Cold Sore Cure

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.