Plausible Home Treatments for Cold Sores
Cold sore can be a very contagious disease and can easily be acquired
from just having contact with the herpes simplex virus or HSV-1. If you
are one of the numerous people that have already experience the
recurring problem of having a cold sore, you definitely have an idea of
how painful it is to have one. The cold sores that usually appear on the
lip and nose part of the face can cause annoying irritation, discomfort
and pain on the affected area. Moreover, you should be aware that once
you have acquired one, you are now susceptible of having cold sores on
other parts of your body.
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Since the herpes virus stays on your body, it is just necessary to keep
your immune system strong in order for you to reduce the frequency of
having cold sores. It is also necessary to give utmost attention to
simple things like leading a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet
and getting adequate sleep. These are essential for strengthening your
immune system against cold sores. You can find many medications on your
local drugstore that can help you in controlling the symptoms of cold
sore. Most of these over the counter drugs and food supplements can help
you control the symptoms of a cold sore. Although the drugs from the
local clinic or drugstore outlet can bring effective results, you also
have other alternatives at home that can help you lessen the pain and
suffering that the cold sore has caused you. These remedies are
relatively much cheaper and are easy to apply using materials commonly
found on your home. You can use ice as the main home treatments for
your cold sore. As soon as the blister starts to prickle on your lip,
you should apply ice to the part that stings the most. The cold
temperature provided by the ice can effectively lower down the tissue
temperature in the area to where the sore are developing. This would
slow down the metabolic rate of the cells and avoid further infection on
the surrounding skin area. Moreover, in case a cold sore has already
formed, the ice can be used to ease the itching and burning effect of
the blister. Putting ice on the affected area can produce a numbing
effect on the cold sore, which can be very helpful in easing the pain it
brings to the sufferer.
One active ingredient of medications against cold sore is tannic acid.
Researches about the uses of tannic acid have confirmed that this
ingredient has properties that can reduce the growth rate of viruses,
which would definitely work on cold sores. However, do you know that you
have a good source of tannic acid on your household? Black household tea
is rich in tannic acid and can be effectively used to discourage the
immediate formation of cold sores. A moistened teabag should be placed
on the infected lip until the itch and pain have receded. However, if
you are too late to prevent the development of the cold sore, it is best
to apply a moisturizer such as petroleum jelly to avoid drying the skin.
This should be done to prevent skin cracks that can eventually lead to
bleeding. |
