2007-02-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

Cold Sore Care - Facts You Should Know

Cold sore care is at the top of the list for anyone who has ever had one of these painful sores before. While most people have heard of cold sores, many don't really understand what they are caused from or how to prevent them. Here are some cold sore facts to help in giving you a better understanding.

1. A cold sore and a canker sore are completely unrelated.

A lot of people have a misunderstanding on this one. A canker sore forms on the inside of your mouth, gums, or tongue and it is not a virus.

A cold sore forms on the outside of your mouth, in most cases, it is a virus. It comes as the result of having the herpes simplex virus type 1.

2. There is no complete cure for cold sores.

While there are many ways of treating a cold sore and preventing them from forming, there still is no cure for herpes yet. The virus stays dormant in your central nervous system, just waiting to become active.

3. Stress can cause an outbreak.

This is very true. Emotional stress is one of, if not the biggest, cause for breakouts. Other causes can also include an illness as well as other reasons. When the virus suddenly becomes active, it moves down the nerves and immediately causes a blister form.

4. Cold sores are contagious.

If you have an active cold sore, you can easily spread it to others. Kissing or sharing the same cup can cause it to spread. Sharing a towel or toothbrush are just a few of the many ways this virus gets spread.

5. Diet and exercise can help in cold sore prevention.

This is a fact that many people overlook. Diet and exercise will help in strengthening your immune system, which is turns helps to keep the virus dormant. By getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep, are good examples of cold sore care that will lead to keeping the virus from causing a breakout.

6. The virus can be spread to other places on your body.

After touching an active blister, be sure to wash your hands. If you don't and you touch your eyes, you can spread the virus.

7. Catching the symptoms early can lead to preventing the sore from breaking out.

There are several ways to prevent a sore from blistering if you start treating it immediately when you first feel the signs of it developing. There are many cold sore care products that can aid in preventing a breakout. That's much better than doing nothing and having a painful sore for the next two weeks.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

Terry Edwards provides helpful information on cold sores. You can find many more tips and information on eliminating cold sores by visiting http://AllAboutColdSores.com

2007-02-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

Cold Sore Home Remedy - How To Keep Them From Blistering

Is there a cold sore home remedy that can help in preventing them from forming in the future? If you have been through the pain and frustration of a cold sore in the past, then this is a question you've undoubtedly wanted answered.

Although there is no cure for the herpes simplex virus yet, there are preventive measures you can take to reduce and even eliminate the sore from coming to the surface. This article will look at a few of the remedies and hopefully give you some help in this area.

Ice - One of the more popular home remedy for cold sores has been the use of ice in the area that has started to become tender. The ice will freeze the sore and prevent it from breaking out.

Sun - This tip is more of prevention than a remedy, but everyone in the medical community agrees that reducing your exposure to sunlight will help you stay healthier, as well as aid in preventing cold sores.

Lysine - While medical studies are still ongoing, lysine supplements have shown to be very effective in preventing the outbreak of a cold sore. This can be accomplished by simply adding 2,000 mg of lysine each day. This is an area of research to certainly keep an eye on in the future.

Zinc - Taking zinc is another supplement that has shown effectiveness in reducing the healing time with cold sores. You can find zinc supplements, as well as lysine, in any health and beauty department.

Reduce stress - Have you ever wondered what the number one cause of getting a recurring cold sore is? The simple answer is stress. Too much stress or a sudden influx of stress is a trigger for the herpes simplex virus to immediately become active. Stress is brutal on your body. It reduces the effectiveness of your immune system which helps to keep the virus dormant.

Change your toothbrush - This may seem odd, but when you feel a cold sore coming on, get a new toothbrush. When the symptoms are gone, get another new one. It prevents the spread of the virus to your other areas.

These are just a few cold sore home remedy tips and there are many others as well. Put one or more of these tips to use the next time you begin to feel the telltale signs of a sore coming on. I believe it could help in providing you some relief.

All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.

Terry Edwards provides helpful information on cold sores. You can find many more tips and information on eliminating cold sores by visiting http://AllAboutColdSores.com

How to Get Rid of Cold Sore