A Look at Cold Sore Treatments

April 21st, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

Cold sores usually disappear without any type of medication in about a week to ten days. Many people select to wait out their cold sores, just ignoring them until they go away. Others decide that ten days is too long to have a large, painful, embarrassing :oops: facial blemish near their mouth & seek out medicine or other treatments to make the cold sore easier to deal with. There’re many different types of cold sore treatment available, from antiviral pills to over the counter & prescription creams. Many people also use conventional pain relievers like aspirin & acetaminophen as cold sore treatment.

People suffering their first cold sore outbreak are often recommended to take antiviral medications. These pills are only obtainable by prescription, so the cold sore sufferer must consult a doctor first. Cold sore medication such as acyclovir or famciclovir can provide pain relief & reduce the healing time of a cold sore. Antiviral medication is most effective if people start taking it when the cold sore first appears.

There are many types of creams used to treat cold sores. Creams containing docosanol are particularly useful. Docosanol is used to fight against the HSV-1 virus that causes cold sores & it can relive pain as well as help heal the cold sore sooner. Other types of cold sore treatment include creams designed to numb the area around the cold sore & moisturizer creams that help revitalize the skin around the cold sore. Lip balm can stop the cold sore from cracking open.

Many conventional pain relief medicines like acetaminophen, aspirin, & ibuprofen are great cold sore treatments. These medicines treat the inflammation, providing pain relief. While there is no cure for cold sores, there’re many types of cold sore treatment that make having a cold sore a shorter, more bearable experience.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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Home Remedies for Cold Sores

April 10th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

There are a large number of home remedies for cold sores. In some cases these traditional treatments have been known to work as well as antiviral pills or numbing creams. One advantage of using a home remedy for cold sores is that treatment can begin immediately since there is no need to visit the doctor to get a prescription or go straight to the drugstore & select between many creams. As soon as some one realizes they’re developing a cold sore, they can begin the home remedy.

There are a large number of home treatments for cold sores. These remedies can include diet changes, taking vitamins & supplements, applying different types of juice or powder to the sore, or simply holding an ice cube against it… While some of theses remedies work better than others, there is a chance that some of the more obscure home remedies may not offer any relief at all. However, some of them are proven to help heal cold sores.

Pressing or rubbing ice on a sore is possibly the best-known home remedy for cold sores. There’re many benefits to this remedy. If the ice is applied early in the development of the cold sore, it can slow down the metabolism of the area around the cold sore, greatly slowing its growth. It’s good to hold the ice to the sore for a few minutes every ten minutes for a few hours. The ice will also make the sore smaller & keep the virus from moving or spreading.

Rubbing aloe, lemon balm extract, or tea bags to cold sores is also known to lessen their size & help reduce pain. Drinking less coffee is another home remedy for cold sores. It’s believed that coffee can be a catalyst in the formation of cold sores. It’s recommended that people who are susceptible to cold sores cut back on their coffee intake.

A number of home remedies are great for healing cold sores. These treatments are quick, easy, & cheap & can assist relieve the pain of a cold sore as well as help make it heal quicker.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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What Exactly is a Cold Sore?

March 30th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are small wounds that appear on the lips or around the mouth. These sores seemingly appear at random & can be both painful & embarrassing. The reality is that the herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes cold sores.

Most people find the link between herpes & cold sores to be very alarming, but it’s not. There’re two types of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1 & HSV-2. HSV-1 usually causes cold sores & is found in most people. HSV-2 usually causes genital herpes & is much more rare. Some times HSV-2 does cause mouth herpes & HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but it’s uncommon & not seen very often.

The HSV-1 virus is usually transmitted through contact with a contaminated fluid such as kissing, or it can spread through sneezing, coughing, or touching a cold sore. The HSV-1 virus is often spread from parent to child when the child comes in contact with an item that a parent with a cold sore has touched or used. The first time a person is infected with the HSV-1 virus is called the primary herpetic stomatitis & usually doesn’t result in a cold sore. The virus can lie dormant for many years. Most people come into contact with the HSV-1 virus by the time they’re five years old but do not get their first cold sore until after puberty.

Cold sores usually go away on their own over the course of a week to ten days. They do not leave scars & often do not recur for many years. The cold sores often burst open after a few days & expel a clear fluid before drying up & disappearing.

For some people, cold sores are too painful or embarrassing :oops: to be left alone to simply disappear independently. For these people, there’re OTC & prescription medicines to speed up the healing process. Cold sores are a painful nuisance that nearly virtually everyone experiences. There is no prevention for cold sores, but there’re many treatments available to make the experience as easy as possible.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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Is There a Cure For Cold Sores?

March 19th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

One question on the minds of many people who often suffer from cold sores is is there a cure for cold sores? Sadly, the answer is no. But while there is no cold sores cure, there’re numerous preventive measures people can take to keep their cold sore outbreaks to a minimum.

