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Cold Sores - Sometimes Called Fever Blisters
INTRODUCTION: Cold sores are small and somewhat painful blisters that usually appear on or around a person's lips and are caused by the herpes simplex virus-1 (or HSV-1). The sores - also known as "fever blisters" - are quite different from canker sores, a condition people sometimes associate them with. They are very contagious and stay that way until the blisters scab over, and sometimes even afterwards.
Fever Blisters can appear one at a time or in little grape like bunches, and are sometimes filled with fluid. They normally leave on their own within 7 to 10 days after their first appearance.
HERPES: Herpes simplex virus type 1 ("HSV1") normally only infects those body tissues that lie "above the waistline" and it is the virus that creates cold sores in most cases. Herpes simplex is not curable, but may lie dormant for long periods of time.
Signs and symptoms may not begin until as long as twenty days after exposure, and usually last seven to ten days. The real cause of the sores is the virus producing new virus on the edge of your lip and/or nose.
Home remedies are usually your best course of action against the painful and ugly sores. On occasions, if the cold sores are making a child sick, an MD may prescribe a special drug that fights the virus.
Most people become infected with the herpes simplex virus during their preschool years, probably from eating or drinking after someone who is already infected or getting kissed by an adult with the virus, but not everyone who gets the virus develops sores.
SYMPTOMS: Signs are usually most severe eight hours after an outbreak and may include: tingling of the lips, tiny blisters on the lips and mouth that enlarge, burst, then crust, over itching and irritation of the lips and mouth, soreness of the lips and mouth. Signss can be quite painful and cause a great deal of embarrassment.
Initially the infection may create no symptoms or mouth ulcers. The first symptoms of a fever blister usually happen within 1 or 2 weeks -- and as late as 3 weeks -- following contact with an infected person. Untreated, the symptoms will usually subside in one to two weeks. medications given orally may shorten the course of the symptoms and decrease the pain.
TREATMENTS: Cold sore treatments are of a great concern for all of us who suffer those painful and irritating fever blisters. For most kids, the sores depart on their own without any special treatment from a MD.
While they cannot be cured, if signs are severe, treatment may help ease some of the pain and discomfort. Most treatment options are focused on decreasing the discomfort and pain and reducing the length of the outbreak. Some options can even help prevent the blisters from forming. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, see your MD. A licensed MD should be consulted for diagnosis and care of any and all medical conditions.
CONCLUSION: Cold sores, aka "fever blisters," are painful, unsightly mouth sores that are produced by an outbreak of the herpes simplex virus and are not a sign of a newly acquired herpes simplex infection, but instead a re-activation of herpes virus particles already existing in your body. They are usually found either: On or at the edge of a your lip and occasionly indicate a deficiency in Calcium.
Cold sores also known as fever blisters are very common and also very contagious. If they are not taken care of properly, they can create bacterial skin infections. If you have them, it's important to see your Physician IF: you have another health condition that has diminished your immune system, the sores don't heal by themselves within seven to ten days, you get cold sores frequently.
About the Author Concerning The Author: Richard H. Ealom is the Author of this article and the creator of "Free Articles On Sickness and Diseases: How To Prevent and Cure Them". Need more Facts Please go to us at our websites@ Diabetes & Cancer Secrets OR Go To Heart Disease & Obesity Secrets. You are allowed to reprint this article provided this box is left unchanged.
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