Cold sore relief is on the minds of millions of sufferers at any given time. Some treatments are quick, easy and work great. But there are many remedies that are a big waste of money when you need cold sore relief.



Do not spend another penny on some miracle cold sore relief product until you try these exceptional home remedies for cold sores.

Do you need cold sore relief for a painful sore right now?

If so, you first need to eliminate, or at least reduce, that stinging pain. Then you want to get rid of your sore as quickly as possible.

The herpes virus creates cold sores by destroying cells on the end of a nerve fiber. Your body will fight the virus causing headache problems, swelling of the target area, fever and the enlargement of lymph glands located below the jaw.

To deal with the headaches and pain, many folks take a pain and fever reducer such as aspirin or Advil. Generally these products are a good first step toward cold sore relief. They will not eliminate the pain, but will help to some degree.

Next - application of ice will help reduce pain, fever and swelling very quickly. Ice also slows down - or even stops - the herpes virus reproduction process.

Ice is available anywhere and basically free. But, ice is not always the most convenient for cold sore relief during certain situations, such as driving or working.

When you cannot use ice conveniently, then certain drug store remedies may be a good alternative choice for comfort. Look for products that contain numbing ingredients such as benzocaine.

These products will give some cold sore relief from the pain - by deadening the nerve endings. And they usually have ingredients that will protect your sore from bacterial infection.

In spite of claims, however, they generally do not reduce fever, swelling or speed healing by any measurable degree. Consider them comfort treatments only and expect no more than that.

Ice is probably one of the best remedies for stopping pain and reducing swelling and fever. But, once your sore blossoms open, your sore begins the healing stage. And ice will slow down this process. Cold drives healing blood away from the wound.

Applying warmth during the healing period will give you the best cold sore relief by helping to cure the outbreak fast.

Hot water applied with a cloth will help. A warm, wet tea bag is a better choice. The tea contains ingredients that give excellent cold sore relief - by speeding up the healing process.

It is extremely important, while in the healing stages, to keep the sore clean by sterilizing with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Use throwaway cotton balls or paper towels for this purpose. Also, apply olive or oregano oil to keep the scab soft.

Once your sore is healed, you will want to take steps to prevent, or reduce, future outbreaks of cold sores.

Nearly a third of those who are infected with the herpes virus never get an outbreak because their immunity is strong. If you get multiple cold sores, you should strongly consider the following remedy.

Many folks have greatly reduced the frequency of their outbreaks by merely taking a good quality daily multiple vitamin and mineral formula.

Go to a vitamin store and get a top quality vitamin and mineral supplement. The drug store vitamins you see are usually very poor quality. You will just be wasting your money. And if you do not actually feel the difference, try a different brand of vitamins.

Specific nutrients that are important for cold sore relief are calcium, magnesium, B and C vitamins, vitamin E and ZINC.

For quick cold sore relief, use ice at the beginning, and warmth during healing. Keep the sore clean and the scab well oiled to avoid re-opening the wound by cracking.

To reduce or eliminate future outbreaks of cold sores, you will benefit greatly by boosting your immune system. To do this, eat more vegetables. In addition, you really should be taking an excellent quality vitamin and mineral supplementation program for the best chance of cold sore relief.