Cold sores, canker sores and the various other names are all herpes simplex virus. It is with for the duration once you have it. It has a tendency to manifest itself, or become active, when you are under physical or emotional stress. One unusual thing about herpes is that it frequently is unilateral. Your body's nervous system, within which herpes likes to reside, is divided into left and right hemispheres. It will frequently only reside in one or the other. In my case I get a cold sore on the right corner of my mouth almost every fall, timed right after I get my annual case of the flu.... body under stress, immune system (puny as it is after all that it has been subjected to) tapped out after the battle with the flu virus. Every year it is in the same place on the same side.

Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.