How to Get Rid of a Painful Cold Sore

Cold sores are painful sores caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. A cold sore is a small, painful and fluid-filled blister that breaks out on the sensitive skin around the mouth and stays there for about 10 to 14 days. People with the virus can sometimes tell when a new cold sore is about to break out by a tingling sensation on their lips. While there is no cure for cold sores and they will clear up on their own, there are measures you can take to reduce the number of outbreaks you experience and to make them go away faster once they appear.

Things You'll Need

• Cold compress or ice cubes
• Benzyl alcohol
• Cotton swab
• Vitamin C, B-12 and L-lysine
• Lidocaine or benzocaine ointment
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen

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Instructions

• 1

  Between outbreaks, talk with your doctor about taking vitamin C, B-12 and L-lysine supplements daily. Get plenty of sleep at night and take simple measures to reduce your stress since lack of sleep and increased stress can lead to more frequent breakouts of the virus.

• 2

  Apply a cold compress or ice cube to the cold sore once it has broken out on your face for 15 minutes or until the ice cube melts. Dip the swab in alcohol and hold it to the cold sore until the sore dries. Repeat this step once every 30 to 60 minutes for five or six hours and look for the sore to shrink and heal.

• 3

  Don't squeeze, pinch or pick at a cold sore blister, which will only prolong the outbreak. Apply a small amount of topical lidocaine or benzocaine, both over the counter ointments, to reduce the pain during the outbreak. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help ease the pain.

• 4

  Talk to your doctor about oral antiviral medications like acyclovir, famcicolvir and valacyclovir which are applied directly to the cold sore and may reduce the outbreak period, helping the cold sore clear up faster.