Easy Cold Sore Remedies

As you may already know, The Herpes Simplex Virus is what causes Cold Sores and Genital Herpes.  The Virus has been around for thousands of years and it may be interesting to note that even the cave men have had encounters with it.  Although it has certainly been around for a quite some time, the present form of the virus is different than its original form thousands of years ago.

In order to survive the many different conditions the virus was introduced to over the years, it had to mutate, change forms and adapt.  In today’s form, once the virus has infected a human being, it remains dormant in the individuals nerve cells, allowing it survive and replicate for future outbreaks.  Some Scientists believe that the virus didn’t always have this capability in the its early form.  The virus probably started off as a one time infection that individuals wouldn’t have to worry about later on. Since Hosts were few and far between, the virus eventually had to find a way to replicate.  According “Understanding Herpes” by Lawrence R. Stanberry, M.D., Ph.D.,  thousands of years ago the virus had already evolved to similar state as today.  In isolated villages, Instead of infecting individuals and dying off after everyone had suffered from it, the virus was able to survive by new access to the nerve cells .  When new visitors to the village came along, the virus would reactivate  in the previous infected individual and find its way to a new host after replication, Thus constant outbreaks when coming in contact with other humans.

The Cavemen weren’t so lucky back then due to the fact that they had nothing to help control herpes Outbreaks.  In today’s world, infected individuals have a bit of advantage due to a easy accessible Anti Viral Prescription Drugs.  Though these aren’t required for everybody that has experienced a cold sore, Many people with serious cases use these prescription drugs on a daily basis.  There are around 5 different medications that people who suffer from Herpes Simplex commonly use.  All of these do not cure the person of the virus, but they are able to help block the virus from replicating and making copies of itself.  When these medications are in the system of an individual during an outbreak, they allow the body to start the healing process sooner.  For people with Immune system problems, a simple cold sore can last a long time, but these drugs can really cut down the time of how long the outbreak will last.  Some people struggle with cold sores even though they don’t even have immune system problems. Out of all the Cold Sore Remdies out there,  Anti Viral Prescription drugs are usually the best way keep these outbreaks under control.  Some of these include Valtrex, Famcyclovir and Acyclovir.   Many Dermatologists believe that it won’t very long until these Anti Viral drugs can purchased over the counter.

References:  “Understanding Herpes Revised Second Edition” By Lawrence R. Stanberry, M.D., Ph.D

In the society we live in today, It can be hard living with Herpes or other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.  The public feels very troubled with the fact that a virus can effect the body of an individual for a whole lifetime.  It took a very long time for the world to take notice of Herpes and put it on map in terms of public awareness.  Research has found that the virus could possibly date back thousands of years.  Around 3 decades ago, the public was finally addressed about this incurable STD, and it wasn’t soon after that the focus switched over to the next most dangerous thing, AIDS.

Being in the shoes of someone affected with some form of Herpes can be frightening.  Questions that come to mind are “How will I find a partner that is accepting of my condition?” “Am I ever going to be able to have sex again?” or “Will my friends be afraid to hang out with me?.”  All in all there are far too many social stigmas.  There are over 60 million people in the world that suffer from Herpes, but it isn’t hard to feel alone if you are struggling with the disease.

The important thing to remember is that people with Herpes can live perfectly normal lives.  The social stigmas will always be there and it may seem scary to reveal your condition,  but sometimes putting yourself out there is the best thing to do.  If you are someone looking for a relationship, friends can be a great way of making that happen.  If you are looking for a way to communicate with people that are suffering from your condition, there are online forums such as http://www.herpes-coldsores.com that offer great posts from people just like you with similar questions.  There are many ways of treating cold sores and herpes, but if you are someone that is struggling emotionally or mentally, sometimes treatments can only go so far.  There are Home Remedies that can benefit individuals in more ways than just the physical aspect.  For instance, support groups and close forms of contact with family/relatives can help aid in gaining confidence with the condition.  When you discover that you have someone to talk to and that you don’t have to hide how you feel, the more likely you’ll start to feel more comfortable about being who you are.  Constantly feeling discouraged is no way of living life and the sooner a realization is made that there are millions of people that are accepting to you condition, the closer you will be to feeling comfortable again.

Even though cold sores can be very painful or uncomfortable sometimes, There are a few Cold Sore Remedies that can be purchased online that offer great results.  Though there is no current cure for cold sores, there are a lot of products that can help.

Before listing off different ointments, balms and creams from several different companies, It’s important to note one remedy that mosts households already have.  This cold sore remedy is Vaseline.  Many Doctors recommend using this to help protect the cold sore and also prevent it from cracking and possibly bleeding.  Applying Vaseline a few times a day to the required area will allow it stay moist.  It can be found pretty much at any grocery store.

As mentioned in previous articles, L-Lysine is a supplement that has been known to help decrease the time it takes for a cold sore to heal.  Though L-Lysine is usually bought in tablet form, it now can be purchased as an ointment that can be applied to the affected area.  According to Coldsoretreatment.net, recent studies show that the new product known as Lip Clear Lysine+  can reduce the duration of cold sores by 50% or more.  It is also recommended to take the L-Lysine tablets along with this ointment from the time you feel the cold sore coming on to when it finally heals.

Another very easy to come by remedy for cold sores is Lemon balm.  Lemon balm can be found in most grocery stores and research has discovered that it contains anti viral properties.  It has been noted that it can help decrease the amount of swelling and redness.

There are also many vitamins that have known to be valuable treatments.  For instance, vitamin E can provide minor pain relief if is applied to cold sore.  Also vitamin C, if taken in regular doses each day, can help reduce the span it takes for the cold sores to heal.

Last but not least, Abreva is a non prescription medicine that has been the top recommended treatment for a long time.  Not only does it protect the cold sore from infection, but it also speeds up healing time and strengthens cell membranes in skin cells.  It comes in a small tube and the medicine is  applied topically to the affected area.

This is a short list of a few cold sore remedies that are worth trying.  Even though they have worked great for several people, every individual has a slightly different result.

Resources:  http://www.coldsoretreatment.net/