Cold Sore Remedies Here

How do you treat cold sores? Can you get rid of them for good? There are several cold sores treatments which have been suggested, for those suffering from this malady. And there are several methods and products one can try.

But because everyone is unique, some treatments might be more effective on one person than another. Sometimes you need to combine or test two methods, in order to discover which cold sore treatment works for you.

It also helps to know what triggered the sores in the first place. This can help you decide on which of the different treatments to try first. The triggers themselves can vary, from sunburn, to flu, to fever. The treatments can be more easily determined when you know how the cold sores started.

Cold Sores Treatments

Lysine

Lysine is an amino acid . Some people recommend lysine for cold sores (about 5,000 milligrams per dose, in supplement form, when the outbreak begins.) Some people who take 500 milligrams of Lysine daily, to prevent themselves from getting them. But it is also said that this is not advisable as the body might get used to it in the system, so that it would not work as well during an outbreak.

Zinc

Another supplement used as a treatment for cold sores is Zinc (a mineral which is commonly taken as a supplement). There are two ways to use zinc. You can either apply it directly onto the lesions, or take it internally. Most people usually do both, to achieve a faster healing period.

Calcium

Calcium, also a mineral, can also be used as a treatment for cold sores. Calcium is used by the body to keep the system alkaline (not too acidic). Most people who suffer from this malady have too much acid in their system. Calcium can neutralize this acid, and might also stop the outbreak.

Ice

Some people rely on old-fashioned cold treatment for cold sores. This is another type of treatment is readily available at home. All you need to do is to apply ice to the target area, when you feel a sore coming. This should be done before the blister or lesion “blossoms.? It will reduce the swelling, as well as give some relief. But, once the lesions are out, discontinue applying the ice – it tends to slow down the healing process.

Tea

You can also use frozen iced tea bags, instead of ice. Once the lesions burst, you can apply warm tea bags to them. These may be applied for 15 minutes per session. The heat from the tea bags makes the healing go faster. Further, the nutrients in the tea hamper the virus? activity from progressing.

Cold sores are one of mother nature’s cruelest curses–they’re itchy, sometimes painful, and worst of all they cramp our social life, very severely so for some people (I know of people who simply will not leave the house at all if they have a cold sore, I mean they call in sick to work, have their spouse do all the shopping and errands, the whole nine yards).
If you’ve got a cold sore then, as you probably already know, you’re infected with the herpes simplex virus, most likely the type 1 strain (although type 2 is also capable of causing cold sores, even though it’s much less common), and you can never be completely rid of the virus, regrettably. I will say, though, that right now there’s a couple of very promising advances being made in the area of herpes vaccines–scientists have been trying for the better part of 60 years to come up with a vaccine to immunize people against the herpes virus and hopefully put an end to it for once and all like we’ve done with so many other diseases with the help of vaccines such as rabies and polo. Right now there have been two vaccines developed for HSV (herpes simplex virus), one is for treating what’s known as “shingles” (which is caused by HSV and technically known as “herpes zoster”) and is called “Zostavax”. The other vaccine, called “Herpevac”, is currently in Phase 3 trials with the National Institute of Health and is specifically designed to prevent genital herpes by immunizing women (the vaccine doesn’t work on men for some reason) against the HSV-2 strain (herpes simplex type 2). You can get more information on that by seeing the NIH website here: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/dmid/stds/herpevac/
A simple 5-step at-home procedure that I recommend to my patients for getting rid of a cold sore, and that can reduce the duration of an outbreak by up to 75%, is as follows (I must also note at this point that I do recommend that you get some anti-virals such as from your doctor, they will help, but that’s up to you):
1. Ice the cold sore once every 2 hours for 10 minutes, this will help reduce the pain and itching significantly, plus it also slows down the replication rate of the virus by slowing its metabolism which, consequently, will lessen the severity of the cold sore by the simple mechanism of reducing the number of virus particles present.
2. Keep the cold sore clean and dry by washing it once every two hours with a damp washcloth and soap, do this right after you ice it. Use a new washcloth each time you do this for sanitary purposes.
3. Apply benzyl alcohol (brand name “Zilactin”) to the cold sore with a q-tip each time after you wash it. Isopropyl alcohol may be substituted if you can’t find any benzyl alcohol.
4. Lastly, apply some nail polish remover to it with a new q-tip. This will keep the sore very dry and soak up all the fluid it may seep over the next 2 hours until you can wash it again.
5. Start taking L-lysine at a dosage of 1000mg 3 times per day–this is a simple over-the-counter supplement that can be found at your local drug store or GNC (or similar store). Lysine has been proven in multiple scientific studies to help in the treatment and prevention of cold sores (Source: Indiana University School of Medicine Study, go here to see it: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3115841 ). A quick note from that study concerning the prevention of cold sores that may interest you:
“The treatment group was given L-Lysine monohydrochloride tablets (1,000 mg L-lysine per dose) 3 times a day for 6 months. A total of 27 (6 male and 21 female) subjects on L-lysine and 25 (6 male and 19 female) subjects on placebo completed the trial. The L-lysine treatment group had an average of 2.4 (p less than 0.05) less HSV infections, symptoms were significantly (p less than 0.05) diminished in severity and healing time was significantly reduced (p less than 0.05). L-Lysine appears to be an effective agent for reduction of occurrence, severity and healing time for recurrent HSV infection.”

