General Description
cold sores
Cold sores are small and provide excruciating pain for someone who suffers from it. It is a fluid filled blister that often appears on the mouth, lips or nose. It is caused by a virus and it can last for 3 or more days depending on the severity.
What causes the virus?
It will go away naturally, the body has defense mechanisms. The virus that causes it is the herpes simplex virus or HSV. It has two types the type 1 and the type 2.
How does it spread?
People can get it from person to person kissing or other forms of close contact. It can be passed due to the infected saliva and it is highly contagious. But it cannot be passed by using an infected person’s towel or belongings. Just make sure that the saliva will not get in contact with your mouth.
What are the other symptoms?
cold sores
It is sometimes accompanied by fever, colds, flu, and can increase due to exposure to the sun, stress and weakening of the immune system. It can also increase due to hormonal changes like menstruation and trauma to the skin and sometimes it just occurs with no apparent reason.
It has the tendency to recur and infected people can experience it 2 to three times a year.
When to Go to the Doctor?
Once the patient is suffering from fever, swollen glands, bleeding gums and other painful sores as well as infection in the mouth and the nose, cold sores can be very painful, the doctors can provide prescriptions to lessen the pain and shorten the attack. People who have cold sores would have a hard time eating and this could lead to dehydration and nourishment problems. This is why they need to be treated immediately.
