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.
The virus that causes cold sores is herpes simplex virus which has two types: HSV-1 and HSV-2. This type of virus is also responsible for the development of genital herpes in some people.
The virus can get into the body when there is a break in the skin or inside the mouth. The fastest modes of transmissions are touching another persons cold sore and sharing utensils with, kissing and touching saliva of an infected person.
The first symptoms of cold sores include pain in the mouth or lips, fever, sore throat, and swollen glands at different parts of the body. Days after the blisters developed, they break open, release transparent liquid, scab after few days more, and disappear from the skin after the maximum period of two weeks.
It is not difficult for a doctor to find out if you have cold sore treatment . After several questions, the doctor finds out how you come in contact with the virus. This simple procedure is enough and diagnostic tests are no more needed.
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.
Tags: Health