There are a large number of home remedies for cold sores. In some cases these traditional treatments have been known to work as well as antiviral pills or numbing creams. One advantage of using a home remedy for cold sores is that treatment can begin immediately since there is no need to visit the doctor to get a prescription or go to the drugstore and choose between several creams. As soon as someone realizes they are developing a cold sore, they can begin the home remedy.They are not fun and no one really likes getting them but if you follow some of these home remedies, you will definitely have more success with them versus just trying to treat them or leave them alone. For example, if you change your diet a little bit, there is a better chance that you will have no problems with these ugly blemishes.Most remedies for cold sores are well known, and more doctors are now beginning to realize that simple remedies are very effective against the virus that causes cold sores. Many studies show home remedies can be very effective. Some of these remedies can actually prevent occurrences in some cases.Cold sores home remedies can also be found in tea bags. In fact, tea bags are considered one of the popular choices to treat cold sores. A tea bag is placed over the blisters for a few minutes. This provides soothing relief and effective treatment. Repeat this after one hour. Doing this once every hour is recommended for faster healing. Holding the warm tea bag against the affected areas for 30 minutes is a variation of this treatment.One of the other remedies is tea bags. For most people this is the first method they try, because tea bags are already available in the house. The best way to use the tea bags, is to put them directly on the blisters. After a few minutes the pain disappears. A tea bag is placed over the blisters for a few minutes. There are two important things to remember. You have to repeat it after about an hour. And you have to use a new tea bag every single time.Ice – When you start to feel a cold sore coming on, take an ice cube and wrap it in a thin cloth. Apply it on the spot where your sore is starting to hurt and keep it there for as long as possible. Continue to do this 3-4 times a day. What the ice will do is deaden the blister that is trying to appear. This method will work if you begin doing the moment you start feeling a cold sore is coming on. If you wait until it already has appeared, it’s too late

Of an oral circumstance, a cold sore, or, otherwise known as a fever blister, is classified within herpes, as herpes simplex virus types one and two.  Cold sores are a result of an infection, due to febrile disease, upper respiratory or viral-type infections.  The age-old terms of cold sores and fever blisters are derived from such effects as their respective sources of infections, which are frequently referred to as a cold or flu. 

Other contributors to such cold sores and fever blisters, which are not in conjunction with either an infection or disease origin, are general psychological stress and anxiety.  Small, though annoying and painful in a physical sense, such sores or blisters about the area of the mouth, can be alleviated through home remedies for cold sores. 

In their vicinity of outbreak, cold sores, which present themselves orally, are accessible for treatments in the mode of home remedies for cold sores.  In appearance, cold sores or fever blisters present themselves as being of a consistency of fluid contained within their small red blisters or bubbles.  Cold Sores make their presence in areas such as the lips, nose and outside edges of the mouth.  Due to the sensitive nature of such orally related tissues, pain is significant; therefore expediting the afflicted individual’s needs of home remedies for cold sores. 

Origins of cold sores and fever blisters are borne through the herpes simplex virus, in type one and two.  Such virus is highly contagious.  Upon the body’s immune system weakening, due to a cold, fatigue, fever, flu or stress, this virus makes its attack from within the body.  As such virus dwells within a body, kept normally in check by immunities, it activates itself with a vengeance whenever the immune system is compromised.  A deficiency in levels of calcium can also be partially associated to the propagation of cold sores, prompting an awareness in individuals to act supportively, as well as precautionary, in practicing measures towards home remedies for cold sores. 

Where immunity has been challenged by herpes simplex, individuals should come to the defense with home remedies for cold sores, by giving their immune systems some artillery through a natural formulation.  Consolidate the same amounts of burdock, Echinacea, lomatium, oats and tinctures of calendula to be orally ingested in the quantity of a half of a teaspoon four to five times daily. 

