Home Remedies for Cold Sores

Cold sores play an important role in this anthology of remedies because they are responsible for start­ing the project off. Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus which lurks in the nerves around the mouth. Most of the time they cause no symptoms but periodically they track down a nerve to the surface of the skin where initially they cause a tingling sensation followed by the appearance of one or more blisters. These last several days before scabbing over. An attack may come out of the blue but more usually is precipitated by one or other of several types of stress - including a respiratory infection or exposure of the skin to cold or sun­light.

The standard treatment for the last ten years has been the antiviral drug Acyclovir either in the form of a cream or, for those with severe recurrent attacks, taken in the form of tablets. The best results are obtained when Acyclovir is used at the tingling stage of the attacks, but it is most com­monly prescribed once the blisters have already appeared, by which time its efficacy is much less convincing. Professor Graham Worrall, writing in the British Medical Journal, maintained that Acyclovir is only of 'marginal benefit'. If the pills are taken regularly it reduces the frequency of episodes in those seriously affected. Several con­tributors commented that Acyclovir had been of little use and as it is costly - at $10 for a cream and $60 for a course of tablets - their alternative remedies are of great interest.

Alcohol and spirits; Mr. R. W. Sanders from Suf­folk commended the after shave lotion Tabac Origi­nal. This does not completely stop the cold sores but is a tremendous boon. The earlier the applica­tion, the greater and better the relief. The active ingredient is almost certainly the alcohol base of the after shave as indeed must be the case with several other recommended remedies, including perfumes, whisky, spirits of camphor, surgical spirit, vinegar and TCP. Dr. Svante Travenius explains how alcohol works: The herpes virus (that causes the cold sore) needs a high humidity to be effective and capable of multiplication. If the water content in the tissues sinks under a certain minimum, the virus becomes inactivated. Alcohol is a dehydrating agent. This reduces the available water content in the sites affected by the virus, with the result that it is made ineffective and the sores heal.

Coffee: Caffeine, the main constituent of coffee has been shown to inhibit the herpes virus which may account for the excellent results reported by Mr. W. I. Drysdale from Devon: 'When you get that telltale tickle, simply dip your finger into the residue of a cup of instant black coffee and rub on the affected part. The coffee must not be decaffein­ated. It need not be unnecessarily strong.' Mr. Drysdale reports that fellow sufferers to who he has commended this remedy have been equally im­pressed but 'when I have mentioned it to a variety of professional people including pharmacists and doctors I have been greeted with a half-closed eye and a suggestion of a smirk'.

Earwax: Sailors are particularly prone to cold sores as the combination of sun and wind is well recog­nised to be a major precipitating factor, so this suggestion from Mr. K. E. Smith from Gwynedd is of particular interest: 'Fifty years ago a sailor (before the mast!) suggested I use my own earwax. Distasteful maybe, but I have never had any trou­ble since and neither has anyone to whom I have passed on the tip.' The rationale for this remedy is presumably a mixture of the protective effect of the wax and its anti-infective properties.

Vaseline: The opportunity to prevent cold sores from emerging is limited but as just noted, exposure to the elements is a frequent precipitant so those prone to recurrent attacks should, when outdoors or on the beach on holiday, make sure they cover their lips with generous doses of Vaseline.