Cold sores or otherwise called fever blisters are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. After you get the virus and make cold sores for the first time, this will lie dormant in your body and it will reactivate periodically. This usually happens when the body is weakened, after flu for instance. Those suffering of cold sores know exactly how much discomfort they produce and how embarrassing they make you feel. Sufferers would do anything for relief and for shortening the duration of cold sores. It takes around ten days to go away, but there are some home remedies for cold sores that will make them less discomforting or will make them disappear faster.
When feeling the itching and the tingling that usually precede cold sores, it's a good idea to apply some ice on that area. It will provide a welcomed relief and it will also stop the development of cold sores. Keep the ice there for around ten minutes and repeat this procedure every hour for best results. Other home remedies for cold sores include tea bags or milk. A warm tea bag should be kept on the affected area for around half an hour and there are high chances that cold sores will disappear in less than ten days because tea contains tannic acid, a substance with antiviral properties. Milk compresses are also helpful, but make sure that milk is kept at room temperature before using it.
If you are willing to support some pain for getting rid of the nasty cold sores, apply some salt on them. It is indeed unpleasant, but try to do so a couple of times a day and to keep the salt there for at least half a minute. A less painful home remedy for cold sores is aloe juice. If you happen to have an aloe at home, just take some fresh juice from a leaf and put it on the cold sores. If not, you can also use aloe gel because it has the same effect.
Always keep around some pre-natal vitamins and when you feel the early signs of cold sores, take one. It contains folic acid and vitamin B and these substances are proven home remedies for cold sores. In the mean time, you should know that arginine is helping the development of cold sores, so avoid foods containing it, like chocolate, cereals, peanuts, peas or oatmeal. If you are frequently bothered by cold sores, consider taking some lysine supplements because they are counteracting the action of arginine.
Don't forget that cold sores are highly contagious, so make sure you take all the precaution measures in order not to spread it while also using whatever home remedies are working best in your case. Use separate cups, glassware and food utensils and change your toothbrush as often as possible.
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