How to prevent cold sores?

[Dvil]

Hi GITP. Today, I found myself afflicted with a cold-sore. I went to band as normal, but I was in pain the whole time and found my pitch range was halved compared to normal, which combined to put me in a foul mood. I have stuff in the house that can treat it, but does anyone know any reliable preventative measures for avoiding cold sores? I seem to get them far too often. :smallsigh:

[Katana_Geldar]

Keep your hands clean and don't touch your face.

[thubby]

pretty much everything that causes canker sores causes cold sore outbreaks.

trauma, stress, illness, etc.
there are medications, but they're really only appropriate for people who get them excessively. kinda like acne.

[Katana_Geldar]

Cole sores are a virus, a strain of herpes. They need to be triggered and then they errupt.

[Lady Moreta]

Go talk to your pharmacist... there are creams that you can use that will stop a cold sore from forming. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the one that I found most affective, but a chemist will know. The idea is that when you get the tingly warning sign, you use this stuff and it will stop the sore from coming up - and it does work. You can also get creams that will help it go away faster once it comes up. I've used both types and they both work really well.

[onthetown]

Don't be so naughty? :smallwink:

Seriously though, good hygiene and not touching your face after handling dirty stuff like money is a good policy. But it seems everybody is afflicted with it from time to time.

Aaaand, since you mentioned band, do you share your instrument with anybody and do you clean it regularly? Your musical instrument, not that instrument!

[Temotei]

It is not always possible to prevent an outbreak of cold sores. In people who have attacks triggered by sunburn, using sunscreen or avoiding heavy sun exposure may reduce the number of attacks. Taking daily prescription antiviral medications (see above) can significantly reduce the frequency of cold sores. However, the vast majority of people do not have enough attacks to justify taking a daily medicine.

I'm just citing the source. Don't mind me. :smallamused:

[Artemis97]

I don't think that's the type of cold sores he's talking about. Hmm... I always get them if I bite my lip too much, so avoid that. Mouthwash too, if you can feel one coming.

[Melayl]

I used to get them all the time (monthly for 2+ decades). My outbreaks were significantly reduced (and the severity significantly reduced) after I started taking a Lysine supplement (an essential amino acid) (500-1500 mg a day). I don't know if it was merely a placebo effect, or if it was a medicinal effect, but it has helped me for years now. Many other people I know swear by it as well.

I can't guarantee that it will work, but it (probably) can't hurt. Good luck.

[Dvil]

I used to get them all the time (monthly for 2+ decades). My outbreaks were significantly reduced (and the severity significantly reduced) after I started taking a Lysine supplement (an essential amino acid) (500-1500 mg a day). I don't know if it was merely a placebo effect, or if it was a medicinal effect, but it has helped me for years now. Many other people I know swear by it as well.

I can't guarantee that it will work, but it (probably) can't hurt. Good luck.

Well, I've heard that it's a very good idea to eat more dairy ant potatoes, for the lysine that's in them, so a specific lysine supplement may prove very useful.

[KenderWizard]

I don't think that's the type of cold sores he's talking about. Hmm... I always get them if I bite my lip too much, so avoid that. Mouthwash too, if you can feel one coming.

Is there more than one kind of cold sore? When I say cold sore, I mean a painful red, slightly blistery, sore, usually around the mouth or on the lips, that is often preceded by a weird tingly feeling and is caused by a strain of the herpes virus.

If this is what we're talking about:
Once you're infected, you'll always have the potential to get one. They pop up if your immune system can't hold them in check, for some reason. For instance, I get them when I get very run down. The way to prevent it seems to be generally look after yourself.
If you get the tingly feeling, you can head it off at the pass with something like Zovirax. It might have a different name or there might be a different brand where you are.
Once it arrives, there are other creams that can help. I got a really good beeswax based one. Also try not to pick at it or irritate it.

And, my sympathies. Cold sores are yucky!

[Artemis97]

Yeah, there's canker sores too. I couldn't come up with the name last night. Similar sort of sores caused my irritation and such, not a virus. Of course, I may have totally missed the mark here and the OP may need advice on the other sort. I just know I tend to call cankers cold sores, thought it might be common for someone else to do so too. *shrugs* And if it is a the virus sort, anti-virals would be the best, in my opinion.

[Dvil]

No, I mean the mouth-herpes, unfortunately. What I mainly use at the moment is a patch called compeed, which works about as fast as stuff like zovirax but removes the risk of me rubbing it.

[Artemis97]

Ah, alright. I'm sorry about that. I wish I could offer more advice and I hope you find a more effective solution.

[Asta Kask]

Your musical instrument, not that instrument!

Although that would also be a legitimate question.

[Dvil]

Although that would also be a legitimate question.

Gah, I didn't even see that white text until you quoted it! That was an unexpected surprise.