Cold sores can be a common source of irritation for many people. While unable to cure cold sore symptoms there are many over the counter medications or home remedies that can help to relieve them.Cold sores are caused by an outbreak of the herpes simplex virus within the mouth. These sores are often very painful. They are not acquired from a recent herpes outbreak but from a virus that you already have in your body that lies dormant. Cold sores occur when these virus particles become reactivated. Reactivation can occur with flu, stress, fatigue, food allergies, trauma, menstruation, fever or changes in the immune system.One of the ways to treat cold sores would be over the counter medications. One such medicine, for example Abreva, if used at the onset could greatly reduce the time it takes to heal. Other ways to help manage the symptoms include:* Petroleum based products - relieves dryness and promotes faster healing times. Prevents further bacteria from entering the sore.* Food - avoid foods that are high in salt or acids as they can cause further irritation.* Pain relief - using ibuprofen or aspirin can help with the pain. Products that contain Benzocaine can numb the area and provide great relief.* Toothbrush - change your toothbrush after every occurrence as the bristles can harbor the virus.* Makeup - avoid makeup as it contains chemicals that cause irritation.* Don't touch it - touching the sore can cause bacterial infections. The virus can also be spread to other parts of your body as well as to others. Do not kiss at this time. Make sure to carry hand sanitizer to help against the spread of infection.* Sunscreen - use sunscreen on your lips for sun induced sores. Using a lip balm with sunscreen can help eliminate future outbreaks.The more options the better. If the above solutions do not work for you there are other home based or natural remedies that might help.* Licorice - contains glycyrrhizic acid which helps stop the cold infection. Chew on a licorice whip but use real licorice as some licorice contains only flavorings.* Milk - using a cotton ball soaked with milk decreases healing time.* Ice Packs also decrease healing times.* Zinc Lozenges - sucking on a lozenge containing zinc helps to boost your immune system.Aside from these natural home remedies there are also herbal remedies that you may want to try. The herbs used to treat cold sores are chamomile, Oregon grape root, echinacea, St. John's Wort and lemon balm. St. John's Wort, lemon balm and Oregon grape root all have antiviral properties and are helpful in killing the herpes virus. Echinacea contains immune boosters that help to fight off the virus. Chamomile helps to heal the mucous membranes as well as acting as an inflammatory.Just remember there is no actual way to cure cold sore viruses. Occurrences may occur several times throughout your life. Following these guidelines may better help you to manage their symptoms.