What Gets Rid of Cold Sores

If you’re like me, when you’re suffering from a cold sore outbreak, you want to do whatever it takes to get rid of the cold sore right away.

Even though it can seem like there’s no easy way to make your cold sore go away, there are actually a lot of options you can try to help prevent your cold sore from getting worse, and to speed the healing process up. In this article, we’ll talk about many ways you can try to get rid of that cold sore quickly.

Prevent it From Spreading

Before you can effectively start treating your cold sore, you first should do everything you can to keep it from spreading or getting worse.

If you’re able to catch a cold sore when you first start to feel that tingling sensation (I’m sure you know what I’m talking about), one thing that many people swear by, and which has often worked for me, is to take a bunch of the supplement L-Lysine. When I first start to feel a cold sore coming on, I pop several of these pills. In many cases, it helps stop the cold sore from forming, or limits it to a very small size that’s more easily treatable. Even if your cold sore has already broken out, L-Lysine can help speed the healing process along.

A few tips to prevent spreading if your cold sore has already broken out:

• Use Vaseline or another petroleum-based product to protect the area from infection, which can lead to further problems.
• Avoid foods with lots of salt or citric acid, since both of these things can seriously irritate a cold sore and lead to it spreading or causing serious pain or discomfort.
• Try as much as you can to avoid touching (and especially not picking at or squeezing) the cold sore, and don’t spread it to others by kissing or sharing any glasses or utensils. Also be sure to wash your hands many times each day, just in case, and don’t touch other parts of your body after you’ve touched the cold sore- especially your eyes or genitals!
• If you’re applying medication or any kind of other topical treatment, use a sterile Q-tip and then immediately throw it away. You should also throw away your toothbrush and get a new one as soon as your cold sore goes away to prevent a recurring outbreak.

Relieving the Pain of a Cold Sore

One of the worst parts of having a cold sore is the serious pain and discomfort they can cause, often for several days.

Although prescription medications like acyclovir, or over the counter medications like Abreva, can help lessen the pain, sometimes you can’t get a hold of medication quickly enough to help.

If that’s the case, here are some things you can try with items you likely already have around the house to help relieve the pain of a cold sore:

• Apply a cold compress or ice to the cold sore to help numb it. Don’t apply ice directly to the cold sore- always wrap it in a paper towel, napkin, or other material before applying.
• Alternatively, some people have experienced relief via warm compresses. Similarly to cold compresses, don’t apply a heating pad or other hot item directly to the cold sore- wrap it in a protective material first. Personally, this one doesn’t sound very soothing to me, but if it does to you, go for it!
• Take common painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) to help lessen the pain while it heals.
• You can try an over the counter anesthetic if you have one, such as Anbesol. These are often used to treat other oral pains, but can help with cold sore pain as well.
• Some people report that applying milk with a cotton ball or cotton swab (such as a Q-tip) 2 to 3 times a day can help lessen the pain.
• As mentioned before, avoid foods with salt or citrus, as these can irritate your cold sore and worsen the pain.

Now that you’ve learned how to prevent your cold sore from spreading, and started to relieve the pain, head over to Part 2 of this article to learn the fastest way to heal a cold sore.

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