All You Need to Know About Cold Sores

Do you see some small blisters on your lips and around your mouth? If yes, you are the host of some viruses that cause cold sores. If you want to find out what cold sore is and the important facts related to it, follow along.

Cold sores, whose alternative name is fever blisters, are tiny blisters that grow in the lips and around the mouth. The skin part where blisters grow is usually swollen, red, and sore. After the blisters develop, they break open, release clear liquid, and begin to scab few days later. The disease begins to heal two days later and lasts after two weeks.

Herpes simplex virus is the main cause of cold sores which have two types: HSV-1 and HSV-2. The said virus is also the main culprit that causes genital herpes.

Herpes simplex virus can enter the body when there is a break in the skin or inside the mouth. The virus can be quickly transmitted to another person by kissing, using the utensils, and touching the saliva of an infected person.

Once the viruses find their way inside the body, they quickly develop the first symptoms which include pain on the lips and mouth, fever, sore throat, and swollen glands at various parts of the body. Few days after the blisters develop, they break open, release fluid, scab days later, and are healed after two maximum weeks.

cold sore blister are not difficult to be determined by any doctor. Most of the time, doctors ask few questions to find out how the virus got into the body. Aside from this simple diagnostic procedure, no complex diagnostic tests will be conducted.

Two weeks is the maximum time before the infected person gets healed. However, the disease brings with it uncomfortable symptoms which can be embarrassing and irritating. To eliminate these symptoms, an infected person can make use of treatments such as skin creams, ointments, and pills which can be bought at any drugstore. Taking these treatments can heal the disease two days faster than taking no treatment at all.

Despite the treatments for cold sores, the virus that causes it stays in the body forever. In other words, cold sores brought by herpes simplex virus cannot be completely healed. Treatments can only reduce the number of sores but cannot prevent the virus from developing more sores.

Because of this, preventive measures must be taken by those who are not yet infected. Avoiding coming in contact with infected persons and using his belongings are effective preventive measures against cold sores. Boosting immune system by taking nutritious diet is considered the best way to prevent cold sores because the virus can hardly wreak havoc to the body when there are enough agents inside that can fight it off.