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Sometimes small blisters appear in clusters on your lips all around the mouth. These blisters look like patches and are often quite painful and itchy.
They sometimes appear on the lips or within the lips.
Blisters can happen due to multiple reasons. It forces you to think about the type of food you are eating or avoid a certain type of food to avoid such painful situations.
If you happen to be suffering from one right now and wish to know the answer to how to heal a cold sore fast, then this article has got you covered.
This article will tell you how to heal a cold sore fast. It also aims to provide a detailed account of cold sores that includes the causes, effects, and symptoms of a cold sore1, followed by medical treatments, the healing process, and prevention measures that are required to be taken to get rid of a cold sore quickly.
The last part of this article is designed to answer the most common questions that accompany a cold sore outbreak.
1. What is a Cold Sore?
Popularly known as fever blisters, cold sores are infectious patches of blisters 2that occasionally occur around the mouth of a person. The blisters are clustered and fluid-filled; the fluid can be either blood or pus.
The blisters are tiny, but they can cause a lot of discomfort as they sting constantly and are also very painful.
If a cold sore happens at the corner of the mouth, it can hurt a lot when the person tries to break it, they hinder all other kinds of movement around the infected area.
Cold sores can remain for two to four weeks. In rare cases, a cold sore can also occur at the openings of the nostrils. HSV-1 causes cold sores-1,3 also called the herpes simplex virus type one. HSV-1 is very similar to HSV-2 or the herpes simplex virus type 24, which causes lesions and genital sores.
HSV-1 or herpes simplex virus of type one can spread from one person to other through physical contact. Although antiviral medication can be used to ease the itching cold sores heal on their own. Besides cold sores, people also experience feet blisters
1. Herpes Simplex Virus
HSV or the Herpes Simplex Virus has typically categorized into herpes simplex virus one and herpes simplex virus two.
The former can spread from one person to another through oral cont, whereas the latter can spread only through sexual contact (oral sex included).
HSV affects people all around the world, and it can cause really painful blisters. However, there are medications available for HSV infection that can keep reoccurring throughout life.
HSV one can cause oral herpes, whereas HSV-2 is known to cause genital herpes5. Infections caused by HSV-1 And HSV-2 are disturbing and seem to hinder the pace of life.
A person can attain HSV infection. Specifically, infections caused by HSV-1son during childhood are good, whereas HSV-2 is attained after age 16.
Infections caused by HSV can make the person suffer from it and spread HIV. It can also cause brain and eye infections.
Medications like Acyclovir can pose to be effective against HSV. People suffering from HSV-1 are advised to avoid sharing objects with others, while those suffering from HSV-2 are advised to abstain from sexual contact.
They develop visible rashes and hence use contraceptives like condoms when no symptom is visible.
2. What Causes Cold Sores?
As mentioned above, the train of HSV-1 or herpes simplex virus type 1 is responsible for causing a cold sore.
Cold sores can be transmitted if a healthy person communicates orally with an infected person while performing activities like kissing person can attain HSV infection 6and specifically infections caused by HS, V-1son during childhood,ood whereas HSV-2 is attained after 16.
Sharing towels, utensils and razors can also spread HSV. People suffering from HSV-1 are advised to avoid sharing objects with others, while those suffering from HSV-2 are advised to abstain from sexual contact.
About 90 to 95% of people on Earth have either HSV-1 or HSV-2. If HSV has infected a person, stress, allergies, fever, sunburn,s and mensuration can trigger the body to cause sores.
3. Symptoms of a Cold Sore
Many symptoms can lead to a cold sore. These symptoms include –
• Constant burning or tingling sensations around the mouth or on the lips.
• Lots of tiny blisters that appear together and form a patch of infected skin on the area mentioned above.
• A person may get sick and can also experience muscle aches from time to time.
• Gums might get swollen, and they might start hurting.
• Burning sensation inside the mouth followed by a sore throat.
• Difficulty while swallowing food and water.
4. Stages of Cold Sores
There are several stages related to a cold sore. The stages include tingling, blistering, breaking out, crusting, and healing.
Each of these five stages has distinct features that can help you identify the symptoms of a cold sore and warn you to take precautions beforehand not to spread them to other people.
