Cold Sore Remedy
Written by on December 4, 2008Have you tried purchasing various products at your local pharmacy to clear up your cold sores? Are you tired of purchasing items that don’t work for you?
If you are looking for an effective cold sore remedy, you have come to the right place. There are various home remedies that are just as effective, or perhaps even more effective, than over-the-counter products.
You probably know that cold sores are very contagious and are caused by the herpes simplex type 1 virus. Cold sores usually appear on the lips, mouth, and other locations on the face.
If you have ever had a cold sore, you probably wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible, right? The pain, itching, and tingling sensations, along with the embarrassment can be too much to handle.
Because cold sores are so contagious, you should refrain from activities where you would pass on your saliva to someone else’s skin.
If you live in the same household with someone who gets cold sores, you are 90% likely to get them too. Once you have the virus, it will stay in your system (in your nerve endings). So basically, you could get another outbreak at anytime without warning.
If you are looking for a cold sore remedy, there are various methods used around the world to treat them. Here are a few you can try:
1. The best remedy is prevention. You should try your best to keep your immune system levels high. You can do this by taking enough vitamin C and getting plenty of rest.
2. Vitamin B Complex vitamins with a B12 and folic acid are known to help your body deal with stress better. This can be helpful in also preventing cold sore outbreaks.
3. Avoid foods high in arginine. Some of the foods that contain this include chocolate, peanuts, nuts in general, grains, seeds, oatmeal, and whole-wheat products.
4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, drinks with cola, sugar, and caffeine. All of these products have a possibility of causing outbreaks.
5. Use petroleum jelly to keep the affected area moisturized. This will keep the blister from cracking and bleeding. Keeping the cold sore soft will enable it to heal more effectively and reduce scarring.
5. Place a warm tea bag on the affected site when you first feel the blister coming on. You can apply the tea bag 10 minutes at a time for every hour. Tannic acid is known to have anti-viral properties.
6. Echinacea is also an anti-viral. You can take this in tea or pill form.
Cold sores normally last for up to a couple of weeks. With a home cold sore remedy, you will be more likely to reduce your recovery time.

