Home Remedies for Cold Sores

Remedies for cold sores are often sought once sores have physically surfaced. However, in order to reduce the frequency with which they appear, as well as to reduce the severity with which they affect a person, it is important to understand what cold sores are, where they come from, how they can be avoided and how they can be naturally treated once present.

Cold sores are tiny blisters or lesions that appear on the lips or around the mouth.

Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are highly contagious and are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus. Two types of the virus, Herpes Simplex 1, which affects areas above the waist, or Herpes Simplex 2, which is commonly referred to as genital herpes, can cause cold sores to appear. It is spread by skin-to-skin contact with a person that is infected with either one of these viral strains.

Symptoms of cold sores generally last from 7 to 10 days and will go away on their own, but may recur many times after the initial infection. The most obvious symptoms are:

• Fluid filled blisters, lesions, or sores on the lip or around the mouth

• Tingling of the skin days or hours before cold sores appear
• Flu like symptoms
• Fatigue
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Body aches
• Slight fever
• Swollen lymph glands
• Itching
• Irritability

• Stress
• Hormonal changes
• Seasonal changes (especially exposure cold weather and cold winds)
• The common cold

Some of the best natural remedies for cold sores involve applying one or more of the following directly to sores:

• Ice
• Witch Hazel
• Salt

Some specific herbal remedies for cold sores include:

• Aloe Vera gel, oil, or extract
• Tea (tea bags or leaves can be applied to sores)
• Lavender
• Lemon balm
• Tea tree oil
• Eucalyptus oil

Specific vitamins that should be sought in dietary form or through supplements are:

• Vitamin A
• All of the B vitamins
• Vitamin C
• Zinc