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.
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by a common virus called the Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV I). You should not confuse this with genital herpes, which is caused by a different form of the virus.
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.
Cold Sore Tips ? Preventing Outbreaks
So, how does the normally inactive HSV I virus become activated? There are a variety of triggers, including:
? Stress ? Weakened immune system ? Sickness ? Pregnancy or a woman’s period ? Irritation or injury to the mouth and lips
Essentially, when the body’s natural defenses are weakened, or a person’s stress level is too high, cold sores can occur. To prevent cold sores, it’s important to control the triggers that cause them.
In the case of pregnancy or menstrual-related outbreaks, hormonal triggers can’t be controlled. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen the body’s defenses.
There are a variety of supplements and widely available products to prevent cold sores. A healthy diet that bolsters the immune system is vitally important, as is preventing injury or severe chapping of the lips. A good, moisturizing lip balm can calm chapped lips and help minimize the risk of cold sore outbreaks.
Cold Sore Tips ? Treatment
Prevention is all well and good, but what do you if you need to relieve symptoms of an outbreak that’s already under way?
The cold sore tips below can help you calm the pain of your cold sores:
? Use a topical medication to numb the pain. Examples include “caine” medicines, like lidocaine and benzocaine. You can also use preparations like benzoyl alcohol or a phenol-containing formulation.
? Apply an antibacterial product to prevent the sores from getting infected.
? A good lip balm should be applied to avoid cracking and scabbing of the open sores.
? 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 the best course of action is a good prevention plan, if you do end up with a cold sore breakout, use these simple cold sore tips to help soothe your discomfort and end your breakout faster.
Click Here to discover a technique to get rid of your cold sores within 3 days! It’s quick and proven way to stop cold sores so you don’t have to worry about them!