Hello Customer (name blocked for privacy),
You can try using a moistened tea bag over the area when you first notice a cold sore starting. You can also apply ice for a few minutes for the swelling. You want to restrict chocolate, peanuts, grain, seeds, peas, oatmeal and whole wheat high arginine containing foods. Include fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet as well as Vitamin A, C, E and zinc.
There are different things that can trigger a cold sore. When your immune system is weakened and stressed you can be more prone to cold sores. Some examples of these triggers include emotional upset and stress, physical stress, fatigue(tiredness), illness (cold/flu), immune system deficiency, injury/chapping/dryness of skin, exposure to extreme temperatures (cold or hot), exposure to sunlight or tanning lamps and menstruation. It is helpful to avoid the triggers that you can. Using a daily lip balm with sunscreen is also helpful to avoid chapping/injury and sun exposure. Abreva is available over the counter and can be used when you first feel the tingling of a cold sore coming on, this medication may help to reduce how long your cold sore lasts.
Click on the link below to read more:
http://www.animated-teeth.com/cold_sores/t2_oral_herpes.htm
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