What are Cold Sores?

 

What causes Cold Sores?

Warning

Conventional Treatment of Cold Sores

Self Help for Cold Sores

Naturopathic Treatment of Cold Sores

Homoeopathic Treatment of Cold Sores

 

Cold sores are small blisters that usually appear on the lips, and are caused by the Herpes simplex virus.  The virus is common and infectious, and can attack other skin areas, including other parts of the face, and the genitals (genital herpes).

 

What causes Cold Sores?

 

The Herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores is usually contracted during childhood from someone who has the virus.  The virus remains dormant in the body, and may not cause symptoms for years, but can be reactivated at any time by lowered resistance, stress, fever, exposure to cold, sunburn, and even menstruation.  It can cause feverishness and sickness as well as blisters.

 

Warning

 

A medical practitioner should always be contacted immediately if cold sores appear near the eyes, as they can be extremely painful if not treated quickly.

 

Conventional Treatment of Cold Sores

 

Creams and lotions that can relieve the pain of blisters and help them heal can be obtained from pharmacists.  A medical practitioner may prescribe antiviral drugs to alleviate the symptoms and shorten an attack of cold sores.  However, once the virus has been contracted, there is no way of getting rid of it, and further attacks are always possible.

 

If the eye is infected, the medical practitioner will put a drop of yellow dye into the eye to show up any dendritic ulcers that may have formed.  The attack can be treated with antiviral drops and ointment, but corneal ulcers may recur. 

 

Contact lenses should always be moistened with sterilising solution, and not saliva, as this can cause reinfection.

 

Self Help for Cold Sores

 

 

 

 

Naturopathic Treatment of Cold Sores

 

Naturopathic treatment of cold sores is as follows:

 

 

 

 

Homoeopathic Treatment of Cold Sores

 

The homoeopathic remedies Rhus tox. and Natrum muriticum may help to alleviate symptoms.  Take either remedy in the 30th or 6th potency every four hours for two days, then morning and evening for two or three days.

 

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