Best Cold Sore Remedy

Cold sores or fever blisters are small, red or brown colored painful blisters that usually appear on the lips and the mouth. These are caused by a virus, known as herpes simplex virus, that usually enters the body through the nose and the mouth. After entering the body, the virus migrates to the sensory nerves, where it can lie dormant for several days or years before causing cold sores or fever blisters. This condition is characterized by remission periods, during which the lesions disappear. They can appear again due to reactivation of the virus. What causes this reactivation is not known with certainty, but factors like cold, fever, infection, excessive exposure to sunlight, stress, high level of arginine, and a weakened immune system are supposed to trigger an outbreak of cold sores. There are several cures for fever blisters.

Cold Sore Solution

There is no permanent cure for cold sores, though it is possible to speed up their healing and reduce their occurrence in future. The best cure for cold sores can vary from person to person, depending on the severity of the condition, and whether one prefers oral or topical medications. In the following paragraphs of this article, you can find some of the most effective cold sore medicines, ointments, creams and home remedies.

Ointment and Cream
Denavir is one of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved anti-viral medications for cold sores. It is often considered by many as the best cold sore cream for the treatment of fever blisters. Even lysine based ointments can help to accelerate the healing of fever blisters. Apart from these, Viroxyn and Zovirax (FDA approved) are two other creams available for oral herpes treatment. Abreva is another medication which is quite popular. These topical medicines should be used immediately on observing the signs of cold sores.

Oral Medicine
Sometimes, oral anti-viral medications are also used for the treatment of cold sores. The medications that are approved by the FDA of United States for cold sores treatment are Acyclovir, Famciclovir and Valacyclovir. Apart from these medications, lysine supplementation is widely used for the treatment of this health problem. Lysine is an amino acid that can speed up the healing process of cold sores and reduce their occurrence in future.

Natural Remedy
Cold sores can also be effectively treated with the help of some natural remedies. Application of ice often proves quite helpful for treating the blisters, and preventing their spread to other parts of the body. Similarly, herbs with anti-viral properties, such as lemon balm, licorice aloe vera, chamomile, tea and echinacea can be employed for cold sore treatment at home. These herbs help to soothe the blisters, reduce the pain, itching, inflammation and burning sensation, and ensure quick healing. A paste of cornstarch and neem can also be applied on the sores to relieve the itching and the burning sensation associated with cold sores.

The treatment depends on how severe the blisters are, and whether you like to opt for cold sore home remedies or conventional medication. Along with taking medications, it is important to strengthen the immune system to reduce the frequency of cold sore outbreaks. Following a healthy diet, that includes foods rich in lysine, vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, C, zinc and iron, is the best way to build immunity against viral diseases. At the same time, it is equally important to control the risk factors associated with the sudden reactivation of the herpes simplex virus.