Start Treatment of Cold Sore Symptoms on Day One
For those who have frequent cold sores, those first cold sore symptoms are a nightmare. There’s typically a tingling feeling on the lip where the cold sore is going to appear, then the cold sore symptoms begin in earnest. Swelling is usually the next of the cold sore symptoms and from that point, you become self-conscious about your appearance and the fact that you figure the cold sore is as noticeable to everyone else as it is to you.
The next in the line of cold sore symptoms is the actual sore and it usually seeps puss and even blood during this stage. From this point, you’re probably frantic to get some relief and hate the thought of letting others see you. By now, you should have been using your favorite medication to treat the cold sore symptoms as often as the directions allow.
Remember that most cold sore medications don’t eliminate the cold sore or even tackle the virus that causes the cold sore. Instead, cold sore medications treat cold sore symptoms. While that may seem like a less-than-effective way to treat the cold sore, think about the cold sore symptoms for a moment.
Cold sore symptoms usually include itching or burning and a pain that can sometimes be very intense. Relief is a positive thing, even if the relief doesn’t address the ultimate cause of the cold sore. If you have less pain, you’re less likely to touch it. Let’s face it – even as adults it’s difficult to keep your hands off the sore, almost as if you’re checking to see that it’s still there and that it’s still as bad as you thought it was!
Addressing cold sore symptoms may not do what you want a medication to do. You probably want the cold sore to be gone immediately with no side effects and no signs that the cold sore ever existed. Since that isn’t likely to happen from any of the available cold sore medications on the market, treating the cold sore symptoms is the next best thing.
Cold sore symptoms aren’t life threatening, but they are extremely annoying. If you are able to stop the itching, burning and stinging, lessen the swelling and speed healing, you can more quickly go about your business.