at this point for you to experience a slight fever, headaches, and a general tired feeling. Your under-jaw lymph glands begin to swell.

Your tiny hard bumps now swell, burst open and merge to form a large open ulcer. Other common symptoms at this point are headaches, flu-like fever and running nose. Because your cold sore is created on the end of a nerve fiber, this is a very painful period for you.

This is probably your most painful time. You will find the lymph glands under the jaw are now quite swollen and painful also. Your sore will be draining a clear fluid packed with cold sore virus. You are especially contagious at this time.

Within a couple days a yellowish scab will form - beginning the healing process. You will find it still painful to touch it. Your scab can crack when you move your mouth causing a lot of pain. Your fever, headaches and swollen glands should be letting up now. Your cold sore will continue to itch as healing takes place.

You will have the scab for usually about four to seven days. After that, when it falls off, you will see new skin. Your cold sore site will still be itchy and red while healing continues underneath. This may last a week or two yet. The good news is your headaches, fever and swollen glands should be pretty much gone by now.

During your final healing process, the cold sore could come back again. Keep using your best cold sore treatment during this time. If you are taking a vitamin supplement or lysine, keep doing so. This is the easiest time to get a repeat attach of a cold sore.

Sorry - there is so much more you should know that can prevent cold sores in your life, but I have run out of space right now. Please heed the following caution.

Cold sores can be spread quite easily to others or to other locations on yourself. Please be cautious as the cold sore virus is very contagious from the first tingle to the final disappearance of these cold sore symptoms.