In this article we will look at what is a cold sore and more importantly how to treat them effectively. The latter part is crucial because many people don’t actually realise what they are and how easy they can be transmitted to someone else. But by learning exactly what cold sores are, we can better understand how careful we need to be around people that have them.

So what is a Cold Sore?

Well it might surprise you to know that a cold sore is actually a virus that is part of the herpes strain. To give it its exact title, its part of the Herpes Simplex virus strain. Like any other virus, it can be passed on to another person by mere physical contact. The virus can then remain completely dormant in the body until cold sores start appearing. These can then be treated but the virus cannot be completely removed from the body.

How often a person actually gets a cold sore various for each individual. There are people who never seem to be able to get rid of them and others who never get one after they get their first one, even though they will still have the virus in their system.

You know that a cold sore is likely to appear because a tingling sensation can be felt in the area before they appear. This is the first sign that you will almost certainly have a cold sore appear very soon.

Where the tingling was felt, a patch of small blisters will likely start to form and will then join together to form one singular sore. This will then likely burst at some point and release a liquid. Then it will scab over and will start to heal. This is the same pattern for the majority of cold sores.

The best time to treat a cold sore is as soon as you start to feel it tingling. The longer you leave it untreated, the more time it will take to get rid of it. By treating it early you can often prevent the cold sore from completely appearing at all. There are many cold sore treatments that have been designed to treat a cold sore from the instant the tingling sensation begins. So look out for these in your local pharmacy.

Consult with your Doctor about Possible Cold Sore Treatments

You can also speak with your pharmacy or doctor for other cold sore treatments available to you. It all depends on how severe your problem is and how often you are getting them. There of over the counter treatments as well as stronger ones that will require a prescription from your doctor.

So that concludes this article describing what is a cold sore and how to effectively treat them without making the problem worse. The most important thing is to try and keep the area as clean as possible, don’t get too close to others to prevent passing on the virus and if you have constant problems just talk with your doctor about the options you have available to you.