How do you get rid of a cold sore?

Before coming to natural cold sore treatment, you might want to know what exactly a cold sore is and how it occurs. Cold sores occur due to the infection caused by a virus referred to as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). When you get cold sores, painful blisters occur on and around your lips. Cold sores are often confused with canker sores, which occur inside the mouth such as on the gums, inside of the cheeks, and roof of the mouth.

The herpes simplex virus usually remains in the body since childhood and gets activated under certain conditions such as exposure to excessive heat, prolonged mental stress,and some other illnesses. Since cold sores are a viral ailment, there is no specific treatment for it and goes on its own within 10 to 12 days. However, there are a number of natural cold sore remedies for reducing the symptoms and providing relief from pain and irritation.

For natural cold sore treatment, you may use any of the following home remedies:

• Apply tea bags soaked in warm water three to four times a day.
• Applying ice on the cold sores at frequent intervals will give you considerable relief.
• Apply diluted tea tree oil two to three times a day on the sores. This is a very effective natural treatment for cold sores.

answered by G M

How long does cold sores last?

Cold sores usually last anything between 10 and 12 days. Cold sores are caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and they develop in five stages. The description of all the stages of a cold sore is given below:

Although there is no medical treatment for cold sores, some home remedies are usually used for treating cold sores in order to get some relief from the pain and irritation.

answered by M W

How to get rid of cold sores naturally?

A cold sore naturally heals itself within a period of 10 to 12 days, and there is no specific medical treatment for cold sores as yet since it is caused by a virus. The only thing you can do is to use some natural and home remedies to ease the cold sores symptoms such as pain and itching. Specifically, there is no fastest way to get rid of a cold sore as such. The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) remains activated for a specified period, and the cold sore symptoms develop through a period of five stages, eventually fading away.

In order to get relief from the itching and pain, you can take the following steps:

• One of the ways to get rid of cold sores id to apply salt on the affected area. You can take a pinch of salt and apply it to the area and hold it there for a few minutes. This treatment measure could cause some amount of pain and discomfort but will effectively heal the condition.
• Garlic is another option when it comes to dealing with cold sores. Apply garlic paste to the affected part for quick healing of the sores.

It is best to consult a doctor if the symptoms worsen.

answered by G R

When are cold sores contagious?

In truth, cold sores are contagious from the very beginning, when they occur. The only reason why we do not consider it to be contagious in the initial stages is because during this phase the cold sore virus spreads through direct contact only. It is most contagious during the third stage, namely weeping stage, when the blisters rupture because in this stage the virus now spread through air borne water droplets, such as sneezing. The weeping stage is therefore considered to be the cold sores contagious period.

In order to prevent spreading of the diseases, you need to take certain take precautions such as maintaining good hygiene. The precautionary steps to be taken are as mentioned below:

• Use gloves and a nose mask while handling the patient. The clothes of the patient should be soaked in boiling water or sterilizing solution before washing.
• Keep the living room clean and dry.
• Burn the flakes that come off during the healing period.

For getting rid of the painful and irritating symptoms, you can use some natural cures for cold sores such as applying cold compresses or ice cubes on and around the sores. In the last stages, you should apply petroleum jelly, diluted tea tree oil, or olive oil. It is necessary to maintain proper hygiene when treating cold sores.

answered by G R

Mix a teaspoon of olive oil with 6 drops of essential oil called thieves apply three times a day for three days.

answered by m