Cold sores, also referred as fever blisters, are a group of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters often turns red due to swelling and soreness. Pain or tingling, called the prodrome, often precedes the blisters by 1-2 days. Cold sores are common. You can’t cure or prevent cold sores, you need to take steps to reduce their frequency and to limit the duration of an occurrence.
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 or HSV1. Herpes simplex virus type 2 is usually responsible for genital herpes. You get infected by cold sores from another person who has an active lesion. Shared utensils, razors and towels may spread this infection. Once you’ve had an episode of herpes infection, the virus lies dormant in your body and gets reactivated again because of reasons mentioned before or due to fever, stress, exposure mensuration may trigger a recurrence.
Cold sore infection is characterized by symptoms such as fever, irritation, headache, and pain upon swallowing. Though cold sores generally clear up on their own, however, you may have to visit a doctor if you have frequent recurrences of cold sores or you have a pre-existing health condition that has compromised your immune system. It is a common mistake to associate cold sores with canker sores. Cold sores are contagious while canker sores aren’t. Canker sores are type of mouth ulcers that occur in the soft tissues inside your mouth, a place uncommon for cold sores to occur.
Cold sore prevention involves the following:
- Avoid sharing items. Utensils, towels, lip balm and other items can spread the virus when blisters are present.
- Avoid skin contact and kissing infected people. The virus can spread easily due to ruptured blisters. In persons with depressed immune systems, the virus can be spread even after the skin appears to be healed.
- Maintain a clean hygiene. Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands carefully before touching another person when you have a cold sore.
- While infected by cold sore, be careful about touching other parts of your body. Ruptured blisters can cause further ulcers.
- If possible try to avoid or prevent conditions that stress your body, like lack of sleep etc.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. In case it can’t be avoided, use sunblock before venturing out in the sun.
