Herpes and fever blisters are contagious and can be passed on via kissing, drinking cups and silverware so use caution. It is all stages of the outbreak that are contagious as well. The cold sores or herpes on the lip are due to herpes simplex 1 virus and those that are genital are caused by herpes simplex 2 virus.
Below are a number of home remedy for herpes treatments which have been shown to effectively treat the symptoms as well as the length of the outbreak. However if you are already being prescribed with some form of medication by your doctor then talk to him before you try any of these home remedies and even talk to him if you are not on prescribed medication.
A folk remedy some recommend is lemon balm and they say it can also reduce frequency of the herpes or fever blister sore attacks. Healing time is said to be reduced and may just be four to five days which cuts down a few days.
Take a warm tea bag and apply it to the cold sore blister in order to help it's pain and inflammation and itching be reduced. The internet has many citations of this folk remedy for the troublesome cold sore or herpes blister.
Witch hazel is used by many for skin troubles and it has mentions in application for herpes and cold sore relief as well. Many teens find it helps their acne heal quickly and it works well for various sores.
Lysine - An amino acid that is used make protein which will help boost a persons immune system. Unfortunately our body can not make lysine so we have to obtain through the food we eat or by taking lysine supplements.
Asian medicine uses mushrooms including reishi for helping the herpes virus heal faster, the immune system strengthen and preventing the spread of the virus. Reishi can be found in powder as well as capsule forms.
Resveratrol Cream - This is made from red grapes and can be applied directly to the infection site and is affective at suppressing the herpes virus as well as the outbreak of cold sores.
On top of home remedies for cold sores and fever blister relief remember to check your diet and be sure your amino acid protein balance is good (or take lysine). By eating a balanced diet you'll sleep better and that too has an effect on health and the immune system.
The infection from the virus erupts as small painful blisters on the usually on the outside of your lips, or the mouth area.
Fever Blisters can form on other parts of your body such as on your fingers. This is quite uncommon, but it does happen. At one time, my mother-in-law had one on her ear.
Oral herpes, or Herpes Simplex virus, is very common. More than 60% of Americans have had a fever blister or cold sore at one time or another, according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, and 25% reoccur. Canker sores or "mouth ulcers" are also a form of the virus.
The herpes virus can be spread to anyone by direct contact. A person is most contagious when the blister first appears and when the scab forms at the end. So, be sure to always wash your hands.
There are several causes that seem to bring on a fever blister/cold sore. Exposure to the sun, especially for several hours, always triggered a fever blister for me growing up.
I learned, the hard way, to always wear sunscreen on my lips while out in the sun for long periods of time.
Also stress, an illness such as a cold, certain types of diet, a fever or during a woman's menstruation can cause an outbreak.
A fever blister starts out as a tender, tingling or burning sensation on your lip, or other area affected. (On my finger I could see tiny blistery circles under the skin that were very tender) Within a day or two a small blister will develop that grows larger, as did with my finger, and sometimes spreads. The puffy fluid-filled blister will be tender, very sore and embarrassing, too.
Let's look at some Home Remedies that you can use to get rid of those awful fever blisters:
When you first feel the tenderness, a tingle or twinge on your lip hold a piece of ice, wrapped in a cloth, on the spot for as long as you can stand it. Repeat process several times a day. The ice will deaden the oncoming blister, which will prevent it from blistering up. It must be applied when tenderness is first noticed or it won't help.
If a blister does appear break off a leaf from an Aloe Vera plant and rub the liquid gel to the blister. It smells nasty, but works wonders! Apply the Aloe Vera several times a day especially at night before bed. Your fever blister will dry up and go away within a few days. Make sure you keep a plant around the house. It's easy to grow and works great for many problems.
Tea tree oil can be applied to the blister which should help it go away within a few days.
I can't say enough about using Aloe Vera because for me, it is the BEST treatment. It works for me every time, even on those ugly blisters that appeared on my fingers. Hopefully it will work for you, too.
Hang in there, I know your fever blister(s) hurt, but they will go away and remember; they are contagious!
Both Dee Cohen & Lisa Andrews are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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