Some of these preventions include not kissing people who currently have cold sores, protecting the lips from prolonged exposure to the sun, use lip balm with sun block on the lips at all times, & avoiding personal triggers that can lead to a cold sore outbreak. Following these procedures will not guarantee that a person will never have another cold sore, but it will decrease the likelihood that they will have another outbreak.

It is a good idea :idea: to avoid any close contact like kissing with anyone who currently has a cold sore. Even though people can spread the cold-sore-causing HSV-1 virus even when they do not have a cold sore, it’s much more likely to spread when a sore is present. It’s advisable not to share any items with people who have cold sores as well. Items such as toothbrushes, towels, razors, & tableware can carry the HSV-1 virus.

It is also a good idea :idea: to protect the lips from the sun. People should wear a lip balm containing sunscreen at all times to stop any burning or drying. Even with the sun block, people should still limit the amount of direct sun light their lips get. It’s advisable to wear a hat or stay in the shade to keep the lips from getting too much sun.

Some foods seem to trigger cold sore outbreaks in some people. Foods & drinks containing caffeine like chocolate, coffee, & soft drinks make some people more susceptible to cold sore outbreaks. People who are sensitive to these substances should limit their intake in order to decrease the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak.

There is no cold sores cure, but taking these precautions can greatly reduce the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak. Anyone who has a weakened immune system is at a risk for cold sores, but many of these preventive measures can still be effective.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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Are Cold Sores Contagious?

March 7th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

When some one gets a cold sore or knows some one who has one, it’s not uncommon for them to wonder, Are cold sores contagious? And the answer to this question is yes, cold sores are contagious in more ways than one. The herpes simplex virus that usually causes cold sores is easily spread–even if the infected person doesn’t have an active cold sore.

Cold sores are contagious, & the HSV-1 virus that causes cold sores is present in an estimated 80% of the population. Most people are infected by HSV-1 at an early age, usually by the time they’re five years old. Once the virus infects an individual, it will remain in that persons body forever. Though HSV-1 is latent or dormant for much of the time, it’s still present in the body. The virus is usually present near the persons mouth, but it can spread all over the body. It’s important to understand that an infected person can spread HSV-1 to others even while not currently experiencing an outbreak.

One of the most common ways that HSV-1 is spread is through an object an infected person used, like a toothbrush or tube of lip balm. If particles of the HSV-1 virus are transferred to an object & it’s used by some one else, that person runs a strong risk of infection.

People are most likely to become infected by HSV-1 by exposure to some one with a cold sore. A cold sore goes through many phases before it disappears. The tingle stage is the first. At this point, the cold sore has not yet formed, but the virus has been reactivated. The risk of spreading the virus increases at this time, but the risk is highest when the sore is in the weeping stage. This is when the sore bursts open & expels a clear liquid. Even during the crusting stage, when the sore is scabbed over, the risk of infection is greater than normal.

It is important to note that HSV-1 can not just spread between people, but also to different parts of the infected persons body. Herpetic whitlow, the HSV-1 infection of the fingers is particularly painful. People must be sure to wash their hands thoroughly when they have a cold sore to stop the spread of HSV-1.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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The Importance of Foods to fight Cold Sores

February 25th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

After you have been infected, its not too hard to reduce the frequency of your cold sore outbreaks. Eat healthily to give your immune system its optimum chance of fighting back. Restrict your intake of foods rich in arginine. These are things such as seeds, chocolate, grain cereals, peas, gelatine, beer, cashews & peanuts. Arginine is an amino acid which occurs naturally & is needed by the cold sore virus to grow. For this reason if you can stop yourself from taking in too many nutrients containing arginine you’ll go a long way in reducing the incidence of outbreaks of cold sores.

At the other end of the scale is another amino acid called lysine. However lysine does not encourage cold sores like arginine does; lysine seems to stifle them. Some people have found that taking a dose of 1,000 mg of lysine per day at the start of a cold sore outbreak does appear to contain the virus. There is more. This should then be followed up by further doses three times a day for many days to get maximum impact.

Try a whole foods diet that includes plenty of fiber & foods producing alkali, but excludes sugar & refined foods. There is more. This can assist stop further attacks. Eat high quality foods rich in nutrients such as fresh organic vegetables. So… Since people generally dont take the recommended daily intake of minerals & vitamins, it would be strongly advised, particularly during a cold sore outbreak, to take vitamin supplements.

Caffeine, contained in either food or drinks, can make some people more prone to cold sore outbreaks than others. There is more. The type of things to be very wary of include coffee, chocolate & some cold soft drinks. There is more. Try also to avoid foods containing a lot of salt; they can irritate the cold sores & make them a lot worse than before. In fact it would certainly be a good idea :idea: to completely cut out salty foods from your diet until the cold sores have cleared up. Salty foods can irritate your cold sores & cause them to become very painful.

