Cold sores, also known commonly as fever blisters, are small, red blisters that appear on a person's lips and mouth, according to the Mayo Clinic. MedlinePlus says that the herpes simplex virus type 1 causes cold sores, which is a different herpes virus than the virus that causes genital warts.
Symptoms
About a day or two before a cold sore begins to form, you may feel a painful or tingling sensation around the mouth. In a few days, a red blister will form. It is usually pus-filled and raised, located on the lips or mouth and can even form inside the nose or under your tongue. The cold sore may last from a week to up to 14 days, according to the Mayo Clinic. The blisters may break and fluid may flow from it before being covered in a yellow crust.
Spread
TeensHeath, a health website, says that cold sores may be spread through physical contact with another person with cold sores. Kissing, touching a sore, then touching a soft membrane such as your eye or nose, sharing a cup or eating utensils or using the same lipstick or lip balm as someone with the virus can spread it. TeensHealth also explains that the herpes virus can be spread even when you do not see an active sore on another person.
Development
For a cold sore to develop, a dormant herpes simplex virus type 1 must become active. The virus travels through the nerve endings to the place on the body where the cold sore develops. The tingling or pain sensation begins in the area followed by the development of a red sore or blister. Eventually, the blister may pop and a yellow crust will form over the area. Once the yellow crust falls off, the body heals the sore and the herpes virus once again becomes dormant.
Treatment
The Mayo Clinic says that you can treat a cold sore temporarily with Lidocaine, an ointment that will provide pain relief or Benzocaine, another topical ointment that can keep your cold sore from becoming irritated. Oral drugs such as Acyclovir can lessen the amount of time the cold sore is present while also preventing some pain. If you have cold sores frequently, you may also be given an antiviral medication. This can help prevent cold sores from forming.
Prevention
You can prevent cold sores from spreading to other people and to various areas of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic. Do not kiss another person with the virus while a sore is present, do not share items such as eating utensils, wash your hands regularly, especially before touching other areas of your body or other people. Colds and influenza may trigger cold sores, so taking vitamins, eating well and getting enough sleep can keep sores at bay.
