Three Approaches to Treating Cold Sores
If you are a cold sore sufferer and looking for a way to get rid of cold sores then you’ll want to read this article. Specifically we’ll discuss the use of lysine, over the counter treatments and prescription medicines to treat cold sores. After reading this article, you should be able to select the cold sore treatment option that suits you best.
Natural cold sore remedies include lysine, an essential amino acid that is found in dairy products and has been shown to help reduce the number of outbreaks as well as shorten healing time. Rich natural sources include yogurt and as well as taking in through food sources it can be taken as a supplement available from all good health stores.
Abreva is a popular over-the-counter cold sore remedy that sooths the skin as well as preventing the virus from spreading. Its active ingredient is docosonal, which is found in much lower doses in many fruits and vegetables. While it does reduce the overall healing time, it has been shown to be no better than natural treatments in at least one trial.
Prescription only treatments include Zovirax (active ingredient acyclovir) and Famvir (famciclovir), which stop the virus from replicating effectively, as well as the single dose treatment Viroxyn (benzalkonium chloride). While they do appear to be effective in some sufferers, they can be ineffective in others and so they are worthwhile trying to see how you react. The downside of these treatments is that they are relatively expensive, which can be a problem for many sufferers.
While all three cold sore treatments discussed above can be effective, none is one hundred percent effective and progress has been slow in developing new and effective remedies. While anyone who suffers from cold sores knows the misery that they cause and therefore how high a priority treatment becomes, the best course of action is to develop a healthy lifestyle so that the immune system is better prepared to deal with cold sores and prevent them from occurring so frequently.
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