How to Stop a Cold Sore With Ibuprofen

Cold sores are painful. Many people want to get rid of them more because they look ugly than because of the pain they cause, but you really need a treatment that can do both. You may be able to stop a cold sore with ibuprofen or at least stop it from swelling as much and becoming so tender around your mouth. It is important to not take too much ibuprofen when you are treating your cold sore, though, even if you are becoming impatient.

Read the directions carefully on your bottle of ibuprofen. You will want to follow the recommended dosage for your age group. Usually, you will take two ibuprofen tablets every four hours. Read carefully on the bottle directions how many ibuprofen tablets you can safely take in a 24-hour period.

Take the ibuprofen tablets with plenty of water as soon as you feel the cold sore coming on. Many people complain of a tingling sensation, and they know this means they will have a cold sore soon. If you take ibuprofen, this will help reduce the pain and the swelling around the blemish site.

Continue to take ibuprofen tablets as directed as long as the cold sore is causing you pain or seems to be swelling. Once the pain has stopped and the swelling has gone down, you can stop the ibuprofen. The cold sore may have a scab at this point, and you will have to wait for it to heal completely.

Throw your toothbrush away if you are constantly getting cold sores and taking ibuprofen to treat the pain. Your toothbrush could be reinfecting you. Even if your toothbrush is not the cause, you should throw it out just to be safe. Toothbrushes are fairly cheap, and it will be worth it to keep the cold sores away.

Consult your doctor if you are constantly plagued by cold sores and treating them with ibuprofen. He may suggest another treatment for you, or you may need to be checked for another problem.