Home Remedies for Cold Sores
There are a ton of home remedies for cold sores that you can find on the net, but some of them sound like something right out of the witches brew scene in Shakespeare's MacBeth, or "The Scottish Play".
A few eyes of Newt, a few magical words, and "POOF" ...well, anyway...you get the idea.
You know the feeling. That tiny little tingling sensation, followed by burning little itching.
Pretty soon, tiny blisters began to form. Larger and larger, they grew into one ugly and painful cold sore.
What happened next? Well the only thing on your mind was "How in the world can I get rid of this quickly?"
I've put together a few home remedies for cold sores that might help next time a cold sore catches you.
1. When a cold sore is just beginning,
one that is in the early stages, a topical cream like Abreva can speed up the healing , a lot of times, the cold sore won't last as long and it won't be quite as bad. It's an over-the-counter medication and can be bought at nearly any pharmacy or supermarket. If you cruise the Internet, you'll find a lot of folks swear by its effectiveness. The only drawback, it is more than some other options.
2. This being a tea tree oil site at all...
you know I couldn't go without telling you about tea tree oil and its effectiveness on cold sores and fever blisters. At the first sensation of tingling, burning, or itching, use a Q-tip or your finger to apply a drop or two of tea tree oil to the developing cold sore.
Because of its penetrating and menthol like qualities, it is very cooling, soothing, and relieves the pain quickly. You'll also find the intensity and duration to be diminished. Tea tree oil is one of the easiest to use and best of the home remedies for cold sores.
3. One of the most amazing supplements I've ever run across, is Lysine.
The first time I ever heard of lysine, was when reading a booklet on cancer prevention by a man named Dr. Matthias Rath.
Having been in the carpet cleaning industry for large part of my adult life, I have been exposed to numerous solvents and chemicals.
One of the most common ailments among carpet cleaners, tends to be cancer.
Dr. Matthias Rath, recommends using lysine as a means of slowing or stopping cancer cells from growing, when used in conjunction with several other supplements.
He said something about its ability to fill the receptor sites of cells, that might otherwise be used by virus cells to infect your system.
Essentially, the lysine blocks the virus from attaching to your cells and multiplying. Why this is important, is that viruses and bacteria may be at the root of your cold sore.
Cold sores are sometimes caused by the herpes virus. In order to take advantage of lysine, several grams per day at each meal may help. All these factors make Lysine another of the best home remedies for cold sores.
4. St. John's Wort essential oil.
Besides tea tree oil, another essential oil that's gaining recognition in the fight against cold sores is St. John's Wort essential oil. Homeopaths, say that St. John's wort has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities. This is another highly concentrated essential oil and so you you only need to apply a drop or two.
Let me know if you need help finding St john's Wort to use as one of your home remedies for cold sores.
5. Nearly everyone will have this home remedy.
Ice. Apply an ice cube directly on the cold sore for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day. By reducing the temperature in that region, you can slow the growth and development of the virus. Another benefit to ice, is that it provides numbing to the soreness and inflammation, while providing relief from the itching and pain. The best time to apply ice is right as you feel the tingling sensation, because once a sore develops, the ice is less effective.
Besides cold sores unsightly appearance, they are irritating and leave some people embarrassed to be around others, especially in social situations. Although none of these suggestions can be construed as a cure, certainly they can help to prevent or feed your body's efforts to heal the soreness and pain associated with cold sores.