Thursday, February 2, 2012

A Simple Solution To Treating Cold Sores

By Chris Borg


Most people in their lifetime will be affected by cold sores. They spread easily and are a viral infection that our bodies have trouble completely getting rid of. The question everyone seems to want to know is are cold sores contagious?

This virus cannot be completely killed by the body so it appears as these sores. There is no cure by any medicine that is available on the market today. People generally get these sores on their lips. The first attack of the virus is generally the worst. It is called the primary attack, usually hitting before the age of ten. Another name a lot of people call these by is fever blisters. The blisters are red and filled with fluid. These blisters usually last only a few days and then disappear.

There are several reason that people will get this virus. A few of the more popular reasons associated with getting cold sores are being in contact with an infected person, over exposing yourself to the sun, a hormonal change, stress, a type of damage to the skin and also an illness can trigger the virus. They can come back right away, wait years or just never come back. When they do come back they tend to show up in the same spot as they were previously.

The prevention of sores is possible. Some ways to prevent getting cold sores is to avoid contact with the person infected. Do not touch or kiss that person. Even if there are no blisters on the person and they have cleared up that person could still be contagious because the saliva could still be carrying the infection.

Also, do not share any of your things such as, eating utensil, towels, or lip gloss. Make sure to always wash your hands so the virus is not spread. Another good idea is to limit your sun exposure and war sunscreen all the time. Also, remember not to touch any other area of your body because the sores could spread there as well.

Some remedies can come in the pill form or in the topical or cream form. Once you do have the cold sores there are quite a few home remedies that can be used. Using a cold compress can temporarily relieve the pain, using vitamin E oil, vitamin supplements and changes in diet are a few of the more common ones that seem to have worked for some.

Another proven method to try is using Lysine. Lysine is one of the eight amino acids. It is consumed through what you eat or can also be taken by mouth as a pill. Any regular store sells Lysine. Some of natural supplements to try are Bioflavonoids, Zinc and vitamin C. Other people rely on Abreva to ease some of their symptoms. Abreva is a topical cream that is applied to the area five times a day for ten days. It is the only FDA approved cold sore treatment. The active ingredient in it is docosanol, which is used in a lot of cosmetics.

So, the answers to the question are cold sores contagious are really a variety of answers depending on the situation. Knowing that there are several prevention methods and treatment options should put people at ease. The fact that there are things to make cold sore sufferers feel better with no cure readily available is a calming notion.




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