How to Get Rid of a Cold Sore

Nothing is more annoying than waking up one morning with a cold sore in your mouth. They are painful, in some stages contagious, and really put a damper on your fry eating while going out for fast food. So what can you do when you are faced with a cold sore? Well, here are a couple great natural remedies to help relieve the pain of a cold sore, as well as cut the time you are forced to live with the cold sore in half.

Things You'll Need

• Salt
• Aloe
• Tea bag
• Ice cubes

Instructions

1. The first step in getting rid of a cold sore is keeping yourself well hydrated. This is actually a major step in the healing process of anything your body faces, as a well hydrated body helps you to heal quicker.

2. Your next step is to try the salt method. Apply a small pinch of salt directly to the affected area. This will help reduce the healing time for your cold sore. A caution though, this may sting a little.

3. The next method to try is rubbing the liquid of an aloe leave directly on the sore. Aloe has many healing properties and is also great for sunburns.

4. If the cold sore still persists, rub ice on it. The cold of the ice helps to stop, or at least slow down the spread of the virus.

5. The final method that you can try before breaking down and heading to the drug store is a tea bag. Tea contains tannic acid, which acts as an anti-viral agent.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are constantly getting cold sores, try daily eating yogurt. Yogurt contains ingredients that can help prevent cold sores.

• If you are consistently getting cold sores, keep a food diary and see what foods aggravate the condition. This will help you single out the culprit and change your diet accordingly.

• There are points in which a cold sore is contagious. For instance, a cold sore is actually a symptom of Herpes simplex 1, a disease that roughly affects 80 percent of the population. If you have a cold sore, be careful who you kiss as it can actually spread the virus.