Cold Sore Remedies Worth Trying
Once you have been infected with the HSV-1 virus it stays with you for the rest of your life. There is no cure and the virus lies dormant within the nerve cells waiting to flair up whenever the body’s defenses are reduced. It is for this reason that sufferers are always searching for new cold sore remedies that can offer some measure of prevention, healing or pain relief.
Fortunately there are a number of home remedies that can provide some symptomatic relief of the cold sore and which in most cases will reduce the discomfort associated with cold sores and help to ensure rapid healing. To reduce the chance of recurrence, cold sore sufferers should avoid excessive exposure to sunlight. Exposure to bright sunlight can be a trigger for cold sore outbreaks. There are many lip balm medications which contain zinc oxide or some other compound that provides sun screen protection.
Stress and lack of sleep are also known to trigger the virus and if necessary cold sore sufferers should try to change there lifestyle to minimize these situations.
Vaseline or any similar petroleum product can help to prevent secondary bacterial infection when applied on the cold sore. This will also help prevent spreading the herpes infection both to other areas of your body and to other people.
Regular intake of L-Lysine supplements may help to prevent a cold sore from appearing. The dosage should be doubled and ice applied to the area as soon as you experience the tingling sensation associated with cold sore formation.
Although not a cold sore remedy as such, a local anesthetic or painkiller can help alleviate the pain and discomfort of a cold sore.
Avoid salty or acidic foods when you have a cold sore as this may cause discomfort and irritate the cold sore.
To help heal the sores and prevent scarring it is advisable to apply a vitamin E cream to the infected area.
Lip balms can moisturize and soften the scabs that form on cold sores so they are less likely to crack and bleed. Some common ingredients found in this type of product are petrolatum and allantoin.
This article offers some advice on cold sore remedies that have proved beneficial to many cold sore sufferers. It is however not intended as a replacement for medical advice and it is suggested that if your cold sore persists for longer than 7 to 10 days you visit your medical doctor or a qualified pharmacist. This is particularly applicable if you suffer from a weakened immune system or if you experience other symptoms such as fever which could indicate the presence of a secondary infection.
