Treatment for Cold Sores

Treatment for cold sores can include prescriptions, over the counter remedies, and common items you can find in your bathroom or kitchen cabinets. The ones you choose to use will depend on your personal preferences, and some prefer natural methods while others may be distrustful of any advice that does not come from a licensed physician. There are many treatment options available, so it is possible to find the right combination of treatments that are effective in your specific circumstances. Zinc is a common treatment, and many over the counter creams and lozenges contain this supplement to help dry out the sores and speed up the healing process. Zinc can also be taken as a supplement in pill form, and up to fifty milligrams can be taken daily to help boost your immune system and lessen the severity of the outbreak.

Treatment for cold sores can also include home remedies that are safe and have no side effects, using ingredients like tea bags or witch hazel, which most homes already have on hand. A tea bag can be moistened and applied for five minutes every two hours to the blisters, providing a soothing sensation for the pain and swelling. You can also use a warm moist tea bag on the blisters and leave it there for half an hour, and this will help the blisters to pop while providing relief, and then they will dry up and go away. Witch hazel can also be applied to the affected area, and this will also help to dry up the fluid and eliminate the cold sores.

Sometimes treatment for cold sores may require a prescription, if the outbreaks are very frequent, very severe, and other treatments do not seem to help, or if complications develop. There are a few different ways your doctor can help. If the pain is severe, as in some cases of cold sores in sensitive ares like the eyes or lining of the mouth, a stronger pain reliever and anti inflammatory medication can be prescribed, to stop any swelling and help alleviate pain. If a secondary infection from bacteria occurs after the cold sore blisters rupture, an antibiotic may be needed, and your doctor will need to be consulted. An anti viral medication may also be prescribed to lower the level of the virus in your system, so that your body can fight the virus more effectively.