Not only are they ugly and bothersome, but they can be problematic to your health. Cold sores are generally painful, so it is important to find a cold sore cure to help you out.

If you have a history of dealing with cold sores, you definitely know how obnoxious they can be. They seem to have horrible timing with your social life as well, such as appearing when you have an important presentation at work or when you have that date you were hoping for.

So, you are probably wondering why this happens, why cold sores come out around important events. The answer is stress. When you have stressful situations in life your immune system levels diminish which makes it easier to catch something.

Other causes of cold sores can include overexposure to sunlight, fevers, eating too much sugar, and other illness.

When you get a cold sore, it usually shows up on the outside of the mouth and lips. Canker sores on the other hand appear in the inside.

It is possible for cold sores to occur inside your mouth, but that only happens rarely. Cold sores are caused by viruses, whereas canker sores are caused by bacteria.

If you get cold sores, you must remember that they are contagious. It is best to not kiss another person or drink from the same cup when you have an outbreak.

Thus, it is essential that you find a cold sore cure quickly. It’s difficult to not be able to kiss your loved ones goodnight or good-bye.

Cold sores usually last up to two weeks if not treated with some kind of cold sore cure. When you feel one coming on, that is the best time to get treatment.

There are various cold sore cures available on the market, but they usually only work temporarily. They sometimes have harmful side effects, so be careful when using them.

They are usually really expensive too. More people are turning to a natural cold sore cure because they want something that works and is cost effective.

Natural cold sore cures are safe and cheap. They are more effective because they usually attack the infection from both angles – the outside sore and what caused it in the first place. This makes healing a lot faster.

One of the best things you can do to help a cold sore leave quickly is to put ice on it. Ice will not take care of the virus at hand though. Some of the most common cold sore cure elements include lemon balm, tea tree oil, Echinacea, and tea bags. These elements are known to have antiviral agents.

You have probably even tried various over-the-counter products. One of these over-the-counter products is the Abreva Cold Sore Medication.

Let’s briefly review if this product works as advertised. Abreva cold sore medicine can be purchased at pretty much any pharmacy, grocer, or drugstore.

It is sold in a 2 gram tube and is sold for $10-$15. The package instructions tell you to apply the product 5 times a day to the affected area when you first feel the cold sore coming on.

One thing you might notice when you first try to take the medicine out of its package is that it is really difficult to do so. When I first purchased this small little tube, I wondered how something so small could cost so much.

On the other hand, if the product worked for me then it didn’t really matter if it was high priced. For me personally, I didn’t find that this cold sore medicine worked for me really well.

It helped a little bit with the pain, but it didn’t shorten my normal healing time at all. I was ultimately a little disappointed after purchasing this hard-to-open package that didn’t work for me, and ended up costing me $15.

I have heard other stories from people that this product has worked better for them than it did for me. One of my friends swears by this product.

Whenever she feels a cold sore coming on, she applies Abreva as directed and her breakout isn’t nearly as bad as normal and usually heals a lot quicker than before. I guess it is important to take into consideration that everyone is different and will respond differently to various treatments.

With that in mind, you may want to still try out Abreva and see if it works for you. I have found, however, that there are other ways for getting rid of cold sores that work better for me.

If you are thinking about giving this cold sore medicine a try, you can learn more about the product and purchase it online on Amazon .

When you have a cold sore, or otherwise known as a fever blister, you should refrain from kissing others, sharing drinking cups, or any other method of sharing saliva.

Because cold sores come from a virus, there is no cure. Even though there is no cure for cold sores, there are various cold sore remedies that will help alleviate some of the symptoms.

Cold sores can be caused by many different things. If your immune system is down somehow, it is likely that you could have a breakout. Fever, stress, overexposure to extreme weather, menstruation, and fatigue are some of the main causes for immune system deficiencies. Before a cold sore blister appears, you will normally feel a little bit of pain or tingling sensation.

There are a variety of over-the-counter cold sore remedies that you can purchase. As mentioned before, there is no cure, but these products can help reduce some of the symptoms. And if you find a good product that works for you, it can shorten the duration of your symptoms.

There are some cold sore remedies that you can test. As soon as you feel a cold sore coming on, ice the area for 5-10 minutes of every hour. This will help reduce any swelling and possibly help with some of the pain.

You can also try applying a tea bag to where the blister is developing. Tannic acid is known to have anti-viral agents that help out the skin.

This will sometimes help reducing the time you have to deal with the cold sore. Petroleum jelly can also help keep the affected area moisturized to prevent cracking and to keep the scab soft.

So whenever you feel a cold sore developing, you can try out one of these home cold sore remedies, or try an over-the-counter product.

It may take you a couple of purchases before finding a product that works for you. As you try to find one, you can still relieve some of your discomfort with a little ice cube!

One of the best-reviewed products on the market is Viroxyn. This medicine was designed to attack the cold sore directly. It has been referenced more as a germicide than as an anti-viral cold sore treatment.

