Fast Ways to Kill Cold Sores

Cold sores can be a real pain, especially for a musician who plays a wind instrument. Some people will confuse a cold sore with a canker sore. The difference is the location of the sore. A canker sore is typically inside the mouth where a cold sore is red and on the outside of the mouth or nose.

Irritation

• Irritating the problem area is going to prevent it from healing. You will want to avoid any rubbing and scratching, which can be quite hard to do. The less touching, the faster it will heal. Touching the affected area will make the problem worse and prevent it from healing, and it may also lead to spreading of the cold sores.

Cleaning

• The cold sore should be cleaned often. This can be done with a warm soapy washcloth. Be sure not to scrub the area too hard, which can irritate the cold sores. This cleansing will prevent and minimize the risk of infection. A clean cold sore should heal much faster.

Ice

• Ice can help remove the pain of the cold sore. The initial pain might be bothersome, but it will go away quickly. You will want to repeat this every half hour to an hour.

Medication

• Petroleum jelly products help get rid of cold sores. It will also seal in the herpes virus, if you have it. Petroleum jelly products also will help with the irritation, if the itching is unbearable. Be sure to clean your hands before applying any medication to your cold sores.