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- Living With Cold Sores
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The treatment and management of cold sores involves medications and lifestyle changes.
Although treatment can help relieve or reduce outbreaks of cold sores, they cannot be permanently cured. Herpes simplex virus 1 will persist in the nerve tissue once it is infected. Therefore, treatment is focused on preventing cold sore outbreaks and reducing the severity of symptoms.
Treatment involves the following:
There are no surgical options for the treatment of cold sores.
References:
American Academy of Dermatologywebsite. Available at: http://www.aad.org/default.htm. Accessed February 24, 2006.
Australian Herpes Management Forumwebsite. Available at: http://www.ahmf.com.au/default.htm. Accessed February 24, 2006.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Researchwebsite. Available at: http://www.mayo.edu/. Accessed February 24, 2006.
Merck Manual of Medical Information . Simon and Schuster, Inc.; 2000.
Last reviewed March 2007 by David Horn, MD, FACP
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