To use this product, you apply it directly to the blister so that the virus is killed. It is said that this medicine works more efficiently than others because this doesn’t have to work through your bloodstream first.

You don’t need to take it internally for this work. Other cold sore treatments need to first go through the stomach and digestive tract and then into the bloodstream.

This takes some time and will only stop the virus from reproducing, not dealing with the sore at hand. Contrary to other products on the market, Viroxyn interrupts the genetic code of the blister and kills it.

Another type of cold sore treatment that works effectively is called Zovirax or Acyclovir. This medicine is not available online, but requires a prescription
from a doctor in the United States. However, there are books about these products you can purchase on Amazon.

This medicine is an episodic treatment and greatly reduces the intensity of the outbreak. It is also known to shorten the length of the cold sore symptom cycle.

This product needs to be taken 5 times a day. It can also be used a suppressive treatment with a lower dosage to reduce the number of outbreaks a person has. If you plan on using this product as a suppressive agent, it is best that you discuss this possibility with your doctor.

You should be aware of some of the side effects that Zovirax has, such as nausea and diarrhea. When considering the side effects, you should evaluate which would be better to have, a cold sore or diarrhea?

Hopefully, you can find a cold sore treatment that works for you. This article just provided a few possible treatments that are out there. It is up to you to do a little bit of research to find not only medicinal ways of treating cold sores, but also natural ones.

Before the blisters crust over and leave, they will break open and leak. Cold sore cures try their best to keep these sores at bay.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes Simplex Virus (usually type 1). Genital herpes on the other hand is usually caused by the type 2 virus.

Most people carry the cold sore virus and may not know it because they don’t have symptoms. The virus actually remains in the nerve endings of your body.

There are various reasons why an outbreak will occur: fever, overexposure to the sun, stress, exposure to extreme temperatures, menstruation, local skin trauma, and general ill health.

Cold sores that revolve around heat exposure are also sometimes called “fever blisters,” even though it is still the herpes virus. Cold sores generally occur when the immune system is weak, for example, when you already have a cold.

Some of the common cold sore symptoms includes: an irritation 2-3 days before the blister appears, the affected area is sensitive to the touch, a swollen red area will appear, blisters appear on the location, the blisters enlarge and burst open, the blisters crust over to form scabs, and they usually diminish all together within 7 to 10 days.

Because herpes is very contagious, it is recommended that you find cold sore cures. If a member of your family has a cold sore, there is a 90% chance that you could get it.

The odds are rather high. To prevent spreading herpes, you should wash your hands frequently, and avoid kissing or drinking out of the same cup.

If you have a cold sore that appears near your eye, it is important to seek medical attention promptly. If you can determine that it is a cold sore before the sore appears, that is even a better time to get treated.

You don’t have to suffer from cold sores. With proper cold sore cures you will not only feel better physically, but better about yourself socially.

There are several over-the-counter medications on the market today. They are categorized into 3 main groups:

Pain and itch relief, prevention of continuing symptoms after a lesion has appeared, and discontinuing the effects of the herpes simplex virus type 1 altogether.

Most cold sore medications contain ingredients that help do one of the three things mentioned above. When using a cold sore medication, it is essential that you remember how you respond to it will vary from another person’s response, especially regarding how bad your cold sores get.

Here are a few recommended medications for cold sores that can be found at Amazon.com:

* Anbesol Cold Sore Therapy Ointment with Vitamin E & Aloe – this ointment offers great pain relief. This product also relieves dryness and softens the blister area.

* Abreva – this product is recommended by doctors and is approved by the FDA.

* Cold Sore Rescue – this product uses an all-natural herbal formula that contains anti-viral agents. This allows for quicker healing.

* Zilactin Cold Sore Gel – this cold sore medication relieves pain for up to six hours, reduces irritation, and promotes healing.

* LipClear Lysine Cold Stick – this product provides relief, contains preventative nutrients, and moisturizes.

There is no quick cure for cold sores, but hopefully you can find a cold sore medication that works for you. These products listed above have been reported to help in the healing process. If anything, they will give some temporary relief while your body takes its natural course.

It is a great idea after applying the cold sore medication to wash your hands well. Cold sores are very contagious and can spread to other parts of your own body, or to other people. You can prevent your own repeated case of cold sores by simply washing your hands.

Over-the-counter cold sore medications will help you deal with your outbreak a little more comfortably. They will not cure your cold sores altogether, but at least you can live with a little less pain for a few days.

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.

You probably already know that you can’t cure cold sores because they are viral, but there are different cold sore treatments that you can try to alleviate some of the pain.

Here are 10 tips to help minimize your outbreak and to keep the pain at bay:

1. When you realize that you are about to get a cold sore, apply an over-the-counter product that contains acyclovir. Package instructions usually tell you to apply the cream 5 times a day over a 5 day period. This will help minimize the length of your outbreak.

