Cold
Sore Treatment
Cold sores, which are also
often known as fever blisters, are those small
sores which appear on and above the upper lip,
the corners of the mouth as well as on the face.
Cold sores are very common and can be easily spread.
They are also very distressing for those who have
them because they can be both unsightly and painful.
Most people search for a natural cold
sore treatment that eliminates the outbreak.
Many people believe that
cold sores are as a result of a head cold but
no, they are a viral infection caused by the herpes
simplex one virus. The virus tends to lie dormant
in your nerve cells until one or more elements
trigger an outbreak of a cold sore. Such elements
include:
Overexposure to the sun.
Illness and injury.
Fever.
Weakened immune
system.
Emotional stress
and fatigue.
Hormonal changes
among pregnant women or women during their menstrual
cycle.
There
are several stages in the life of a cold sore
and the interesting thing you will notice is that
when a cold sore is about to appear, there will
be a tingling sensation in that area and then
redness. This is a good opportunity to apply one
of the many preventative remedies for cold sores
and stop it in its tracks before it has a chance
to progress to a full blown cold sore. If not,
then stage 2 will be when the cold sore will start
to form as very small blisters or these may group
together and appear bigger. The third stage is
the cold sore becoming a red sore which is most
noticeable even by those who have never had a
cold sore before. These become painful blisters
and are very contagious. Towards the end, the
cold sore starts to heal when a brown scab may
form over the area. However, if this scab cracks
open, it may bleed. In the final stages of healing,
the cold sore goes from brown to yellow. The whole
cycle takes about ten days. I am sure you will
agree that this is not a very pleasant prospect.
So what are the
remedies for cold sores?
If you know that you have
a cold sore starting, then you can use an over
the counter anti viral cream such as Acyclovir
for the prevention of cold sores or a natural
healing product such H-Prevention which is made
from essential oils and specially formulated to
prevent and treat
herpes outbreaks.
However, if the cold sore
has already broken out, then again Acyclovir can
be used to help shorten the duration and intensity
of the sores or if you prefer a natural product,
the companion natural healing product called H-Away
will heal your cold sore by penetrating into the
cell membranes of the skin while taking away the
pain and discomfort. When treating cold sores,
be sure to thorooughly sterilize hands as you
can traqsmit the virus to the genitals causing
genital
herpes.
While you are using cold
sores treatment, you can help the cold sores in
several other ways too:
By taking a non prescriptive
pain reliever.
By resisting the
temptation to lick or touch the area while keeping
it as dry and clean as possible.
By wrapping some
ice in a damp, clean cloth and applying this to
the cold sore regularly.
By pressing used
and moistened tea bags on the cold sores every
5 to 10 minutes. The tannic acid in the tea has
antiviral properties.
By using powdered
common salt and spirit of camphor which may also
be helpful in shortening the appearance of the
cold sores.
By avoiding eating
acidic food – for example lemons, grapefruits.
By making sure
to protect the cold sores from the sun and wind.
Combining cold sores treatment
with home care remedies for cold sores may all
be helpful in managing the pain and shortening
the appearance of the blisters.
Remember that the virus,
and therefore the cold sores themselves, are very
contagious. The virus can be spread by kissing
as well as sharing food, crockery, drinking cups
and glasses, towels, toothbrushes and of course
touching the herpes
blisters.
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