How To Get Rid Of Cold Sores

Once there was a month-old baby who was crying her voice-out, and the mother was not willing to pamper her baby. You might be thinking she is ruthless. But if you see the other side of the story you will feel unfortunate for that mother because she was suffering from Cold sores and getting close to her baby can be infectious. Her helpless situation made her stay away from the baby.

This can happen to you as well and you need to be cautious about it. But before that, do you know what Cold Sores are and what causes them? No, then lets dive into the article to understand what exactly are Cold sores and how you can get rid of them.

What are Cold Sores?

Cold Sores are tiny blisters, at times painful which can develop on lips, nose and mouth and are commonly called as fever blisters. The herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is the responsible virus and it lasts up to few weeks depending on the severity. Cold sores are very hard to get rid off because they are resilient and they have high recurrence rate.

Cold Sore Causes and Symptoms:

a) Causes of Cold Sore:

• As discussed earlier, the HSV-1 strain is the main causative agent and often confused with HSV-2 which is genital herpes virus, and we must know the difference.
• Kissing and other skin contacts can spread the virus. According to stats, most of the world’s population is exposed to this virus, only in India 10 million cases are registered in one year.
• While this virus can spread at any time, it will be more contagious when people have active blisters on them.
• These are highly unpredictable and show effects which are different from person to person.
• For some people, the virus will show the effect only once in their lifetime, and for some, it may come back 2-3 times a year.
• For some, this virus will be in dormancy (inactive) state where they will never face the outbreak.

However, there are few triggers which can recur cold sores:

1. High Fever
2. Flu or Cold
3. Changes in body immune system
4. Hormonal Changes in the body
5. Skin Trauma
6. having another infection, such as RTI (Respiratory tract Infection)
7. Psychological Stress
8. Injury to affected area
9. Menstruation
10. Strong sunlight

b) Symptoms of Cold Sore:

• “Prodomes” is the common name for the symptoms which are encountered before they visibly see blisters on Lips, Nose or Mouth.
• These symptoms refer to a burning or tingling sensation in the area where it is going to develop with visible redness.
• After this, the blister or blisters will be fully formed into various sizes or even show in clusters in the areas of mouth, lips and nose.
• These painful blisters will remain for several days. They might even last for about ten days. Getting rid of cold sore is another painful part as once the blisters become dry it tends to leave a scab.
• The cycle may last up to 7-14 days. So, this article will enlighten you with information on cold sores and some useful natural remedies which can help you in giving some relief and eventually help you get rid of those painful blisters.

Is Medical Assistance needed for Cold Sores?

• Medical treatment is not required for most cold sores.
• Most of the time, doctors will recommend medication to reduce the pain.
• The recurred outbreak will not be as severe as the initial outbreak.
• The initial exposure may cause fever, gland swelling, bleeding and sensitive gums, and exaggerated pain.
• The possible medication will be administered to overcome other effects of sores like dehydration, as sufferer may unable to eat or usually drink due to the massive pain.
• By looking at the size of the blisters or sores we can estimate the severity.
• But don’t worry, there are few safety measures which will help you in surviving the exaggerated pain accompanied by cold sores, and also the parallel problems like dehydration and discomfort. As discussed earlier, there are few trigger points which will help the cold sores to come back.
• Keeping few key things in mind, if we can elevate physiological and psychological barriers we can tangibly get rid of cold sores to come back.
• Stay-put, as we will explore the tips and natural remedies for effective fighting back with this annoying virus.

A dozen Tips and Natural remedies to get rid of cold sores:

• While there is no effective treatment in the market, there are a variety of treatment options available to reduce the severity and the duration of the cold sores.
• The only option left with is to change the lifestyle and adapt to the conditions to manage the cold sores or in short, get rid of cold sores.

1. Using Ice or Wet Towel

   

• As we know, sores are accompanied by swelling which incurs irritation.
• To get initial relief from that using ice wrapped in a towel or a wet cloth is recommended around the area of blisters/sores. This is the first step to get rid of cold sores.

2. Consuming Immune-Boosters

   

• As discussed, there is a high chance of recurrence, and being less immune can trigger this virus. So, having immune boosters will be highly helpful. Try to have probiotics (immune booster) like:
• Yogurt
• Apple cider vinegar
• Kimchi, sauerkraut, and
• Natto etc.
• These will significantly improve the immunity naturally. As we know, probiotics aid in colonising the useful/helpful flora (microbes) in the body which eventually kill the harmful bacteria or make them inactive. Apart from probiotics, Vit-C is also an excellent immune booster which will increase the WBC (White Blood Cell) count, and we all know what WBC’s do!
• You can find Vit-C in:
• Oranges
• Red peppers
• Green peppers
• Lemon
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Strawberries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi

3. Know your Anti-Oxidant

    

   

• Antioxidants are the vitamins which will help you in eliminating the damaging oxidizing agents in the body.
• Having a good skin is always better and devouring vitamin-E rich foods are excellent antioxidants which will have a soothing effect on the skin. What is it with the cold sores? As we mentioned, blisters turned sores are very painful and having a soothing effect on the skin can reduce inflammation eventually get rid of the sores. Some useful anti-oxidants are:
• Almonds
• Avocado
• Spinach
• Sweet potato
• Olive oil
• Palm oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Wheat Germ
• Trout

4. Baking Blisters

    

   

• To have a temporary relief, rinsing your mouth with baking soda is recommended.
• If you have sores or blisters on the mouth, you will experience warming sensation.
• So, baking soda will cool down the area and make you feel better.
• Try this remedy a couple of times in a day to get rid of cold sores.

