Rest and plenty of liquids. Steam through the nasal and throat passages. Salt water through the nasal cavity. Zinc lozenges in moderation. More rest.
I saw a documentary once where Alan Alda visited several doctors (mostly researchers) to ask what could be done about a cold. The conclusion was that pretty much all that could be done came down to alleviating symptoms. As they put it: if you treat the cold it’ll be over in seven days, if you don’t, it’ll last a whole week.
In other words, do whatever makes you feel better while the cold lasts (and I second the recommendations for rest and handwashing) but don’t hold out any hopes for getting rid of it any sooner.
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That is the way hydrocortisone, Curasore, and Zovirax work. Thus it does not seem to be more effective than those treatments. Abreva and Zovirax are by prescription and thus expensive. Hydrocortisone costs $1 at Dollar Tree (everything at Dollar Tree is $1 or less). So I will stick with hydrocortisone.
Abreva is NOT prescription, it’s OTC.
Since I’ve already been on various steroids over the years (and hydrocortisone is a steroid) and also frequently use hydrocortisone for other skin conditions I have concerns about using too much overall. Having had some serious skin infections I prefer to be cautious in its use.
As I said - hydrocortisone reduces the inflammation, it in no way reduces viral reproduction or length of active cold sores. Sure, less inflammation is a good thing. However, Abreca reduces viral replication and slightly shortens to overall course of the event.
Curasore’s active ingredient is an anesthetic. Again, it makes you feel better, and that’s a good thing, but it will do nothing for inflammation or viral reproduction.
Had a cold sore two days ago. Used Abreva right away and as of today the blisters/sores are completely gone and it’s well on its way to being healed. My lip never swelled up and after the initial application no pain or itching. The affected spot remained very small. YMMV but I’m a believer in Abreva now.
If you want to continue to use hydrocortisone and you’re happy with it that’s fantastic, go for it. Other people besides just you are reading this, though, and I want them to have some notion of the alternatives.
As for Curasore, it contains ether, and according to an article in Consumer’s Reports, ether kills the viruses, but only to a small depth in the body; whereas, acyclovir kills the viruses to a deeper depth. However, I was surprised to find out that ether is an inert ingredient in Curasore and that one of the ingredients that I thought was a solvent is the actual active ingredient (as you say an anesthetic.)
I guess I assume too much on these remedies. For example, I thought that because Listerine contains alcohol and because alcohol kills germs, the FDA approved Listerine for that purpose. However, Listerine contains less than 25% alcohol (but more than 20%) and it is listed as an inert ingredient.
No medication can eliminate the herpes virus from our system. It hides out in the ganglia and is immune from our immune cells as long as it stays there. Best we can do is kill those that come out along the nerve path and cause our symptoms. Even if hydrocortisone does not kill them, it drastically reduces my symptoms.
Warm in the belly, that is. And throat, and mouth.
A fresh pot of hot, tasty, spicy, herb-laden curry applied orally generally works wonders for a cold in my experience. Fantastically effective decongestant, gets rid of that cold shivery feeling, and if its spicy enough the endorphin rush will get rid of a headache as well.
Not to derail but I have a related question.
I have always believed that the reason there is no “cure for the common cold” is due to sheer number of variants of the virus (up to 200) and that once you have a cold, your body builds an immunity to that strain, effectively meaning you will never get “that” cold again.
Wikipedia seems vague on this after looking it up and even mentions ongoing study for a “cure” so now I am not sure on this belief.
Any Doctors in the house? 
IANAMD. You are at least partially correct from what I have read, but there are two families of cold viruses, rhinoviruses and adenoviruses, and I believe that the latest news on these is that there are over 500. Moreover, I do not believe the immunoglobins produced by the body (igE) are long lasting. Smeghead or another poster can come in with more info. Wikipedia seems inaccurate as to the number and insufficient in other regards.
… I’d think that’s a pretty low bar to clear. “Hm, I wonder if this chocolate is going to work better than that placebo I tried yesterday?”
Boil a pot of water on the stovetop. Start stirring in the center of the pot. Stir in larger and larger circles. When the stir radius lands you in Florida, stop stirring.
Abreva is over the counter med, no prescription required.