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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Cold Sore introduction

If you suffer from cold sore outbreaks, you may be getting very tired of having to run off to the store every time you feel a cold sore coming on. Fortunately there are some home remedies for cold sores that you can use without having to make a store run.

These remedies have different advantages, one of them being that you don't need to get a prescription first. You also don't have to waste valuable time deciding on a product to buy. Whenever you feel a cold sore coming, you can take action quickly just by using home remedies for cold sores. This will help reduce the amount of time you'll have to put up with the cold sore.

The cause of Cold Sores

First, let us not forget that the root cause of all cold sores is the herpes simplex virus. There are eight known types of herpes, two of which have been identified as causing cold sores. These are herpes simplex type 1 or type 2.

Nearly everyone in the world carries these highly contagious viruses. Normally, this virus is dormant. Should it become active, it will begin the replication process on your lip or nose. This is basically what causes all cold sores.

Cold Sore Remedies

The best cold sore remedies offer a greater balance - they show you how to treat immediate outbreaks but they also teach you how to tweak your body's immune system so that the cold sore virus stays dormant and doesn't have a chance to activate. You need to focus on a two-pronged approach, going after the virus within your body and also treating the skin where the sores have erupted.

To go after the virus in your body, you need to boost your immune system. The quickest immune system boosters are pretty simple ones: Sleep at least eight hours a night Drink more water - dehydration is a huge cause of fatigue, which in turn causes most of us to drink too much coffee or tea or soda, which in turn dehydrates us more!

Eat properly - more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, and as much steams or lightly cooked food as possible (raw diets are the very best but many people find them difficult to stick to.)

CONCLUSION

Cold sores are painful blisters that appear around the mouth, which burst, weeping a clear fluid that is highly contagious. The resulting lesion is both painful and unpleasant to see and therefore demand for treatments that relieve cold sore symptoms is in big demand - especially when you consider that 90 percent of the adult population is infected, with up to 40 percent of these suffering one or more cold sore outbreaks each year. After a few days the open sore begins to form a scab, and the total healing time from start to finish is generally 7-10 days, although some people suffer for longer.