Cold sores not only cause ugly sores around the lips and mouth, they can also hurt so much that it becomes disabling. To provide welcome pain relief and treat a fresh outbreak, and to prevent new cold sores from occurring, try the following useful cold sore tips.
Before we begin, let's briefly explain what causes cold sores.
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by a common virus called the Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV I). You should not confuse this with genital herpes, which is caused by a different form of the virus.
HSV I is highly contagious and very common. Up to 80% of the population has the virus, which lies dormant in our bodies while no outbreak is present. The vast majority of those infected with HSV I contract the virus by the time they are seven years old. Once you've got it, there's no way to get rid of the virus.
Cold sores are painful, ugly blisters that form on or near the lips and mouth. Outbreaks occur when the normally latent herpes virus becomes reactivated due to some type of trigger.
Cold Sore Tips ? Preventing Outbreaks
So, how does the normally inactive HSV I virus become activated? There are a variety of triggers, including:
? Stress ? Poor immune system ? Sickness ? Pregnancy or menstruation ? Injury or irritation of the lips and mouth
Basically, whenever the body's defenses are compromised or the system is overloaded by stress, cold sores can be the result. The simplest way to avoid cold sores is to avoid the triggers that cause them.
In the case of pregnancy or menstrual-related outbreaks, hormonal triggers can't be controlled. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen the body's defenses.
There are a variety of supplements and widely available products to prevent cold sores. A healthy diet that bolsters the immune system is vitally important, as is preventing injury or severe chapping of the lips. A good, moisturizing lip balm can calm chapped lips and help minimize the risk of cold sore outbreaks.
Treat Outbreaks with these Cold Sore Tips
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but what happens if you need to soothe the symptoms of a current outbreak?
The following cold sore tips can help you get relief:
? Apply a medication directly to the sores to numb the pain. You may want to try one of the many "caine" medications, like lidocaine or benzocaine. Benzoyl alcohol or a phenol-containing preparation can also be effective.
? Prevent infection of the open sores with an antibiotic cream or ointment.
? Keep the sores from cracking and bleeding with a good lip moisturizer.
? Try taking zinc and lysine supplements. These may reduce the duration of a cold sore outbreak. Zinc is also known to boost the immune system.
The surest way to prevent cold sores is by taking care of yourself with a whole-foods diet, exercise, and good supplement program that keeps your immune system strong and healthy. Sleep well, and make sure you learn to deal effectively with stress.
Of course, the best offense is a good defense, as they say. But, if you do suffer an outbreak, use these cold sore tips to relieve pain and shorten the duration of the outbreak. - 15437
Before we begin, let's briefly explain what causes cold sores.
Cold sores, also called fever blisters, are caused by a common virus called the Herpes Simplex Virus I (HSV I). You should not confuse this with genital herpes, which is caused by a different form of the virus.
HSV I is highly contagious and very common. Up to 80% of the population has the virus, which lies dormant in our bodies while no outbreak is present. The vast majority of those infected with HSV I contract the virus by the time they are seven years old. Once you've got it, there's no way to get rid of the virus.
Cold sores are painful, ugly blisters that form on or near the lips and mouth. Outbreaks occur when the normally latent herpes virus becomes reactivated due to some type of trigger.
Cold Sore Tips ? Preventing Outbreaks
So, how does the normally inactive HSV I virus become activated? There are a variety of triggers, including:
? Stress ? Poor immune system ? Sickness ? Pregnancy or menstruation ? Injury or irritation of the lips and mouth
Basically, whenever the body's defenses are compromised or the system is overloaded by stress, cold sores can be the result. The simplest way to avoid cold sores is to avoid the triggers that cause them.
In the case of pregnancy or menstrual-related outbreaks, hormonal triggers can't be controlled. Fortunately, there are ways to strengthen the body's defenses.
There are a variety of supplements and widely available products to prevent cold sores. A healthy diet that bolsters the immune system is vitally important, as is preventing injury or severe chapping of the lips. A good, moisturizing lip balm can calm chapped lips and help minimize the risk of cold sore outbreaks.
Treat Outbreaks with these Cold Sore Tips
As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but what happens if you need to soothe the symptoms of a current outbreak?
The following cold sore tips can help you get relief:
? Apply a medication directly to the sores to numb the pain. You may want to try one of the many "caine" medications, like lidocaine or benzocaine. Benzoyl alcohol or a phenol-containing preparation can also be effective.
? Prevent infection of the open sores with an antibiotic cream or ointment.
? Keep the sores from cracking and bleeding with a good lip moisturizer.
? Try taking zinc and lysine supplements. These may reduce the duration of a cold sore outbreak. Zinc is also known to boost the immune system.
The surest way to prevent cold sores is by taking care of yourself with a whole-foods diet, exercise, and good supplement program that keeps your immune system strong and healthy. Sleep well, and make sure you learn to deal effectively with stress.
Of course, the best offense is a good defense, as they say. But, if you do suffer an outbreak, use these cold sore tips to relieve pain and shorten the duration of the outbreak. - 15437
About the Author:
Click Here to discover a method to cure your cold sores within 3 days! It's quick and proven way to stop cold sores before they make an appearance!
