There are a lot of people sick right now with colds and the flu. Many times when people get sick, they end up with a cold sore, sometimes called a fever blister, which takes a while to go away. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and can also be aggravated by stress, fatigue, and being run down. One of the best things to do is to keep the immune system strong. Some people who are more susceptible to cold sores take an amino acid called L-lysine as a preventative measure. Some think that Lysine causes the liver to increase cholesterol production, so if that’s a problem then they should keep a check on cholesterol levels. I’ve taken L-lysine before at the very first suspicion of a cold sore, and the next couple of days it was gone. If it’s a full blown cold sore, then L-lysine doesn’t clear it up right away but relieves the pain and shortens the duration of it. Acidophilus, vitamin C with bioflavonoids, and zinc also help.

If the cold sore has already erupted and is painful, there are topical cold sore treatments available at the store, or a moist tea bag can be placed against the sore. The tannic acid in tea is used in many types of medicine and is believed to have an antiviral effect. Also, ice placed on the cold sore at the first sign of outbreak will help to reduce the metabolic rate of the skin tissue. The ice should help slow down the progress of the cold sore. And as with any virus, there’s a need for plenty of fluids. Nonacidic fluids such as apple or apricot juice are great.