2. Apply ice to the affected area. Doing so will reduce swelling, redness, and pain. You can apply the ice 5-10 minutes of every hour.

3. Take a pain reliever like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

4. Don’t touch other areas of your body after touching your cold sores. They are very contagious and can spread to other areas of your body.

5. Washing your hands frequently will keep contagious spreading to a minimum. Make sure to wash your hands after you apply medications to your cold sores.

6. Herbal treatments with antiseptics or antiviral agents, like tea tree oil and sage may be helpful. It is a good idea to ask your doctor about these cold sore treatments before using them.

7. Use painkillers, such as aspirin or paracetamol.

8. Medications that have anesthetic properties can be used to reduce pain. Look on the package ingredients before making any purchases.

9. Apply a damp tea bag to the cold sore. The tannic acid in tea is known to be an effective cold sore treatment.

10. Get adequate rest and drink plenty of water. Your body essential needs to heal itself, and having appropriate rest and fluids will help.

These cold sore treatment tips have worked for me. I hope that these 10 tips will also help relieve some of your pain associated with cold sores.

You will learn in this article that cold sores are very contagious. They are so contagious that an active cold sore doesn’t even have to be present to spread.

It is estimated that over 80% of the population have the herpes simplex type 1 virus in their systems. It is thought that most people will have this virus, even if it is dormant, by the age of five.

Even if the virus isn’t producing any cold sores, the virus remains in a person’s body for life. When the virus becomes active, sores usually appear on or around the mouth, but they can be present anywhere on the body.

It is also essential that you realize that cold sores contagious behaviors are so potent that you don’t need an active outbreak to spread on the virus.

The most common way HSV-1 is spread is by using a toothbrush, drinking cup, or lip balm of someone that is infected. Any way you can share saliva with someone has the potential of spreading the virus.

However, there are higher chances of getting HSV-1 when there is an active cold sore present. Before a cold sore is completely healed, there are various stages that it must go through.

The highest contagious period is when the cold sore is weeping. This is when the cold sore opens and leaks out a clear fluid.

It is also very common to spread the virus when the cold sore virus is activated in the tingling stage, but has not blistered. You should also be careful when the sore begins to crust over to form a scab.

Just remember to keep your hands clean and avoid any contact with the cold sore to other people or to other areas of your own body.

Please also be aware cold sores contagious attributes are so potent that they not only spread to other people, but are capable of spreading to other body part. The HSV-1 infection of the fingers, called herpetic whitlow, is very painful.

This is why it so important for an infected person to wash their hands frequently, especially after touching the cold sore area or applying medication.

When you know what to normally expect, you will be better able to reduce the severity of the outbreak, and sometimes even preventing them in the first place.

First of all, cold sore symptoms are caused by the herpes simplex type 1 virus. A large number of people in society carry the virus – about 90% to be more specific.

Of that 90%, about 65% will experience outbreaks frequently. When the virus is dormant, you will not have any of the symptoms.

The virus is woken up by things like stress, colds, flu, stress, or anything else that reduces the immune system. Once you have woken up the virus, a chain reaction starts.

The first of the many cold sore symptoms begins with an uncomfortable itching at the affected site. Other common sensations include dryness, tingling, or burning.

When you start feeling these sensations, you will most likely be only a day or two from additional cold sore symptoms.

This may sound a little strange, but the first itchy stage is the most important stage for you to recognize in this chain reaction of cold sore symptoms.

If you can catch a cold sore before it has become a blister, it is possible to treat the affected site before a blister even appears. You can do this by applying ice. The herpes virus does not like the cold.

The quicker you apply cold to the area, the fewer cold sore symptoms you will experience, and they probably won’t be as severe.

However, if you don’t catch this symptom in time, you will start experiencing the chain reaction of symptoms. The next cold sore symptom is inflammation.

This is when hard, red bumps appear on the surface, with some pain attached. The area will become swollen. You will probably also experience fatigue, headache, swelling of the lymph nodes, and even fevers.

Next, the red bumps will open and start to weep. This is probably the most painful stage and the most contagious. When fluid is coming out of the sore, the virus becomes even easier to spread. Be careful to keep the area as clean as possible to avoid any other bacteria that could get into the sore and additionally infect.

As the cold sore symptoms continue, you will next experience the blister crusting over. It is very common for the sore to crack open and can cause even more pain.

You may continue to feel feverish, but your lymph nodes will start to return to normal size. The skin that is healing beneath your blister will cause a little bit of itching and some discomfort.

After a couple of days, and a week for some, the scab will fall off. Sometimes the redness and remain for awhile longer.

It is common for itching and irritation to stick around. During the healing stage, it is very common for the process to repeat itself all over again, so pay attention to that very first stage if it does.

As you understand your cold sore symptoms, you will be able to better control how bad of an outbreak you will experience.