5. Maintaining pH Balance (avoiding acidic foods)

    

   

• The sores are acidic and consuming highly acidic foods will exasperate the situation, or it will trigger the recurrence.
• So, try to find the foods which are alkali in nature and try to maintain the pH balance.
• You can have mushrooms, citrus, dates, raisins, spinach, grapefruit, tomatoes, avocado etc.

6. Don’t be a Sun-flower

    

   

• Staying too long in the sun will not at all help you, and in return, will add fuel to the blister burns. So, avoid the sun as much as possible.
• It is recommended to choose a suitable sun-screen lotion to protect your skin from harmful UV-rays. Also shield yourself well with umbrellas, sunglasses and scarfs.

6. Avoid Sharing Cosmetics

    

   

• As we know, cold sores are contagious, sharing cosmetics is a strict ‘No’ especially when you have active blisters.
• Kindly do not share cosmetics as they are active carriers of the virus.
• If you have active blisters, do not share your things with others.
• If you are a distant relative of HSV-1, kindly be aware!

6. Maintain Personal Hygiene

    

   

• These days pollution plays antagonist role in our lives! Because the air we breathe, and things we touch have many microbes which can cause significant harm to us. But in this busy life, we cannot avoid going out or doing things that we must do.
• The only safe option is to maintain personal hygiene, especially people who are suffering from cold sores.
• Washing hands or using sanitizers will at least help you in eliminating the HSV-1 loving microbes.
• If you follow some simple basics in our life, you can definitely get rid of cold sores.

6. Usage of Vanilla oil or Vanilla extract

    

   

• Vanilla oil and extract have excellent anti-inflammatory properties which can speed up the healing process.

• They can also help you in getting relief from the tingling sensation by applying it on a sore for a couple of minutes, 3-4 times a day.
• Vanilla oil has sound effects on infection and using it will get rid of cold sores.
• There are many brands available in the market, based on your feasibility you can buy them in any medical, groceries and online stores.
• If you are interested and determined on extracting your vanilla oil, you can do it at your home as well.

10. Aloe-Vera can save the day

     

    

• The only thing in the world which doesn’t need any introduction is Aloe-Vera! Because it has antioxidant vitamins, enzymes, minerals, fatty acids and hormones which can be used even when you don’t have sores!
• It is a basic household grooming product which can also be used without any conditions.
• When it comes to cold sores, Aloe-Vera gel will gradually ease the discomfort and speed up the healing process.
• Marketed Aloe-Vera products are easier to use, and you can choose the range of brands for the extract. However, you can save money by harvesting the plant and then cutting open some leaves. It will be more natural and effective without any adulteration.

11. Change the Toothbrush and Toothpaste

     

    

• Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1) is well carried on toothbrushes, and sometimes when we touch the toothbrush while applying toothpaste, even the tube can become a carrier.
• So, chucking both brush and paste and buying new oral care products will be a preventive step.
• HSV-1 is not destroyed at room temperature; using limited grooming products while we have active blisters is recommended

12. It’s time for High-tea

     

    

• When you feel you have the symptoms, the first thing you should do is to apply a wet, cool tea bag to the area where you assume the blister to befall and keep it intact for ten minutes.
• Repeat this 3-4 times in a day to decrease the life and severity of cold sores.
• The tea bag is one of the useful natural remedies to get rid of the cold sores.

13. Indulge in some Honey

     

    

• Due to its antimicrobial properties, honey tends to heal the sores and also soothe the inflamed and irritated skin.
• Apply honey on cold sores and leave it on for about five to seven minutes and then rinse with water.

14. Get relief with Peppermint oil

     

    

• Peppermint oil acts as an antiviral and using it will be a great remedy for cold sores.
• Dab some peppermint oil on a cotton ball and directly apply it to your cold sore.
• Repeat thrice a day and see the sore disappear.

15. Dab some cold Milk

     

    

• Take some cold milk in a cup and soak a cotton ball into it.
• Apply this on the sore to speed the healing and get some relief.

15. Make friends with Garlic

     

    

• Garlic is naturally a good antimicrobial agent and can be applied directly to cold sores to reduce swelling, speed healing.
• Just crush some fresh garlic and apply the paste directly on the sores.
• One last important note: Let the cold sores heal by themselves. Avoid squeezing, pinching or picking at any blister.
• We know, and we believe that “time is money” Why waste your precious time on cribbing upon cold sores. Just get rid of them by following some natural yet effective methods. Stay safe, try not to take the stress if you are affected, use minimal cosmetic/grooming products/ and improve your lifestyle that is it, you can get rid of cold sores.

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