How to treat a cold on the lips? Medical and folk remedies

In fact, a cold on the lips is not a cold. The name is associated with the peak of exacerbation of the disease, which occurs in the autumn-winter period. At this time, the number of diseases of acute respiratory infections, seasonal flu increases significantly. And the sore on the lip occurs precisely during this period, because the immune system is busy fighting other viruses, and it does not “pay attention” to it.

Herpes Features

The disease was known in the VI century BC. Hippocrates first mentioned him, proposing the name "herpes", which means "creeping" in translation. In the V century, the symptoms and characteristics of the spread of the common cold are described by Herodotus. And three centuries later, the Roman emperor Tiberius forbade his subjects to kiss at a meeting, as it was proved that it was tactile contact that caused a massive infection of the common cold on the lips. What causes this disease?

Its cause is the virus of the so-called herpes simplex. Unlike most other viruses that our immune system destroys within 5 days, coping with it is not so easy. At the initial infection, immunity “breaks” the enemy only partially. And the DNA elements of the herpes virus settle in our nerve cells, where they remain until the end of a person’s life.

Science has not yet found a cure for colds on the lips, which would once and for all eliminate this form in the human body. Therefore, for now, it remains for us to put up with such a neighborhood (more than 90% of people in the world are infected with the herpes simplex virus) and know how to treat a cold on the lips in order to minimize damage from it.

Causes and possible complications

As we have already noted, the main cause of colds on the lips is the struggle of the immune system with another disease, which is why the herpes virus is activated and begins to multiply. But there are other factors that stimulate the appearance of bubbles on the mucous membranes. These include:

• chronic overwork, stress and lack of sleep;
• hard physical work to the limit;
• lack of vitamins and unbalanced nutrition;
• hypothermia or overheating (excessive exposure to the sun);
• excessive use of coffee, alcohol.

All of these factors reduce immunity, allowing the virus to begin to develop. But the appearance of a cold does not mean that something is wrong with your health. Doctors consider normal relapses of the disease up to 10 times a year, but if they pass without complications. The latter include:

• accession of a secondary infection;
• the transfer of the disease to other shells of the body - the eyes, genitals, skin of the hands and the development of a concomitant disease;
• severe forms - autoimmune processes, damage to nerve endings, tumor diseases.

But all this is rare, since a quick treatment of a cold on the lip is possible with the help of modern drugs with high efficiency. We will tell you how to treat and how to anoint a cold on the lip in more detail.

Treatment method: ointment, pills

It is not difficult to determine the onset of the development of the disease. The lips begin to itch, a reddened, swollen area appears. The next day, in its place there are bubbles with liquid. After a couple of days, they burst. Attention! This is the most infectious period! And finally, in their place there are “scabs” - a crust that disappears after 2-3 days. Another week is needed to heal the skin at the site of the lesion.

Modern remedies for colds on the lips are represented by ointments and tablets.

• Ointment for colds on the lips is a quick help and a means for independent use. Applied in the first minutes of the disease, completely eliminates the symptoms and prevents the bubbles from appearing. Use acyclovir-based ointment or cream. Productivity Acyclovir, ZoviraxFinistil Pencivir, Vivorax and others are almost equivalent. Lubricate the affected areas from the onset of the disease until recovery. They consider falling away of dried crusts at the site of ulcers.
• Pills for colds on the lips - not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for independent use. Assigned by a doctor in case of multiple rashes on the skin or with frequent relapses of infection. Take a course of 5 days, 1 tablet 5 times a day. The doctor can adjust the dosage based on the severity of the disease.

Folk remedies also help from colds on the lip. But they cannot be used with frequent relapses of the disease due to low efficiency and during the period of maximum activity of the virus. You can use these drugs in combination with the main treatment to accelerate the drying of ulcers (alcohol, corvalol, valocordin), healing wounds from ulcers (sea buckthorn oil, aloe juice).

With proper treatment, recovery occurs within a week, and relapses of the common cold on the lips are rarely repeated.