Home Remedies for Cold Sores
Cold sores or fever blisters are caused by HSV-1 (Herpes Simplex Virus), and at the initial stage, they occur around the lips in patches. Then they break and a crusty layer gets formed over the sore. Thereafter, if treated and taken care of, the sores heal in about 15 days. Being contagious, they spread via oral sex or kissing. As such, there is no treatment but antiviral medications or simple home remedies would help and prevent for recurrence.
Before we discus about the home remedies for cold sores, you must know the reasons why cold sores happen.
- Weak Immune System – this happens for a number of reasons, main being any prolonged illness.
- Weather Changes – lead to cold sores and their recurrence in many.
- Exposure to the Sun – some people tend to get sores when spending long hours in an open sunny area.
- Contact with another Person with Cold Sore – as said earlier, it spreads via kissing and oral sex.
- Stressed Mind and Body
Let us discuss the home remedies for cold sores that would really help you get better:
- Try to reduce your stress level with the help of meditation, yoga or deep-breathing exercises.
- Proper 8-hour undisturbed sleep is required.
- Eat dairy products like cheese, eggs, yogurt, lean meat and drink milk. High in lysine, these would help you fight the cold sores.
- You should totally avoid eating chocolates, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Though these are excellent protein sources, they somehow help HSV-1 to spread.
- Forget vinegar, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and the likes for at least a month. These foods are acidic and HSV-1 literally thrives with them.
- Weak immune system being one of the reasons for cold sores, eat vegetables like garlic, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts and onion that would help boosting up your system, and fight HSV-1.
- Apply lemon extract or lemon balm on the sores, directly, at least 3 times a day.
- Apply ice pack the moment you think you are getting them. Keep cooling the sores and do not allow the area to warm up as HSV-1 would then grow and spread.
- Apply oils like melissa or lavender to the sores frequently to speed up the healing process.
- Apply cool tea bags—first soak a bag in hot water; then, cool it. Thereafter, use it on sores. While you keep repeating the process after every two hours, make sure you use fresh tea bags every time.
- Apply chamomile tincture more than 4 times daily.
While carrying out the home remedies, you need to follow 4 major preventions:
- Do not touch your body after you immediately touch the blisters.
- You should always keep your hands clean—either use sanitizers or liquid soap—before touching others.
- Avoid skin contacts.
- Do not share your items—lipsticks, lip balms, towels, cups, etc.—with others.
Though there are more remedies and preventions for cold sores, the above mentioned are a few that could be easily tried at home. If you seriously want to get rid of cold sores and follow the remedies and preventions, you would be without the sores in no time!
