Cold sores also known as fever blisters are painful fluid packed pockets on the lips and around the mouth. They can ooze, crust and open over.
However, you can’t blame the cold solely. Cold sores are stimulated by a virus, but not the type that makes you sneeze and sniffle. Rather, they occur due to an infection with Herpes Simplex Virus.
During an outbreak, you might suffer from numerous patches of cold sores. The best time to start applying a treatment of cold sore is when you start feeling itching or tingling sensation around your lips or mouth.
These symptoms might appear some days prior to blisters appearance.
Here are some suggestions and cold sore care tips that will help you to stop a cold sore or diminish the outbreak.
1. Know The Cold Sore Triggers
Most people want to get shot of cold sores overnight due to their embarrassing nature. However, preventing a cold sore is safer and quicker method than treating an outbreak.
People can try to avert the triggers that result in cold sores. Avoiding a cold sore might also diminish the chance of spreading the virus to others.
It is not possible to prevent all the cold sore, however, it is important to know what triggers them for a successful cold sore management.
Some of the common cold sore triggers are- stress, lack of sleep, illness or surgery, certain foods, exposure to wind, sun or extreme cold, weakened immune system, injury to the skin and hormonal changes.
2. Avoid Foods Rich In Arginine
If you want to stop a cold sore outbreak, avoid or diminish the consumption of foods that are rich in amino acid arginine that triggers the virus. These foods include cola, grain cereals, chocolate, seeds, peas, nuts, and beer.
3. Don’t Touch Or Pick
If you are suffering from the cold sore outbreak, make sure to not to pick them. By doing this you will reduce the risk of spreading the virus to other parts of your body.
Remember to wash your hands regularly, majorly when you touch your face and keep them away from your mouth and lips.
You should also replace your toothbrush when the cold sore is gone, as there is a chance that the virus can prevail in your toothbrush and re-infect you.
Also, there is a chance to infect your family by getting into the toothpaste. You can avoid touching the tube by brush while squeezing out toothpaste.
4. Lysine
Lysine is an amino acid which helps to stops the herpes simplex virus from spreading. Lysine tablets help to diminish the severity and number of herpes simplex virus outbreaks. Lysine For Cold Sores also helps to decrease the healing period.
5. Use Lemon Balm
Lemon balm helps to diminish the swelling and redness related with the cold sore. However, this will not help you with the symptoms such as scabbing and pain.
There is another option available, a compress prepared with lemon balm infusion that gives almost similar benefits. This will also help to avert the future outbreaks.
6. Propolis
Propolis is a resin stuff that bees acquire from botanic plants. They use this to seal crevices in the beehives. Propolis is rich in antiviral properties and antioxidants. It also stops the herpes simplex virus from replicating.
How To Prevent Spreading A Cold Sore
Illness and stress are two major triggers of cold sores. When your immune system is weakened, it fails to fight back the viruses. Cold sore outbreaks can be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a proper diet.
If you are going through a lot of stress, try to indulge in stress-relieving practices such as meditation, yoga or journaling. A cold sore is contagious as soon as the symptoms commence, even if the blisters haven’t shown up. They can also affect other people even if there are no symptoms.
Here are few suggestions to stop the cold sore virus from spreading:
- Avoid sharing personal care items such as towels, utensils or toothbrushes.
- Avoid involving in intimate contact that includes the touch of skin-to-skin until and unless the lesion is healed.
- Avoid sharing cosmetic items such as lip gloss, foundation or lipstick.
- After getting rid of cold sore make sure to replace the toothbrush to avert the chances of reinfection.
- Avoid picking at the cold sore and make sure to wash your hands after every moment you touch the sore or apply the ointment.
- If the sunlight gives rise to the cold sore, make sure to apply sunscreen regularly to the area where they emerge.
Cold sores generally take time to heal, however, there are numerous treatments and cold sore care tips that can boost the healing time. Remedying a cold sore as the symptoms appear might reduce its duration and severity.
The sooner you start the treatment of cold sore, the better possibility is to avert the outbreak. If you are suffering from a cold sore outbreak or having symptoms, make sure to visit TheColdSoreCure.