Treat a Cold Sore or Fever Blisters

Herpes Simplex, also known as cold sores or fever blisters, are painful lesions which usually form on the lips, chin, cheeks, or nostrils. The blisters typically turn into yellow-crusted sores and then disappear within a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, people who get cold sores, which are caused by the herpes simplex virus (usually type 1), generally get outbreaks over and over again, and they are highly contagious. While there is no cure or vaccine at this time, there are things you can do to ease the pain of cold sores, speed up healing, and stop them from spreading.

Steps

Treating Your Cold Sore with Lifestyle Changes

  1. Make sure you have a cold sore. A cold sore is the same as a fever blister, but it is not the same as a canker sore. Canker sores are mouth ulcers that occur inside the mouth. While cold sores may on occasion develop inside the mouth, they are usually smaller than canker sores, and they start as blisters. Canker sores are not contagious, and they are not caused by a virus, so treatment differs from that for cold sores.
  2. Recognize the signs of an impending outbreak. Before you can actually see a cold sore, you will probably be able to feel a slight tingling or burning somewhere around your mouth where the cold sore will erupt. The earlier you can detect an outbreak, the quicker you can take action to hasten your recovery.
    • You may be able to feel a small bump or hardness in the skin in conjunction with the tingling sensation.
    • Other early symptoms include, itching of the lips or skin around mouth, sore throat, swollen glands, and pain when swallowing, and a fever.[1]
  3. Quarantine your sore at the first sign of an outbreak. The herpes simplex virus is highly contagious, so avoid kissing or other mouth-to-body activities at any time during an outbreak. Also avoid sharing utensils, cups, or straws with other people, and wash dishes and utensils thoroughly with disinfectant soap. Gently washing the blisters with soap and water may also help to prevent the spread of the outbreak.
    • Wash your hands frequently, and try to avoid touching the sore. If you touch the cold sore, you can then spread it to other people or to other places on your own body, such as the eyes and genitals.
  4. Treat the fever. As the name fever blisters suggests, cold sores are sometimes accompanied by a fever, particularly in younger children. If fever is present, use fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen, and monitor the fever carefully.
    • Fight the fever with lukewarm baths; cold compresses on the inner thighs, feet, arms, and neck; warm tea; popsicles; and adequate sleep.
  5. Ease the pain. Over-the-counter cold sore creams may help to ease the pain of cold sores, as may painkillers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen. It's important to note, since cold sores often affect young children, that aspirin should generally not be given to young children because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare, but potentially fatal disorder.[2]
  6. Seek medical advice if you have a compromised immune system or if you experience a particularly severe outbreak, a fever that won't go down, an outbreak lasting more than 2 weeks, or irritation of the eyes. Some outbreaks can be serious.
    • People with already-weakened immune systems are at particular risk of long-term complications or even death from a herpes outbreak.
    • Herpes infections in the eyes are one of the leading causes of blindness in many countries, so be very careful not to spread the infection to your eyes, and if you have any irritation in the eyes, see your doctor at once.
  7. Prevent cold sore outbreaks with a number of different methods. Although herpes simplex is still incurable, you can prevent outbreaks before they happen by:
    • Wearing sunscreen on the lips and other vulnerable areas. Zinc oxide may help prevent outbreaks in people whose outbreaks are triggered by sun exposure.[3]
    • Washing towels, cloths, and linens in boiling water after each use.
    • Not having oral sex if you have oral herpes. This can spread the herpes the genitals, even if blisters or lesions are not present.
  8. Be patient. If left untreated, a cold sore can last from eight to 10 days. Until then, there's not much you can do. Avoid squeezing or picking at a sore, as this will only slow healing.
  9. Reduce your stress. Studies show that there may be a correlation between stress levels and an increased likelihood for cold sores. To prevent future outbreaks and reduce the amount of time you have to suffer through a current outbreak, take time to lower your anxiety and stress levels.[4]

Using Oral Treatments

  1. Ice the sore. Ice works jointly to create an environment inhospitable to the virus that causes the sore, as well as to reduce pain that the sore may be causing. Use an ice pack, rather than touching ice directly to the sore, and keep moving the ice around. Do not ice for more than 10-15 minutes at a time.
  2. Use licorice. A key ingredient in licorice has been shown to increase the healing time of cold sores. Eat regular licorice (made with real licorice and not anise) or take licorice supplements. A bit of the powdered licorice supplement can also be made into a paste with water and dabbed directly onto the sore several times a day.
  3. Consume more lysine. A primary protein in the hepatitis virus that causes cold sores can be combated with a protein found in dairy products - lysine. Eat cheese, yogurt, and milk daily and look for lysine supplements at your local health food store.
  4. Avoid arginine. Some research has connected herpes outbreaks with the amino acid arginine, which is found in foods such as chocolate, cola, peas, cereals, peanuts, gelatin, cashews and beer. The evidence isn't conclusive at this point, but if you have frequent outbreaks, you may want to try limiting your consumption of these foods and eliminating consumption during outbreaks.
  5. Take an oral antiviral medication. A few prescription antiviral medications, such as Penciclovir, Acyclovir, and Famciclovir, have been approved for treatment of herpes outbreaks. These medications do not cure herpes, and they have not been shown to be effective in preventing outbreaks, but they can speed up healing and reduce the severity of an outbreak.[3] They are generally most effective if you start taking them as soon as you notice the first signs of an impending outbreak.
    • If you have very frequent outbreaks, your doctor may prescribe these medications to be taken daily, even in the absence of symptoms, to suppress future outbreaks. Suppression therapy may be effective for some people, but clinical studies have not shown widespread success.
    • Antiviral medications for the herpes virus work by interfering with the virus's replication rate.[3] The more the DNA replication of the virus is interfered with, the more time your immune system will have fight the outbreak.

