Finding out that you have a cold sore on your lips can be not only painful, but very embarrassing. And that especially applies to young people who have many friends and an active social life. To make matters worse, the general perception is that there is little you can do about it other than treat it with medication (either prescription or over-the-counter) and hope it goes away as quickly as possible.
But if you want to avoid the unpleasant side effects of “orthodox” medications, which can range from loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting to diarrhea, headaches, and even allergic reactions, you’ll want to learn about some alternative remedies that have been shown to work.
While there may not be a quick fix available to treat Herpes Simplex virus (to use its proper name), there are a number of things you can do to naturally cure it and minimize the chances of it recurring.
This article will look at two herbal remedies, either of which may work for you. Then we’ll look at one or two practical things you can do to get rid of cold sores. Remember, it’s not about applying every conceivable remedy you can find, it’s about finding just one that works for YOU.
First of all, however, set out to find the cause of your affliction. It may be that he was doing something different than usual at the time the virus entered her body. See if you can avoid such activities, or modify them to avoid coming into contact with the suspected transporter again. However, you have to accept that you have it and the next step is to find a suitable remedy that does not have unpleasant side effects.
An herbal remedy that works for most patients uses lemon balm, which is available at most drug stores. This inhibits the spread of a number of viruses, including herpes simplex. In a study in which people with cold sores (and people with genital herpes) were treated with cream containing 1% lemon balm extract, 60% reported that their cold sores healed within 4 days. Almost all were free of cold sores after just 8 days. That is an impressive result.
If you have access to fresh lemon balm, you can use it most effectively to treat your cold sores. With its leaves you can make a compress or poultice by placing 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried leaves in 0.25 liters of hot water for 10 minutes. Drink 3 to 4 cups of this tea every day until the cold sore is gone.
Another antidote is licorice, well known for its general anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that it inactivates the herpes simplex virus. Look for commercially available treatments that contain licorice. The best ones are those that you can use to apply a compress or poultice of licorice several times a day. Steep 2 teaspoons of chopped dried roots in 0.25 liters of hot water for 15 minutes and drink 3 cups of this tea every day.
There are other herbal remedies that can be just as effective, including those using mullein, St. John’s wort, and garlic, but now let’s consider some immediate steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of showing your cold sore out the door in a hurry. a matter of days instead of weeks.
Keep the area around your cold sore clean and dry. Do not expose to strong sunlight or abrasive winds. Replace your toothbrush with a new one when the cold sore first appears and again when it has healed. And don’t leave your toothbrush in the bathroom: it’s too wet and that helps the virus survive. Store it somewhere dry.
Your tube of toothpaste can also harbor germs. Don’t touch the opening of the tube with your toothbrush (or your fingers) and use small tubes to make sure you replace them regularly.
In fact, anything you dip your fingers into can be contaminated by the virus if you use the same fingers to touch the cold sore. So use different fingers in turn, or a cotton swab, to apply any lotion, and this particularly applies to Vaseline, a popular cold sore treatment.
Other treatments include applying a water-based zinc solution, available at drugstores, and breaking up the surface of the sore and applying witch hazel or surgical spirit to dry it.
By following this advice and applying these remedies in turn, you should be cold sore free in a matter of days. That’s all well and good, but what if they keep coming back? Again, consider the probable causes and see if you can counter them. It seems that the main immediate causes are stress and lack of exercise. If you can schedule your life to include enough relaxation and exercise, while avoiding stress, then your cold sores will soon be a thing of the past.
A very effective relaxation exercise is to grab the back of the neck with one hand in the area of the fibrous neck muscles. Squeeze them hard, with all your fingers on one side and the palm of your hand on the other. Do this for about a minute two or three times a day. Meanwhile, take a deep breath in and out through your nose. You will be surprised how much this can help you relax, and it also has a positive effect on your skin and nervous system.
So, what are you waiting for? You can start the relaxation exercises right now. And when you start applying these remedies there really will be light at the end of the tunnel. Remember, the important thing is to find a cure that works for YOU. Hopefully the guide laid out here will help you do just that.