Cold sores or oral herpes is an acute viral infection that causes lesions in the affected area.
It mainly affects the face, lips, chin, and nose.
These blisters appear as small breakouts that can become very painful and make you anxious.
The virus is highly contagious and is spread through direct contact with the saliva or sores of someone who has the infection.
So it’s important to keep your hands clean, especially when you’re around other people who could be virus carriers.
If you catch it from another person, there is a good chance that your partner will also get it again once you two stop interacting with each other.
Oral herpes affects about 80% of adults at some point in their lives.
However, most people don’t realize they have it until they suffer from recurrent outbreaks.
If untreated, oral herpes can last for months instead of just a few days like most other cold sores.
What Are The Common Cold Sores Symptoms?
We’ve all had cold sores at some point in our lives.
Usually, they break out when we feel stressed or run down, especially when we are in crowded places or working or studying really hard.
However, if you’re experiencing symptoms other than cold sores, it’s best to consult your doctor immediately, as it could be something more severe like an infected wound or skin cancer. Possible symptoms include:
- A sudden fever,
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sore throat
- Headaches
- Rashes on the face or body.
- Other signs include dizziness, confusion, red eyes, or difficulty swallowing or breathing.
If you notice any of these symptoms in yourself or a family member and you think it’s due to cold sores, keep a note of the symptoms you are experiencing and take them with you when you visit.
Natural Remedies For Cold Sores
When it comes to treating oral herpes or cold sores naturally, few treatment options are available.
#1 Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is effective against oral herpes because it contains antiviral compounds called eugenol and Rosmarinus acid that fight the virus and soothe the skin irritation caused by cold sores.
It works best if you take a lemon balm extract or drink lemon balm tea twice daily as soon as you notice symptoms.
You can also make a homemade lemon balm lip balm using lemon balm oil to help relieve the pain caused by cold sores and prevent them from spreading further.
#2 Ice
The cold temperature helps numb the nerves and relieve pain caused by cold sores and blisters.
This helps to reduce swelling and pain caused by the infection.
You can use ice in any form like an ice pack, an ice cube, or even ice cubes wrapped in a towel or cloth.
Wrap the ice in a clean cloth or towel before applying it to avoid causing any damage to the blisters or sores and try to apply the ice for up to 10 minutes at a time.
Repeat the treatment a few times a day to get the best results.
#3 Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera is found just about in every household today.
It is one of the most widely used natural medicines to treat a number of infections and diseases, including cold sores.
Its antiviral and antimicrobial properties fight infections and reduce inflammation and pain caused by blisters and sores.
For example, Aloe vera gel stops the growth of the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores and decreases the size of the blisters and sores, making them less painful.
So whenever a cold sore or blister is forming, apply pure aloe vera gel on the blister or sore.
#4 Sunscreen
Sunscreen is not only good for the health of your skin, but it can also prevent viral and bacterial infections from developing on your skin, including cold sores and blisters.
So make sure you have it on your lips and face when going out in the sun, and when at home, apply it on the areas affected by cold sores and blisters to avoid further.
Taking this precaution will also help you to heal sooner.
#5 Stress Reduction
Stress is a normal part of everyday life and can even be helpful to a certain extent.
However, when stress becomes overwhelming and stays with you for a long time without letting up and becomes chronic, it can have serious health implications.
It can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to infections and illnesses.
This is why it’s essential to learn how to deal with stress effectively and prevent it from taking over your life.
Keeping your stress levels at bay will help stop cold sores from recurring and will also clear up the blisters and sores faster if you already get them.
#6 Lysine
Lysine is a supplement that is used to treat herpes due to its ability to stop the virus from dividing and replicating.
It also helps heal the sores faster by increasing the healing process.
If you’re taking lysine for prevention purposes, you can take it twice or thrice a day, and it works best for about 70% of people.
You can also take lysine once when you start getting the tingling or itching symptoms of a cold sore, and it will help heal the sore faster.
You can buy it in most health stores and pharmacies or online too.
#7 Propolis
Propolis is a resinous substance that honey bees use to seal cracks and gaps in the hives.
Propolis contains various constituents such as flavonoids, caffeic acid esters, cinnamic acid derivatives, and phenolic acid esters.
It has antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it useful for treating wounds and infections caused by bacteria or viruses.
Propolis also contains the beneficial compound pinocembrin, which is responsible for its antioxidant effect.
This is mainly due to its high amount of flavonols and phenolic acids. It comes in an ointment or cream form and can be applied externally to the areas affected by herpes or herpes outbreaks.
When To See The Doctor
Cold sores usually go away on their own within a few days without any treatment.
However, if sores persist longer than a week or cause severe pain or redness in the affected area, you should immediately see your doctor.
You should also consult your doctor if you experience fever and swollen lymph nodes around the infected area or experience tingling and numbness in the affected area for several days after the outbreak subsides.
To Sum It Up
In conclusion, there are many natural remedies for cold sores that you can use to feel better fast.
These remedies can help reduce the itching and swelling caused by the cold sores and speed up the healing process.
However, cold sores are highly contagious, and you should always follow proper hygiene to prevent spreading the infection to others.
So follow these tips to prevent getting cold sores in the first place and treat them with natural remedies if they happen to develop.