Using Topical Treatments

  1. Use tea tree oil. Tea tree oil may be used as an effective topical antiviral. Dissolve a bit of tea tree oil in two or three times as much water and apply it intermittently to the area before the cold sore has formed for several hours.[3] This could help prevent the lesion from forming and worsening once it has come up.
  2. Dab on some milk. The proteins in milk help to heal the sore, while the cold temperature of the liquid will soothe any pain you may be experiencing. Dab a cotton ball in milk and apply it liberally to the sore several times a day. This can be done at the onset when you realize a sore might be starting up as well.
  3. Coat it in vaseline. Keeping the cold sore covered up with petroleum jelly will help to block out bacteria and viruses that worsen the infection. Apply an ample amount of the jelly to the sore to keep it covered up and moist at all times. Be sure to do this with a clean q-tip or freshly washed hands to prevent the further spread of bacteria from your fingers to the blister.[5]
  4. Try apple cider vinegar. The vinegar works to dry out the blister, kill bacteria, and even out the pH of the sore. Applying the vinegar to an open sore may sting a bit. Use a cotton swab to dab on the vinegar to the sore several times a day.
  5. Use hydrogen peroxide. This classic antibacterial works to simultaneously kill bacteria that may infect the blister while drying out the skin in the area. Pour a little onto the sore or use a cotton pad to swipe some on multiple times daily.
  6. Put on a tea bag. The nutrients and antioxidants in green tea work wonders on soothing cold sores and increasing the speed at which they heal. Make a cup of green tea, and then use the tea bag placed directly on the cold sore after cooling. For an extra bit of relief, refrigerate or freeze the tea bag before placing it on your fever blister.
  7. Chop up some garlic. Garlic is one of those home remedies that seems to have ties to curing many minor ailments. Create a paste out of crushed or chopped garlic and apply it to your cold sore for 15 minutes. The antibacterial properties of the garlic will help to disinfect the area and increase the healing time. Be warned, garlic is potent and may sting a bit when applied.
  8. Dab on some salt. Although a slight sting-inducer, salt applied directly to your fever blister will help to speed up the healing process. Leave the salt on for a few minutes so it has time to set in, and then rinse off and follow up with a dab of pure aloe vera. The follow up with aloe will help to soothe the irritated sore and relieve any pain the salt caused.
  9. Soak a cotton swab with Pure Vanilla extract. Do this 4 times a day until the cold sore is gone. Alcohol is used in the process of making the vanilla extract which could be the reason why vanilla extract helps to heal cold sores.
  10. Take a topical antiviral medication. Topical medications, such as docosanol and tromantadine can be taken to curb the outbreak. Although doctors do not know precisely how docosanol fights herpes simplex, they do know that it enter the cytoplasm of cells.[3] Tromantadine works by changing the surface composition of skin cells.[3]



Tips

  • Some women experience cold sore outbreaks during or just before menstruation.
  • It is also believed that stress may cause outbreaks in some people, and so practicing relaxation techniques to reduce stress levels may ward off outbreaks for these people.
  • A weakened immune system probably allows outbreaks in general, so it's a good idea to try to stay as healthy as possible by eating right, exercising, and avoiding allergens, drugs, and excessive alcohol consumption.
  • To temporarily hide a cold sore, apply a layer of liquid bandage to cover the entire sore and allow to dry completely. Apply another layer and allow to dry again. What this does is cover the sore and provide a smooth surface for the application of lip color or lipstick, and also protects the sore from further infection. When completely dry, use a lip brush (this can be sterilized by soaking in boiling water and bleach) and apply a dark enough shade of lipstick that will cover the cold sore, and sterilize the brush again after use.
    • Just ensure the cold sore is completely covered with the liquid bandage before applying lip-color because if not, the lip-color/lipstick could irritate/worsen the sore.
    • Make sure to use a dark enough shade of lipstick to hide the sore.
    • To remove, wash off carefully and make sure to dry the cold sore as much as possible with alcohol.
    • Do not use this or any method that "seals" the cold sore too often, as it will interfere with the healing and drying process.
  • Hormonal changes can sometimes prompt an outbreak. Don't be surprised if certain forms of birth control (such as the morning after pill) cause an outbreak.
  • You may also have success with topical ointments, such as Abreva and Denavir. Both are designed to treat the viral infection topically and promote speedy healing. Abreva is non-prescription and is available over-the-counter.
  • L-Lysine supplements help speed up the healing process and can usually be found anywhere vitamins are sold.
  • Abreva gets rid of fever blisters right away.

Warnings

  • An outbreak may remain contagious even after all the sores are healed. after 1 week Herpes can be transmitted without any signs of an outbreak being present.
  • This article is a general guide only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Herpes simplex 1 can be a very serious condition, and it's important to consult with your doctor about treatment options.
  • Using alcohol or nail polish remover (which is highly recommended on home remedy sites) on a sore that has already broken the surface, or even on one that hasn't, can cause (sometimes really unsightly) scars on or around your mouth because they are quite harsh substances.
  • An internet search for cold sores or fever blisters will turn up a multitude of home remedies, from vitamin supplements to poison ivy! As with any condition, naturopathic remedies may indeed be effective for some people, but they can also occasionally be dangerous. Use your common sense, and consult your doctor when in doubt.
  • Herpes simplex type 1 causes most cases of cold sores, but herpes simplex type 2 (genital herpes) can also cause them on occasion.
  • Topical medications for cold sores may not decrease the amount of days until the cold sore is gone.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001631/
  2. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001565.htm
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 http://www.news-medical.net/health/Herpes-Simplex-Treatment.aspx
  4. ↑ http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/alternative/homeremedies/cold-sore-remedies.php
  5. ↑ http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-cold-sores.htm
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