Cold Sore Tips for Prevention and Treatment
Cold sores aren’t just cosmetically unattractive. As anyone who’s ever had one can attest, they’re also very painful. To help you conquer cold sores, we’ve gathered some cold sore tips to assist you in relieving the pain of a current cold sore outbreak, and to help you prevent new outbreaks down the road.
Let’s get started by going over the triggers that cause cold sores.
Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are the result of the Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV I). Note that this is different from the genital herpes virus.
HSV I is a chronic virus that is easily passed from one person to another. It is so common that it is present in 80% of the population, and most people get HSV I before they turn seven years old. Once you have the virus, you’ll have it for life. Most of the time it remains inactive, until something happens to trigger a cold sore outbreak.
When the herpes virus lies dormant, there are no signs or symptoms in a person who has the virus. That is, until the virus is somehow reactivated, resulting in painful and unsightly cold sore blisters around the lips and mouth.
Prevent Outbreaks with these Cold Sore Tips
So, what exactly triggers the dormant HSV I virus to re-awaken? There are a variety of different causes, like:
? Stress ? Weak immune system ? Illness ? Pregnancy or menstruation ? Injured or irritated lips and mouth
Essentially, when the body’s natural defenses are weakened, or a person’s stress level is too high, cold sores can occur. To prevent cold sores, it’s important to control the triggers that cause them.
When it comes to cold sores that may occur during pregnancy or a woman’s period, these hormonally-based triggers can’t always be controlled. In cases like this, you can develop a proactive plan of attack.
There are a variety of supplements and widely available products to prevent cold sores. A healthy diet that bolsters the immune system is vitally important, as is preventing injury or severe chapping of the lips. A good, moisturizing lip balm can calm chapped lips and help minimize the risk of cold sore outbreaks.
Cold Sore Tips for Effective Treatment
Prevention is all well and good, but what do you if you need to relieve symptoms of an outbreak that’s already under way?
The following cold sore tips can help you get relief:
? Try applying a numbing medicine like lidocaine, benzocaine, benzoyl alcohol, or a product that contains phenol.
? Prevent infection of the open sores with an antibiotic cream or ointment.
? Keep the sores from cracking and bleeding with a good lip moisturizer.
? Consider taking zinc and lysine supplements. These compounds may allow for faster healing of cold sores. Zinc is also a known immune system support.
The surest way to prevent cold sores is by taking care of yourself with a whole-foods diet, exercise, and good supplement program that keeps your immune system strong and healthy. Sleep well, and make sure you learn to deal effectively with stress.
While prevention is really the best treatment plan, if you do end up with painful cold sores, use these cold sore tips to minimize the associated pain and help get rid of your outbreak sooner.
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