Cold Sore - A Quick Read

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Getting a tingly, itching or burning feeling around the lips recently?

Having a blister appear on the site of the itching or tingling?

What is Cold Sore?

• are viral infection usually referred to as fever blisters, that appears around the lips.

Signs and Symptoms

• starts with tingling, itching or burning around the lips.

• affected spots can also be painful.

• are usually in fluid filled clusters of blisters that break into a crust over the resulting sore.

• These can last over several days.

Who are at risk of cold sores?

• anyone coming in close contact with a person having cold sores.

• Anyone with cold sore in blister stages can more easily transmit the virus than other times.

How does it occur?

• Caused by HSV-Type 1 virus spreading from an infected individual.

• HSV-1 can spread to the genitals and HSV-2 can spread to the lips via oral sex.

Trigger Factors

• Viral infections

• Fever

• Hormonal changes

• Stress

• Fatigue

• Unprotected exposure to wind and sun

• Immune suppression

Lifestyle Adaptations

• Frequent use of sunscreens and sunblocks

• Regular use of lip balms and moisturizers

• Keep well rehydrated

• Avoid sharing items that have in contact with the affected areas.

• Avoid having oral sex while having an outbreak.

• Keeping hands clean while infected or otherwise

• Applying anti-viral creams at the first sign of outbreak eg in the tingling stages.

• Using immune boosters

• Reducing stress levels

Treatment Options

• No known cure

• Anti-viral medications

• Pain medication

• Hot/cold compresses

Complications and concerns

• Herpes Whitlow - when the HSV-1 or HSV-2 spreads to the fingers. Thumb sucking infants are most at risk of this.

• Ocular herpes : Vision problems or blindess if the virus spreads to the eyes.

• Eczema patients are risk of the cold sore spreading to the rest of the body.

AVOID KISSING, HOLDING OR GETTING IN CONTACT WITH BABIES IF YOU HAVE A COLD SORE. YOU MAY SAVE THEIR LIFE BY SIMPLY STAYING AWAY WHILE YOU ARE HAVING AN OUTBREAK.

(Pic credit: factdr.com)

(Pic credit: http://www.beverlyheightsdental.com)

(Pic credit:By Suzaa Suu - Imported from 500px (archived version) by the Archive Team. (detail page), CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71793389)