Choosing the Best Natural Remedy for Cold Sores

Cold sores, which are also sometimes called oral herpes, are fluid-filled blisters that can occur on the lips, gums or even on the roof of a mouth.  Although they usually clear up on there own in about seven to ten days, some people want a way to hasten the healing. 

Besides the prescriptions medication available from the doctor, there are a number of different types of natural remedy for cold sores.  Below is a brief summary of the different types of home remedies that a person could try to speed up the healing of a cold sore.

Natural Remedy for Cold Sores # 1:  Lysine

Lysine is considered by many in the medical profession to be an "essential" amino acid, meaning that it must be obtained through food or supplements because it can't be produced by the body alone.  In addition to helping create protein, it has also been shown to inhibit the spread of the herpes simplex virus, which has been known to cause cold sores.

Lysine can usually be obtain through various food sources such as red meat, milk, eggs, cheese and wheat.  Therefore, some would say that if you want to decrease the chance of spreading your cold sores to others, try to ingest foods that are rich in lysine.

Natural Remedy for Cold Sores # 2: Lemon Balm

Another natural remedy for cold sores is lemon balm.  This herb, also known by its Latin name of Melissa officinalis, has been shown to have antiviral properties.  In fact, a research study conducted in hospitals and dermatology clinics located in Germany, indicated that lemon balm cream promoted the healing of blisters in five days instead of the usual ten days.  It has also been indicated that lemon balm can actually reduce the frequency of recurrences if used on a regular basis.

Reishi

If you’re a fan of mushrooms, and have a respect for the Asian medicinal heritage, another natural remedy for cold sores that you might want to consider is that of Reishi.  This is a type of mushroom that has a long history of use in traditional Asian medicine to strengthen the immune system.  And with good reason; Reishi has bee found to inhibit the spread of the herpes virus. 

A typical effective dose is approximately 600 mg a day. In addition, it is available both in powder or supplement form, making it a convenient choice.  A word of caution though; this particular natural remedy for cold sores can delay blood clotting, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you take aspirin, or any other medication that may interfere with clotting.

Some Advice Concerning Natural Remedies

In all cases of natural remedies, including a natural remedy for cold sores, there are a number of things you must remember.  The first and foremost is that these remedies do affect your body, and you can have adverse reactions to them.  Any and all natural remedies should be taken under the supervision of an alternative medicine practitioner or a doctor that is familiar with the possible interactions.  If you decide to use one of these as a natural remedy for cold sores, be sure to include your doctor in the loop, and let him or her know what you are doing.  They may decide to change your medicines accordingly.