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Fastest Way to Relieve Fever Blisters

Fever blisters, also called cold sores, are caused by infections from the herpes simplex virus. Fever blisters are one of the most common infections on the mouth. They can be found on the lips, nose, chin, mouth and cheeks. Fever blisters are often caused by stress, colds, flu and infection from someone else with the virus. They can usually be treated quickly.

  1. Over-the-Counter Medications

    • Take over-the-counter medications to immediately relieve the symptoms of cold sores. You will normally feel pain with the sore and you may take one to two tablets of a mild analgesic such as acetaminophen to temporarily relieve the pain.

    Herbal Treatments

    • Use an herbal treatment to help relieve a fever blister quickly. Leaves of the aloe plant may be rubbed directly on the cold sore to help dry it up quickly and relieve the burning. Witch hazel also acts as an astringent that will dry up the fever blister very fast. Soak a cotton ball in the witch hazel and apply directly to the cold sore. Another option is to rub a small amount of tea tree oil onto the cold sore several times a day to quickly speed up the healing process.

    Over-the-Counter Topical Medications

    • Docosanol is an over-the-counter medication that claims to speed up the healing process of fever blisters. The cream is applied directly to the cold sore immediately at the onset and is used five times per day or until the symptoms subside. Normally this will not take more than a couple of days. The name brand of docosanol is Abreva and it can be found in any pharmacy. People with sensitive skin may have a reaction to the medication. It may cause itching and redness around the site of the cold sore, which will go away as soon as the medication is no longer taken.

    Prescription Creams

    • Apply a prescription cream to the fever blister to get rid of it quickly. If you have a regular occurrence of fever blisters, your physician may prescribe a medication such as acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir. All of these medications can decrease the duration of the fever blister and can help alleviate the symptoms. You should follow the dosage instructions as advised by your physician.

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