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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffCold sores generally clear up without treatment in seven to 10 days. Topical symptomatic treatments such as topical lidocaine or benzyl alcohol (Zilactin) may help relieve symptoms.
Using an antiviral medication may modestly shorten the duration of cold sores and decrease your pain, if started very early. If you experience very frequent bouts, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication as a cold sore treatment or to prevent cold sores.
