After trying many different products you would perhaps realize that ice is one of the best home remedies for cold sores. If you just begin at the right time then you can remove cold sores within a couple of days.
Cold sores are tiny fluid filled blisters on and around the lips. They generally form patches of groups if blisters and are also known as fever blisters. The skin around the blisters often turn red and is swollen. The fluid may leak or get cleared when the blister breaks open. Most cold sores disappear within 2 weeks.
These blisters are painful. In addition to the pain at the site of the cold sores, you may also experience fever, gum pain, sore throat, headache, swollen lymph nodes and muscle pain.
Cold sores are not only painful but are also embarrassing as they affect your looks. They usually appear on the lips and the edges of the mouth. In some cases during the first outbreak they may begin to appear anywhere in the mouth and the lesions can be easily confused with canker sores. Ice, obviously, in that case can not be used as home remedy for canker sores.
What Causes Cold Sores?
Certain strains of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)are responsible for causing cold sores.
The herpes simplex virus HSV 1 and HSV 2 can cause cold sores.
HSV 2 is generally responsible for Genital Herpes. There are some common remedies for genital herpes and cold sores but ice works effectively on cold sores.
Cold sores are highly contagious and can be spread through touching the infected fluid.
The herpes simplex virus enters the body through any break in the skin inside or around the mouth.
If you touch a cold sore or the infected fluid by razor blades, sharing utensils to eat, touch saliva of infected person, kiss infected or touch saliva of infected person then you are likely to get cold sores.
As a parent affected by cold sore one must be extra careful not to transfer it to their children
Young children usually get the sores inside the mouth.
Use Ice as Effective Home Remedy for Cold Sores
Cold sores generally go away without any treatment within the 10-14 days. Objectives of all remedies for cold sores is to heal them faster.
If you catch the early warning signs of cold sores and begin to use ice then you can get rid of cold sores within 2-3 days.
You will usually get tingling and itching or even burning sensation around your lips. This is the indication that you might get cold sores outbreak within days. If you already have a history of cold sore outbreak or even had one outbreak in the past then don't ignore this sign.
Identifying this sign and taking immediate action can save you from a lot of potential cold sore pain in the future.
Begin to Apply ice around your lips. Follow the instructions below to heal your cold sore fast with the help of ice.
- Wrap an icecube in a thin cotton cloth. Remember you are going to throw away the cloth after the application as the cloth gets infected. So cut a small piece from a clean cloth which can easily wrap an ice cube and allow you enough leverage for you to hold the wrapped ice cube.
- Keep the wrapped ice on the affected area which might have begun to show signs of raised skin. Blisters may not have completely formed. It is a critical stage. If you miss this stage then the cold sores may take longer to heal.
- Keep the wrapped ice pressed on the affected area for 15-30 seconds at a time. Take it away from touching the skin for a couple seconds and reapply. Total time of this cold compress should not exceed 15 minutes otherwise you may get cold burns called Frostbite. ( Frostbite Home Remedies)
Do it 4-5 times a day. The ice will mature the cold sores faster and the blisters will disappear within the 2-3 days of their first appearance. They will be less painful also.
Usually the first outbreak of cold sores is very painful. Each subsequent outbreak is less painful.
In addition to the use of ice, maintain high immunity levels by eating a healthy diet. Most outbreaks of cold sores occur when your Immunity is low.