Cold sore which is also known as fever blister or oral herpes is a
viral infection that commonly appears on the mouth and lips but it can
also appear on the chin, nose and cheeks. It is caused by Herpes Simplex
Virus (HSV). Those who are infected by this viral infection are not
only suffering from pain but also from embarrassment and discomfort.
They want to break free from cold sores and get rid of its painful symptoms.
Fever blister is contagious and can be transmitted through
skin-to-skin contact with the infected person. Once exposed to the
virus, symptoms may occur within 3 weeks after exposure. Symptoms may
include tingling or itching around the lips or mouth. Small fluid-filled
blisters will eventually appear and these blisters will increase in
size until they rupture. Ruptured blisters could be very painful that
one may find it difficult to eat. Aside from the pain, cold sores are
unsightly and embarrassing. Ruptured blister will eventually turn into
hard crust leaving a reddish spot on the infected area. Although cold
sores could heal without treatment, treatments could shorten the
duration of the infection and reduces the pain and discomfort. So how to
break from cold sores?
Fever blisters are generally treated by application of ice on the
infected area. Wrap ice on a handkerchief or small towel and apply ice
on the affected area to numb the tingling area thus preventing the
formation of blisters.
Prescription medications should be applied as soon as the tingling
begins. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral medications in the form of
pills or cream to shorten the infection period and to aid the healing
process. Your doctor may also prescribe medicines to relieve the pain
and swelling.
Avoid your triggers. Cold sores have the tendency to recur. The virus
remains in the body in dormant state and wakes up again with the right
trigger causing recurring cold sore flare-ups. Some people experience
cold sores three to four times a year. Recurring cold sores could be
very disturbing. To totally break free from cold sores, it is
important to prevent recurring cold sore flare-ups. Common triggers of
cold sores are overexposure to sunlight, stress, fatigue, hormonal
change and trauma to the lips. Avoid your triggers and you can break free from cold sores.
Wear sunscreen to protect your face especially your lips from the sun
when outdoors, learn to minimize or manage your stress, get enough rest
and live a healthy lifestyle to avoid your triggers.
When you have cold sores, you also have to be careful not to infect
others, do not kiss people especially children and do not share personal
items that come in contact with your mouth like drinking glasses,
eating utensils, toothbrush, straws, lipstick and handkerchief or wash
cloth. You also have to be careful not to spread the virus to other
parts of your body like the eyes. During cold sores outbreak, the herpes
virus could spread to the eyes which can damage the cornea resulting to
blurred vision and worse to blindness. So avoid rubbing your eyes when
you have cold sores. All of these can be avoided if you can totally break free from cold sores.
Getting rid of cold sores can be a challenge but with the right treatment and prevention measures, you can break free from cold sores. Alternative treatment is an option if you still haven’t found the right treatment that works. To know more visit Cold Sore Free Forever