Individuals can also engage home remedies for cold sores in the forms of assurance against the development of such maladies by taking action in the following preventative practices, that include not using the same cups, dishware, glasses, plates, towels or utensils utilized by another individual afflicted with cold sores or fever blisters.  Further precautionary measures, in support of home remedies for cold sores, are among such conditions as to avoid oral contact with an individual who is presenting cold sores or fever blisters, as in face-to-face contact or kissing. 

Upon the afflicted being out in the sun while presenting cold sores or fever blisters, the individual, among home remedies for cold sores should apply some form of a sunscreen-type protective agent on their lips to prevent intensified effects of such condition.  Another preventative practice, in precautionary measures amid home remedies for cold sores for the fostering of an immediate reoccurrence of cold sores or fever blisters is to toss and replace the afflicted individual’s toothbrush following an outbreak of herpes simplex. 

Durations of the existence of an outbreak of cold sores and fever blisters can range upwards of from ten to fourteen days.  Upon the initial presenting of a cold sore or fever blister, a home remedies for cold sores in such instance is in the application of ice, for periods of five to ten minutes during each hour of the initial outbreak.  Such aggressive practice will cease both pain and increased progression.  Another approach to a home remedies for cold sores during the early phase, is to apply a compress of a tea bag, at intervals lasting from five to ten minutes every hour.  This approach to such method of treatment as a home remedies for cold sores is in the tannic acid within the tea leaves antiviral benefits towards the prevention of increased development. 

General Information on Cold Sores

If you ever have had a cold sore, you know how embarrassing it can be. Most people try to cover it up with cosmetics or hide behind a scarf or coat collar, but you do not have to be embarrassed by a simple little cold sore, because they are so easy to eliminate. Cold sores are small sores that appear on and around the mouth. These sores are caused by a certain type of virus called Herpes Simplex. And because they are caused by this virus, they are highly contagious. It seems like cold sores always appear at the worst possible time, but there are ways to prevent cold sores with little effort on your part, and a natural home remedy for cold sores might be what you need to improve your appearance and keep you both looking and feeling healthy. Home Remedies and the Facts

Cold sores have been around for generations. No wonder that there are hundreds if not thousands of home remedies for cold sores out there today – some are very unlikely while others have been used for decades. It is all up to you to find out which one you prefer. Everyone is different so a home remedy for cold sores that works for one person may not be as affective on you. However, that is why the possibilities are virtually unlimited. Here are a few popular home remedies for cold sores, remember that you may need to try all or just one of these until you find the one for you. Tea tree oil is high in nutrients and is a natural antiseptic, which can reduce swelling and burning for most people with cold sores. Sometimes all it takes to stop a cold sore dead in its tracks could be in your freezer at this very moment. Ice can be a great way to stop a cold sore from forming. It can reduce redness which in turn reduces the appearance of the cold sore.

Vitamin C is a key ingredient to living a healthy life, in fact vitamin C can help with all sorts of things not just cold sores. Vitamin C can help build your immune system and make you stronger and healthier. Also, vitamin B can help tremendously with cold sores and is often suggested by doctors. Other things such as coconut oil and lemon balm extract can help to heal your cold sore and reduce redness. If you are interested in finding out more about home remedy for cold sores, you can contact your doctor for more information. Preventing Cold Sores

Cold sores are usually spread by kissing or making direct contact with a person who has a cold sore. In fact, if you have a cold sore you probably got it from someone you know, but preventing cold sores is not that difficult and there are ways you can help to protect others as well as yourself. Start by washing your hands thoroughly, as explained before cold sores are caused by a contagious virus, so washing your hands can help prevent the spread of that virus. Try to avoid kissing anyone with a cold sore. Of course, you cannot always prevent a cold sore, so learning the right home remedies for cold sores can help you eliminate it quickly without the embarrassment.

Of course cold sores are only minor irritations and usually do not require medical attention. But, you should pay close attention to how the home remedies for cold sores affect you. Do you have any allergies? What type of medications are you taking? These are a few of the questions you should ask yourself before trying a home remedy for cold sore. Most scientists will tell you that there is no cure for a cold sore and they tend to reappear over the years. In fact, a cold sore can lay dormant for many years and appear suddenly later on in life. But there are some people who strongly believe that there is a cure for cold sores and that cure lies with a good natural home remedy for cold sores. This is really a choice that should be made by each individual depending on what they are willing to try. When you try a home remedy for cold sore, be sure to try a variety. Do not just stop at the first one if you do not get results. And if you have any doubts, contact your doctor.