Want to get rid of cold sores? Try these natural remedies for cold sores. (Image via MeMD.com)

Natural Remedies For Cold Sores That Actually Work

Natural remedies for cold sores have been used since ancient times to bring symptoms of herpes under control. Now, modern medicine has developed antiviral drugs but most of them either have side effects or they don't always work.

If you want to find immediate relief from your cold sores, then you should probably try natural remedies. They can be more convenient than regular prescription treatment and more affordable as well.

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What Are Cold Sores?

Cold sores are caused by a specific kind of virus called herpes. They're contagious and can be spread through kissing, sharing eating utensils or drinking from the same glass, and even sharing lip balm.

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Cold sores are caused by a specific kind of virus called herpes. (Image via Pexels / Mart Production)

Cold sores usually appear as a cluster of small red bumps on or around your lips. Fever blisters can also occur inside your mouth, but they’re less common than external cold sores.

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You'll likely experience pain when you eat or drink something hot or cold — this is due to the fact that licking helps relieve some of the symptoms of itching (which often accompanies them).


Common causes

There are several different causes of cold sores, some of which you can control and some that you can't. If you have a history of getting cold sores frequently or if they always seem to occur around the same time each year, it may be helpful to talk to your doctor about what might be causing them.

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Some common causes include:

  • Infectious causes
  • Genetically determined susceptibility (having one or more genes associated with an increased risk of developing blisters)
  • Emotional stress (like being worried about something)
  • Hormonal changes (such as puberty) in the body's immune system function; such changes can increase the likelihood that a person will develop blisters when exposed to certain triggers

Best Cold Sore Treatment: Home Remedies For Cold Sores To Try

There are many home remedies you can use to ease the pain of a cold sore and shorten its duration. These include:

1) If you're dealing with cold sores, try using a lip balm as remedies for cold sores. Lip Balm with lemon extract to help soothe the pain. Don't go overboard, though; lemon juice tends to sting open sores and worsen your symptoms. Look for a lip balm with about 1 percent lemon extract in it for the best results.

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Using lip balm is one of the natural remedies for cold sores. (Image via Unsplash / Melissa Di Rocco)

2) Tea bags can be used to soothe the inflamed lips associated with cold sores. This is one of the most effective and easy remedies for cold sores.

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3) Ice can help relieve the pain and swelling caused by cold sores. Don’t rub ice into your skin too hard. And remember to use a clean pack if you’re using reusable ones.

Ice can help relive the pain. (Image via Unsplash / Scott Roderson)
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4) Aloe vera is readily available and one of the most common remedies for cold sores. This is used to treat burns and soothe skin ailments. Applying it to cold sores may relieve swelling, helping them heal faster.

Aloe vera is one of the easy remedies for cold sores. (Image via Unsplash / Pisaunikan)
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5) If you’re prone to cold sores, you may want to invest in a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher. And remember, sunscreen can be one of the best ways to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays during the summer months.


It is important for people to be aware there are natural remedies for cold sores

Whether you are a sufferer of cold sores or someone who wants to try something new, it is important for people to be aware of the cold sore treatment at home. Natural remedies for cold sores work very well and can be used at home by anyone. They are also less expensive than traditional treatments that one might go through in the doctor’s office.

Natural therapies include using essential oils, drinking green tea, using honey and lemon juice, using vitamin E oil on the surface of your skin, applying aloe vera gel on the affected area, taking zinc supplements daily or applying lemon extract directly onto your lips or tongue several times per day.

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Edited by
Ankush Das
 
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