What is a Cold Sore?

Those people who tend to get cold sores have some common questions in their mind. These include 'what is a cold sore', 'what causes cold sores' and 'how to get rid of cold sores fast'. All these questions will be addressed in the following sections of the article.

What is a Cold Sore?
Cold sore can be defined as a small, painful fluid-filled blister like eruption in and around oral cavity. Usually, they appear in clusters and can be seen on the lips, roof of the mouth, tongue, cheeks, and gums but they may spread to the nose, chin and cheek as well. Cold sore is also known as fever blister or oral herpes. It is not a serious disease but causes a lot of inconvenience. Usually, it lasts for a few days and tends to recur from time to time. Moreover, it is highly contagious and spreads from one person to another through physical contact. If not controlled properly, it can spread to other parts of the body as well. Cold sore is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two different types of this virus. It is the type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that causes cold sores.

Symptoms
Strangely, when the virus enters the body through breaks in the outer layer of the skin tissue, there are no symptoms at all. They stay in the roots of the nerve cells of the face in dormant state. When they become active and multiply in numbers, then the symptoms start showing up. The symptoms often vary according to stages. In the first stage, as it travels from the roots to the surface of the nerve, it shows symptoms like pain, tenderness, and a tingling or itching sensation in the affected nerve point. It may be accompanied by fever, headache, fatigue, etc. In the next stage, one or more number of red bumps can be seen on the skin with small watery blisters at the top. It causes swelling and pain in the surrounding area. After a few days, the blisters break up and a fluid is released which is very infectious. Finally, yellow skin covers up the ruptured blisters and is an indication that the blisters are healing. Once the yellow skin breaks off as flakes, it will be replaced by new skin pink in color.

Treatment
Cold sores usually does not require any treatment and they mostly heal up on their own. Some people apply over the counter ointments to obtain temporary relief from the painful symptoms. However, those who tend to get frequent outbreaks of cold sores should consult the doctor for treatment. The doctor will prescribe anti-viral medicines to suppress the severity of the symptoms. It is often accompanied by vitamin supplements, which also help in delaying further outbreaks.

Remedies
Most people prefer to heal cold sores naturally as they do not have any adverse side effects. Here a few such remedies that work:

Application of Ice: When you apply ice on the sores, it not only provides relief from pain but also prevents further growth of the virus and thus, stops spread of the infection. Wrap an ice cube in a soft piece of cloth and place it gently over the painful sores for 10 - 15 minutes.

Aloe Vera Gel: Aloe vera gel, obtained from fresh leaves is an excellent cure for cold sores. On application, it can have a soothing effect on the itching sensation. Continue to apply it even when the blisters have healed up. This will help to heal the tender skin left behind by the cold sores. Do not use any cream with aloe vera gel as a component as the percentage of aloe vera is quite less in them.

Baking Soda: This is a traditional method that is very helpful for drying up the cold sores fast. It has a soothing effect on the itching sensation too. Damp a cotton ball and place it on a bowl of baking soda so that a thick coat is formed on it. Now apply the baking soda generously on the cold sores and let it dry.

Licorice root: Add one teaspoonful of licorice root into a cup of water and boil it for 10 minutes. When the sores are at an initial stage, you should drink this tea 4 - 5 times daily. Thus you can prevent worsening of the symptoms. You can also apply this tea topically on the cold sores with the help of a cotton ball to heal them quickly.

When you are suffering from cold sores, it is important that you maintain personal hygiene so that it does not spread further. Do not touch them unnecessarily even if they are bothering you. When you have to touch them for application of medicines, make sure you wash your hands properly before and after touching them. Moreover, try to keep the infected part clean and dry at all times.