Cold sores not only cause ugly sores around the lips and mouth, they can also hurt so much that it becomes disabling. To provide welcome pain relief and treat a fresh outbreak, and to prevent new cold sores from occurring, try the following useful cold sore tips.
Let’s get started by going over the triggers that cause cold sores.
A virus known as the Herpes Simplex Virus I or HSV I is the root cause of cold sores, also called fever blisters. Don’t let the name confuse you ? this virus is completely distinct from the one that causes genital herpes lesions.
HSV I is highly contagious and very common. Up to 80% of the population has the virus, which lies dormant in our bodies while no outbreak is present. The vast majority of those infected with HSV I contract the virus by the time they are seven years old. Once you’ve got it, there’s no way to get rid of the virus.
Cold sores are painful, ugly blisters that form on or near the lips and mouth. Outbreaks occur when the normally latent herpes virus becomes reactivated due to some type of trigger.
Prevent Outbreaks with these Cold Sore Tips
So, how does the normally inactive HSV I virus become activated? There are a variety of triggers, including:
? Stress ? Poor immune system ? Sickness ? Pregnancy or menstruation ? Injury or irritation of the lips and mouth
In a nutshell, anything that creates too much stress or overburdens the body can cause the formation of cold sores. So, the way to prevent cold sore outbreaks is to control these environmental triggers.
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 range of supplements and over-the-counter products available for use in preventing cold sores. Also, a whole-foods diet designed to support the immune system is important, along with measures to prevent injury and severe drying of the lips. A good natural lip moisturizer can help soothe sore, chapped lips and reduce the incidence of cold sores.
Cold Sore Tips ? Treatment
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but what happens if you need to soothe the symptoms of a current outbreak?
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 best route to cold sore treatment is preventing them from occurring in the first place with a good diet, exercise, and supplement program that keeps your immune system in tip-top shape. Make sure to get enough rest, and to learn to manage 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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