The best treatment for oral herpes is antiviral oral medication. Symptomatic treatment may include antiviral ointment, over-the-counter topical anesthetics or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents. Whether you call it a cold sore or a fever blister, oral herpes is a common infection of the mouth area that is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 HSV According to the National Institutes of Health, about 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age Once infected, a person will have herpes simplex virus for the rest of his or her life.
When inactive, the virus lies dormant in a group of nerve cells. While some people never develop any symptoms from the virus, others will have periodic outbreaks of infections. Oral herpesis spread most commonly from individuals with an active outbreak or sore.
You can catch oral herpes by engaging in intimate or personal contact e. The initial primary infection of oral herpes is usually the worst. Diagnosis is made on the basis of the appearance or culture of the lesion. Examination may also show enlargement of lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Untreated, the symptoms will generally subside in 1 to 2 weeks. Antiviral medications given by mouth may shorten the course of the symptoms and decrease pain. Wash blisters gently with soap and water to minimize the spread of the virus to other areas of skin.
An antiseptic soap may be recommended. Applying ice or warmth to the area may reduce pain. Take precautions to avoid infecting others see Prevention. Herpes labialis usually disappears spontaneously in 1 to 2 weeks. It may recur. Infection may be severe and dangerous if it occurs in or near the eye, or if it happens in immunosuppressed people. Generalized infection—may be life-threatening in immunosuppressed people, including those with atopic dermatitis, cancer, or HIV infections. Herpes infection of the eye is a leading cause of blindness in the US, causing scarring of the cornea.
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if symptoms indicate herpes labialis and symptoms persist for more than 1 or 2 weeks. Your health care provider can diagnose oral herpes by looking at your mouth area. Sometimes, a sample of the sore is taken and sent to a laboratory for closer examination.
Tests may include:. Your provider can prescribe medicines to fight the virus. This is called antiviral medicine. It can help reduce pain and make your symptoms go away sooner. Medicines used to treat mouth sores include:. These medicines work best if you take them when you have warning signs of a mouth sore, before any blisters develop. If you get mouth sores frequently, you may need to take these medicines all the time.
Herpes infection of the eye is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. It causes scarring of the cornea. Do not have oral sex if you have oral herpes, especially if you have blisters.
You can spread the virus to the genitals. Both oral and genital herpes viruses can sometimes be spread, even when you do not have mouth sores or blisters. Habif TP. Warts, herpes simplex, and other viral infections. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Hupp WS. Diseases of the mouth. Cold sores, often called fever blisters, are clustered, small, fluid-filled blisters.
You may feel a tingling on your lip before a small, hard, painful spot appears top. In a day or two, blisters form, which later break and ooze bottom.
Healing usually occurs in two to three weeks without scarring. Cold sores — also called fever blisters — are a common viral infection. They are tiny, fluid-filled blisters on and around your lips. These blisters are often grouped together in patches.
After the blisters break, a scab forms that can last several days. Cold sores usually heal in two to three weeks without leaving a scar.
Cold sores spread from person to person by close contact, such as kissing. Both of these viruses can affect your mouth or genitals and can be spread by oral sex. Cold sores are contagious even if you don't see the sores. There's no cure for cold sores, but treatment can help manage outbreaks. Prescription antiviral pills or creams can help sores heal more quickly.
And they may reduce the frequency, length and severity of future outbreaks. Signs and symptoms vary, depending on whether this is your first outbreak or a recurrence. The first time you have a cold sore, symptoms may not start for up to 20 days after you were first exposed to the virus.
The sores can last several days, and the blisters can take two to three weeks to heal completely. Recurrences typically appear at the same spot each time and tend to be less severe than the first outbreak. Children under 5 years old may have cold sores inside their mouths and the lesions are commonly mistaken for canker sores.
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