Natural and Effective Cold Sore Remedies

Cold sores are easily one of the most uncomfortable and unsightly of blemishes. They pop up indiscriminately and seem to take ages to disappear. These fluid filled blisters can appear at random and have been attributed to genetics, exposure to another person infected with cold sores, menstruation, stress, a lowered immune system and even local irritants such as excess sunlight. Cold sores normally pop up around the lips or nose and are caused by HSV 1 (herpes simplex virus type 1). Since this virus is not completely eradicated by our body's immune system, cold sores tend to recurr from rarely to rather often depending on the individual.

Talking to your health care provider about your bouts with cold sores is always the best route. Some cold sore sufferers find great relief in using oral medicines in order to keep their sores at bay. Some of these medicines are the same as ones used by sufferers of genital herpes such as Zovirax. Others swear by the benefits of using over the counter topical creams such as Abreva. However, pharmaceuticals are not the only way to bring relief to an existing cold sore. There are several natural ways you can treat your cold sore at home and possibly prevent others from rearing their ugly heads in the future.

At the first sign of a cold sore, one of the best ways to keep down the inflammation and pain is to rub and ice cube over the affected area for several minutes and repeat this every hour. Ice will cool down the irritation and keep the swelling down often keeping the sore from expanding any furthur. Another effective, natural way to tame cold sores is to press a moist tea bag over the sore for 20 minutes as often as possible. The tanins in the tea help to reduce swelling and redness. Two other tried and true natural cold sore remedies are tea tree oil and lemon balm. Either one dabbed over the sores will shorten their lifespan and expedite the healing process. Both tea tree oil and lemon balm contain antiviral properties that work double duty to soothe the area that is affected as well.

Fighting cold sores internally as well as externally can aid your body in getting rid of those painful and unsightly blemishes even more quickly and effectively. Treating your cold sores with ice, tea, tea tree oil or lemon balm is an excellent way to start on your path to recovery, and taking nutritional supplements helps boost your body's natural defenses from a cellular level. Lysine is a nutritional supplement that has been hailed for years in being extremely effective in not only shortening the duration of a cold sore breakout but also of helping sufferers have fewer cold sores in the long run.

Lysine is and essential amino acid that our bodies don't produce naturally. It helps our bodies obtain protein which we need in order to inhibit infection and to develop our healthy body tissue, hormones and antibodies. Lysine is found in foods such as dairy products, fish, yeast, red meat and eggs. Unfortunately, not all of us eat the proper amounts of these foods to guarantee that we have a lysine rich diet. Lysine can be found as a supplement in health food stores and pharmacies and can be taken three times a day in order to shorten the life of your cold sore.

Other supplements that are known to help ward off or lessen the impact of a cold sore are vitamins B, C and zinc as well as niacinamide. All of these help the body fight off cold sores by boosting the immune system. Always consult with your physician about what the best dosage would be for you of any of these supplements. Body weight and mass could make a difference as to how much or how little you should be taking.

Another way to ensure that your body's defenses are always strong and able to ward off further cold sore breakouts is to try and have a healthy diet. Eat foods that are rich in nutrients and vitamins. Replace complex carbohydrates with fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to cut down as much as possible of foods that have a high salt content, and foods that are processed. Too much caffeine should be avoided if you suffer from cold sores as should foods that are high in arginine. Arginine can be found in nuts, seeds and chocolate and is a known irritant for cold sores.

If you know you are going to be in direct sunlight try using a lip balm with a high SPF. Exposure to sunlight as well as dry, cracked lips can cause cold sores to appear in people with HSV1. Keeping your lips protected and moisturized in of the essence to ward off breakouts. During a breakout you still want to keep your lips moist in order to prevent the cold sores from drying out, cracking and bleeding.

While there is currently no known cure for cold sores, there are ways to keep them from growing uncontrollably as well as ways of making sure your body is strong and healthy enough to fight off infections more effectively. Talking to your doctor is always key. After that you can choose to take medication or to use home remedies that are also effective while being natural. Either route you chose will surely shorten the duration of your breakouts and help prevent future ones. Trying to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle will only add to the benefits of the treatments that you choose.