Cold Sore Remedies Here

Home remedies for cold sores are the safest and most effective treatments available today. They are much easier to use and the herpes virus does not build an immunity to these home remedies for cold sores.

Fortunately, you do not have to suffer in silence with your outbreaks. There are a lot of home remedies cold sores that work. This article will look at a few of the most useful.

Some people confuse cold sores (aka fever blisters) and canker sores.

A canker sore is different. A canker sore is inside the mouth and is a wound in the mucous soft tissue. The cause of a canker sore is not fully understood. It is suspected that food allergies can cause these. Canker sores are not caused by a virus and thus cannot be spread to others.

Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). They are very contagious and can infect others through direct contact with your saliva or sore. Herpes simplex virus (HSV-2) is most common for genital sores but causes about 20% of the facial outbreaks also.

Both herpes types can be sexually transmitted. When you are suffering from an active cold sore, be very careful to avoid infecting another person.

Once a person has had one cold sore, they are likely to have other outbreaks throughout their life. The virus hides in the nerves and activates periodically.

If you have frequent or severe cold sores, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral, however these have not proven to be of significant help. Oral anti-viral tablets can damage the liver.

For the occasional cold sore attack, you can buy several different over-the-counter cold sore treatment products.

These are usually considered comfort treatments. Some of them contain numbing agents like lidocaine for reducing pain and discomfort. Do not expect them to speed recovery and healing by very much.

There are quite a few home remedies for cold sores being used today!

Let us examine some of the more popular ones. Remember, this is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns or questions about your cold sore.

Ear wax and/or oils from your own body are said to completely stop cold sores in their tracks. Advocates of this method advise putting ear wax directly on the cold sore when you first feel it coming on.

If you prefer to use body oils, the suggested method is getting them from behind your ear and then applying it to the cold sore. Nobody seems to know why this works, but some people swear by this method.

Often recommended options include the use of drying agents such as alcohol, white stick deodorant, hemorrhoid salve or that pink liquid normally used for upset stomach.

According to this method, you are supposed to apply the drying agent two or three times a day. It works best when you act quickly at the very moment you sense a tingling sensation.

Then there are the dietary methods home remedies cold sores.

Folks who like to use oral treatment often recommend taking lysine capsules beginning at the first sign of a pending cold sore. Also, at this time it is wise to avoid arginine foods such as chocolate, nuts and grains.

Some folks insist that putting a garlic oil and baking soda mixture on their cold sore is the best remedy. They recommend you apply it two or three times a day.

Others insist that melting one ice cube on your cold sore reduces the swelling. In between ice cube sessions, most folks will use at least one of the treatments mentioned above.

Some apply Tea Tree Oil, warm tea bags or facial masks on the sore.

As you have discovered in this article, home remedies cold sores treatment are many and varied. What most of them have in common is the use of a drying agent. Often this is in combination with other remedies.

Usually it is necessary for you to try these home remedies to sort out which works best for you. Keep in mind that we are all unique. What works for someone else may work for you, or it may not be exactly right for you.

What is most important is to develop your own plan. You must find, by trial and error, which cold sore home remedies work best for your particular needs.