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Complementary Medicine / Re: Have you tried Ice for curing cold sores?
« on: 23/11/2018 14:36:28 »
Been getting cold sores for around 15 -20 years.
Seems I get Cold Sores every November - and sometimes they go right into Christmas if I am not lucky. I might get one, which then heals, followed by a second bout, which in all is about a month with the bloody things.
I can sometimes nip them in the bud, but more often than not, they break and I am left with a sore for 2-4 weeks.
I recently got a cold sore in my nose that was really irritating. I had hoped that it would perhaps avoid me getting one on my lip, but no such luck. One started on my lip, remnants of which can be seen in my pictures below. I had that one for about 2 weeks, and sure enough, another one started yesterday as the old one is just about done. So, I read this info on the ice cube, as I had read about ice treatment before, so I am giving it a shot. Like I said, the tingling started yesterday afternoon, so I did not get ice in right away. Been about 12-16 hours.
So, I have literally put an ice cube in a sandwich baggie and held it on my sore until the cube melted. Took a break for 5-10 minutes, then applied it again. Did this 3 times. The result is that the sore is actually more pronounced now, as if I have skipped the initial 2-3 days of the blister, and gone straight to the sore/scabby bit. No big deal, as I am going to get that anyway. Just saying. It did not eliminate the sore, which I rather did not expect anyway.
I read through the blog linked above on isopropyl alcohol (IA). So i figure any and all methods might work in combination. I have a few IA swabs (they are only 70%) my wife got from work (nurse). I decided to tape a swab to my sore for about 15 minutes. So for the past hour, I have attacked this creature on my face. Finaly, I also have some 100% pure tea tree oil that I have had for a while that I will gently swab with a q-tip, once I remove the IA swab.
So, in summary, I have iced for about an hour in total. And had a swab taped to my face for about 15 minutes. And I am soon going to apply tea tree oil.
In lieu of any real photographic evidence on this board, I am going to post a picture of my lip, if I can. To be honest, the sore is definitely more pronounced now, than it was before I started this entire icing process. If this just means I will have a sore for a week even, then it would be better than nothing. Nonetheless, the ice has not made the thing disappear. Rather the opposite. Like it has promoted the cold sore through the initial stage.
First Picture after icing.
20181123_092314.jpg (197.03 kB . 1032x581 - viewed 4640 times)
Second after IA Swab
20181123_104049.jpg (203.72 kB . 1032x581 - viewed 4681 times)
I will apply some tea tree oil, and provide feedback. As well as some more pix later. If I am being honest, I think I am going to have this thing 2 more weeks.
Seems I get Cold Sores every November - and sometimes they go right into Christmas if I am not lucky. I might get one, which then heals, followed by a second bout, which in all is about a month with the bloody things.
I can sometimes nip them in the bud, but more often than not, they break and I am left with a sore for 2-4 weeks.
I recently got a cold sore in my nose that was really irritating. I had hoped that it would perhaps avoid me getting one on my lip, but no such luck. One started on my lip, remnants of which can be seen in my pictures below. I had that one for about 2 weeks, and sure enough, another one started yesterday as the old one is just about done. So, I read this info on the ice cube, as I had read about ice treatment before, so I am giving it a shot. Like I said, the tingling started yesterday afternoon, so I did not get ice in right away. Been about 12-16 hours.
So, I have literally put an ice cube in a sandwich baggie and held it on my sore until the cube melted. Took a break for 5-10 minutes, then applied it again. Did this 3 times. The result is that the sore is actually more pronounced now, as if I have skipped the initial 2-3 days of the blister, and gone straight to the sore/scabby bit. No big deal, as I am going to get that anyway. Just saying. It did not eliminate the sore, which I rather did not expect anyway.
I read through the blog linked above on isopropyl alcohol (IA). So i figure any and all methods might work in combination. I have a few IA swabs (they are only 70%) my wife got from work (nurse). I decided to tape a swab to my sore for about 15 minutes. So for the past hour, I have attacked this creature on my face. Finaly, I also have some 100% pure tea tree oil that I have had for a while that I will gently swab with a q-tip, once I remove the IA swab.
So, in summary, I have iced for about an hour in total. And had a swab taped to my face for about 15 minutes. And I am soon going to apply tea tree oil.
In lieu of any real photographic evidence on this board, I am going to post a picture of my lip, if I can. To be honest, the sore is definitely more pronounced now, than it was before I started this entire icing process. If this just means I will have a sore for a week even, then it would be better than nothing. Nonetheless, the ice has not made the thing disappear. Rather the opposite. Like it has promoted the cold sore through the initial stage.
First Picture after icing.
20181123_092314.jpg (197.03 kB . 1032x581 - viewed 4640 times)
Second after IA Swab
20181123_104049.jpg (203.72 kB . 1032x581 - viewed 4681 times)
I will apply some tea tree oil, and provide feedback. As well as some more pix later. If I am being honest, I think I am going to have this thing 2 more weeks.