Most of us know the feeling, you wake up in the morning and something feels a bit off…your lip is swollen and a tingling sensation near your nose lets you know that the dreaded cold sore is coming. Knowing it’s coming doesn’t make it any less annoying and sometimes it can come in waves so it never seems to go away.
Even though they go away without much fanfare, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way to prevent them. The best thing to do is to help your body fight cold sores from the inside out with these eight natural remedies.
What Is a Cold Sore?
Cold sores are small blisters that develop on the lips and around the mouth. The blisters burst and heal within 2 or 3 weeks, usually without scarring or causing any other problems, according to MedlinePlus. They’re caused by a virus called herpes simplex (or HSV), which is closely related to the virus that causes genital herpes.
HSV-1 usually affects children and adults under 40 who have a weakened immune system or who have had blood transfusions. HSV-2 usually affects people over 40 who have never had an outbreak before or who have never been diagnosed with genital herpes.
How Do You Get Cold Sores?
Cold sores are highly contagious because they spread through contact with saliva or mucous secretions from someone who has an active cold sore lesion on their mouth.
You can get them from sharing utensils such as toothbrushes and glasses, touching someone who has a cold sore on their mouth or face, and kissing someone who has a cold sore on their mouth.
You can also get them from touching objects that have been in contact with an infected person’s saliva, such as cups, plates, and eating utensils.
