Treating a cold sore is not a pleasant experience. They are painful, embarrassing, and generally quite a hassle. And they always seem to come at the worst possible time.

Unlike many diseases that do their damage internally, cold sores only occur on the surface. Because of this, they can be easily cured. If this same damage occurred internally, they could be a threat to your life.

Treating a cold sore successfully means you must adjust the treatment based on the stage of your symptoms.

1. The first symptom is the itching stage. This tingling sensation indicates the movement of the herpes virus to the surface to replicate. This virus enters thousands of nerve cells, each one becoming a virus factory.

At this stage you should put something cold on the area. Ice cubes in a plastic bag work very well. Cold really discourages the virus and can cause it to give up before it actually creates the sore.

2. If you miss the tingling stage, the virus will enter the cells. This infection causes swelling. Application of ice is still the treatment of choice. This reduces swelling, reduces the heat in the area, and does give a lot of comfort.

3. If you did not stop the virus before this point, the sore will now break open. This is cause by the destruction of thousands of adjacent nerve cells. The sore will be weeping a fluid that is teaming with new virus. From now on, your sore is in the healing phase.

Ice can continue to give you much comfort and swelling reduction. However, ice will also slow down healing because it drives blood away from the damaged area.

Treating a cold sore at this stage requires you to cleanse the wound as often as possible with alcohol or peroxide. I prefer peroxide because it also adds some extra healing oxygen to the sore.

Instead of ice for comfort now, use products that have a nerve-deadening ingredient. One of the oldest, time-proven products on the market is Campho-Phenique. They now offer several different formulas to choose from. A great product.

4. Treating a cold sore during the entire healing period calls for application of a warm compress of some sort. Applying warm, moist heat greatly shortens healing time since it brings extra blood and oxygen to the wound.

Keep cleansing the area, even when scabbed over. Keep using the Campho-Phenique or whatever treatment you choose. Drug store cold sore treatments are great for comfort. But they generally will not shorten the duration by any measurable degree.

APPLYING WARMTH. There are several ways to keep the sore warm. One way that works very well is using a damp, warm washcloth. This can be heated up in the microwave. Be cautious not to burn yourself.

You might want to try treating a cold sore by applying a warm, wet tea bag. You get the benefit of healing warmth to shorten the cold sore duration. You also will find the tea plant has ingredients especially good for quickly healing cold sores.

PLEASE USE CAUTION. Cold sores, which are another name for oral herpes, are extremely contagious. You can easily infect others or create new areas of infection anywhere on yourself.

Each cold sore family creates cold sores in the same area. If you have a sore on your nose, and one on your lip, these are caused by two separate infections.

The most troublesome and dangerous is spreading it to your eyes. This can cause permanent vision loss.

When treating your outbreak, be careful not to touch the sore with your fingers. Use cotton balls or tissues to cleanse and apply any treatment. Always wash your hands after working on the sore. Hand sanitizing gel is great insurance against spreading cold sores.

Remember, apply cold when the your sore is forming, and warmth when it is healing. Keep it clean and keep from touching the area with your bare fingers. Use every caution while treating a cold sore.