Avoid smoking & keep your consumption of alcohol to an absolute minimum. But remember, it’s not just the types of food you eat that it’s important but also keep a close eye on your general health levels, particularly stress levels.

Written by Robert Black - Robert owns Cold-Sore-Free which is a web site full of free tips to help sufferers deal with & overcome Cold Sores. For lots more help-ful information & resources visit his web site http://www.cold-sore-free.com

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What Cause Cold Sores?

February 14th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

Cold sores are caused by a virus, the herpes simplex virus or HSV. There’re two kinds of herpes simplex virus, called type 1 & type 2. While both types can cause cold sores, type 1 is the variety usually responsible. Type 2 HSV is found in genital herpes & is much more rare than type 1 HSV.

HSV-1 is the most common cause of cold sores. Most people are exposed to HSV-1 between the ages of three to five. There’re many ways that a person can become infected by HSV-1, including among them coming into close contact with a person who has a cold sore, ingesting contaminated fluids that have been sneezed or coughed into the air, or by coming into contact with objects that a person with a cold sore touched or used. Even though most people are first infected with the HSV-1 virus early in life, they do not get their first cold sore until after puberty. Once some one is infected with HSV-1, the virus remains with them for the rest of their lives.

HSV-2 is much less common than HSV-1. It primarily causes genital herpes. HSV-2 usually only affect body parts that are below a persons waist, but in rare cases, it can cause a person to get cold sores.

Once a person is infected with HVS-1, a number of things can cause cold sores. A bad :cry: cold, a case of the flu, or any sort of disease that affects the immune system can lead to the appearance of cold sores. Extremely chapped or sunburned lips can increase the chance of a cold sore outbreak. Women who are pregnant or menstruating also have an increased risk of cold sores.

But cold sores are not just caused by physical factors. Emotional stress or prolonged upset is another factor that can bring about a cold sore outbreak. Another factor that has been seen to increase the risk of an outbreak is physical stress or fatigue. All of these stress factors weaken the immune system, making it more hard for the body to fight the outbreak.

Many people experience cold sores only a few times in their life, while others have them much more regularly. There is no cure for cold sores. And with so many different causes that people have no control over, treatment & therapy by trained professionals are often the best ways to manage troublesome outbreaks.

Cold Sores gives detailed information on Cold Sores, Cause of Cold Sores, Are Cold Sores Contagious?, Cold Sore Treatment & more. For lots more information go straight to http://www.e-coldsores.com and/or visit its affiliated site at http://www.e-constipation.com for related information.

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Cold Sore Treatment 10 Easy Tips

February 3rd, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

Cold Sore Treatment 10 Best Tips

More than ½ of the American population carries the herpes simplex 1 virus. There is more. That means that millions of folks like you & me have suffered from the painful sores at least once in our lifetime. For some, it’s a recurring experience, a nightmare at that… Billions of dollars $ have been spent thus far to research for a complete cold sore treatment but it has not actually been successful till date.

Though cold sores tend to heal within 7 to 10 days without any cold sore treatment, the fact remains that the duration can seem like a lifetime to sufferers. There is more. The painful blisters that form on your skin, mostly on your lips could cause much discomfort & itch. It’s common knowledge that cold sores are not curable, but there’re various forms of cold sore treatment to reduce the discomfort & pain, & its infectious period.

Here I would like to share 10 simple tips to treat cold sores:

1. Apply acyclovir (take for instance over-the-counter Zovirax cold sore cream) on the cold sore immediately upon discovery of the symptoms. Do this for 5 times daily over the next 5 days. It would help to reduce the duration of the outbreak.

2. Drape a cold compress such as ice wrapped with cloth over the cold sore. You’ll be surprised :o that this simple cold sore treatment offers much pain & itch relief.

3. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

4. Avoid touching other parts of your body after contact with your cold sores. There is more. The herpes simplex virus is contagious & the last thing you want is to spread it.

5. Keep your hands clean. Remember to wash them thoroughly after applying medication on the cold sores.

6. Take herbal treatments such as antiseptics Tea Tree Oil & Sage,etc. Seek medical advice before attempting this cold sore treatment.

7. Use painkillers like aspirin, paracetamol,etc.

8. Use medication containing anesthetic agents such as benzocaine which alleviates the pain.

9. Apply a tea bag over the cold sores. There is more. Tannic acid, an antiviral agent that can be easily found in tea is effective for cold sore treatment.

10. Take sufficient rest, & keep your body hydrated. The simple truth remains that our body will naturally heal when well-rested.

I have benefited much from these simple tips. I hope they would help you too in your cold sore treatment.

Davion is a successful webmaster & author. Learn more about all types of cold sore treatment including how you can treat your cold sores using natural treatment in 3 days easily from home at coldsoretreatment.blogspot.com.

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Why You Need to Know about Stress & Cold Sores

January 23rd, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

In this article I want to write about the role stress plays in triggering cold sores, & why it’s important we manage our stress levels if we’re susceptible to this virus. Right. Why are some people prone to cold sores & others are not? All of us are carrying this virus, so the question is what wakens the dormant virus from its slumber?

Your overall well-being is certainly a factor, as is the kind of nutrition you’re getting. But lets take a particular look at the negative role physical & emotional stress can play here.

Cold sores often appear during illnesses particularly viral illnesses, pregnancy or even after a visit to the dentist to have a tooth extracted. All these are stressful events in their own right. OK. Should you find yourself at risk of getting a cold sore, the best thing you can do to stop this is to keep your levels of stress down as much as you can.

By this I mean both physical & mental stress, because mental stress also has physical effects. So… Stress has been labeled as the primary reason of outbreaks of cold sores. There is more. The virus actually lives in the nervous system cells, which makes it very sensitive to any changes in stress levels.

The dormant virus becomes active & awake through physical or emotional stress. It travels through to the bodys surface via the nerves. On reaching the surface it enters the cells, forcing them to replicate the viruses. There is more. The ugly cold sores are the end result of this process of thousands of cells having duplicated themselves in a small area on the body.

Obviously it’s just about impossible to have no stress at all in your life, but if you can keep yourself generally healthy it follows that you’ll be to cope better with the physical side of stress. Apart from the stress caused by illnesses, even stressful events such as weddings, funerals, arguments with spouses or colleagues can trigger cold sores. There is more. This is particularly the case for all those people who generally handle stress badly.

The virus is very sensitive to stress changes precisely because it lives in the nervous system. So its like a vicious circle, the various stress factors cause the immune system to deteriorate, which makes it harder for the body to fight back.

If you start feeling unwell make certain you get a lot of rest & avoid going outside in bright sun light unless you use lip balm with a sun block. It’s crucial to avoid stress as much as you can. Keep it to a minimum to help your immune system stay strong to fight the cold sore virus.

Robert owns Cold-Sore-Free, a web site full of tips for sufferers to deal with, & overcome Cold Sores. For lots more free information go straight to Cold Sore Free Article Source: ArticleHub

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Cold Sore Treatment Are Over-The-Counter Medications Any Good?

January 12th, 2008 roy Posted in Cold Sores No Comments »

Cold Sore Treatment Are Over-The-Counter Medications Any Good?

When you’re struggling with the pain & itch from your cold sores, any kind of cold sore treatment that can offer relief to you would be a blessing to you…

The cold sore medications available over the counter (OTC) are broadly categorized into 3 main groups, each for one function. One group gives pain & itch relief, & are best applied during the tingling stage of cold sores. There is more. The other groups either slows down/prevent the cold sore lesion from aggravating, or directly stop the herpes simplex 1 virus at its track & therefore promotes healing. Some of the OTC medications contain treatment agents that have one or more of the properties mentioned. When applying all these medications, you really need to remember that the end results will vary from individual to individual depending on the severity of your cold sores.

Here are a few more common medications for cold sores:

1) Anbesol Cold Sore Therapy Ointment with Vitamin E & Aloe
Provides pain relief.

2) Abreva
This cold sore medicine is approved by the FDA. It’s reported to aid in healing.

3) Cold Sore Rescue
Natural gel that contains agents which possess anti-viral & anti-inflammatory properties. Promotes faster healing.

4) Zilactin Cold Sore Gel
Pain relief medicine. Provides a protective layer on sore area & reduce irritation caused by eating.

5) LipClear Lysine Cold Stick
Moisturizing properties help to heal skin cracking commonly associated with cold sores. Protection from sun which is a common trigger for cold sore outbreaks.

While these medications do offer some kind of reprieve for your cold sore pains & itches, they’re not instant cures or magical healing portions. There is more. Though they have been reported to aid in healing, the effect it has in speeding up the recovery of the cold sores can be dismal. However, they can make the 7 10 days of suffering a lot easier.

I would like to offer a piece of good old advice if you intend to use these medications. Cold sores are contagious, so make certain that you wash your hands thoroughly after application least you spread it to other parts of your body, or to others. You may think this is a no-brainer but did you know that there’re repeated cases of cold sores just because of this little habit virtually everyone forgets?

Finally, to answer my question, OTC medications can be very good for pain relief, but for a complete cold sore treatment solution, the way to go is using natural remedies. Find out more at my blog.

Davion is a successful webmaster & author. Learn more about all types of cold sore treatment including how you can treat your cold sores using natural treatment in 3 days easily from home at coldsoretreatment.blogspot.com. Article Source: ArticleHub

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