• The first stage of a cold sore starts with tingling sensations around the mouth or on the lips. This tingling sensation is the very first sign that foretells the occurrence of a cold sore.
The tingling sensation can also be accompanied by itch and burn. Although applying ointment can help soothe the itch but nothing can stop the source from occurring.
The first stage lasts about one day, and then the cold sore appears. Prescribed medications such as Doscosanol, Acyclovir, and Penciclovir can prove beneficial but ineffective.
Aloe Vera gel extract can be used as one of the natural remedies, and it can also prove to be helpful as it contains antiseptic qualities. Prescribed painkillers can also be used to sue the discomfort temporarily.
• The second stage is the most discomforting stage of the entire period of having a cold sore. After the first phase, many tiny blisters appear on the infected area. These blisters are filled with blood and pus.
These blisters cover a great portion of the infected area in severe cases; they can cover mouth and throat areas. Sometimes the itchiness gets so worse during this phase that it can also result in fever.
Patients might find great difficulty while eating or talking while moving the skin of the infected area. Physical contact during this period should be avoided completely to avoid spreading the virus.
Proper hygiene is also expected to be maintained to stop virus transmission. Physical contact must be avoided until the blister patch heals completely.
Spicy food must be avoided during this stage. Prescribed painkillers can also be used to sue the discomfort temporarily.
• The third stage occurs two to four days after the second stage. During this stage, the cold sore opens up and is the most vulnerable.
The itchiness increases and a warm or cold compress can temporarily subside. Patients should avoid touching the sore with bare hands as it can increase the chance of infection. No chemical product should be applied to the sore.
Physical contact must also be avoided here because it can increase the chances of virus transmission. The fear of transmission is also quite high during this stage.
• The gradual healing of the wound determines the fourth stage. After losing out in the third stage, the pass dries out, and the blisters scabs and start crusting.
• The last stage is the stage where the wound heals. Crusting gradually stops during the stage, and the skin gets normal over time with no scars left.
5. How to Heal a Cold Sore Fast?
• Using a warm or cold compress, applying an ice bag during the first two stages on the infected area can relieve pain and reduce swelling considerably.
Ice packs can make the skin shrink the swollen blood vessels, easing blood flow. Ice packs can be made at home by simply wrapping crushed ice on a towel.
Both warm and cold compresses can reduce pain. A warm compress can be made easily and can also warm compress the blood in the infected area.
This can be made by simply dipping a clean towel in warm water and then gently dabbing the damp cloth on the infected area.
• Anesthetic and topical creams and ointment can soothe the pain. Products containing benzoyl alcohol7 can also be used as they can increase the pace of the healing time. Other medically prescribed ointments can also be used.
• Medically prescribed antiviral drugs that fight against viruses must be taken to take care of the outbreak.
6. Adverse Effects of Having a Cold Sore
Infections caused by HSV can make the person suffering from it acquire and spread HIV. It can also cause brain and eye infections.
A person having a cold sore can put others at risk too. Medications like Acyclovir can pose to be effective against HSV.
Cold sores can also increase the chances of cancer in extremely rare cases; cold sores can trigger eczema and are likely to spread to all body parts.
Things to Avoid While Having Cold Sores
There are certain things that people need to avoid if they have a cold sore. These include:
• Constantly touching or scratching the infected area due to severe itching.
• Not avoiding sour, spicy food like pickles, curry, etc., can cause flare-ups. Food like peanuts that trigger allergies must also be avoided.
• During the crusting stage, people must be aware not to pick the skin.
• No chemical products must be applied unless they have been medically prescribed.
• Physical contact must be avoided until the blister patch heals completely.
7. When to See a doctor?
Although cold sores heal on their own in about two to three weeks, consulting a doctor is necessary if the outbreak hurts a lot accurately frequently.
If the cold sore causes eye infections, throat aches, and stomachaches, consulting a healthcare professional is a must.
8. Are Cold Sores Contagious?
As mentioned above, cold sores are infectious patches of blisters that occasionally occur around a person’s mouth. Hence, cold sores are contagious and can spread from one person to the other through any physical contact.
And as HSV-1 causes cold sores, also called the herpes simplex virus of type, which spreads from person to person. People suffering from HSV-1 are advised to avoid sharing objects with other people.
9. How to Prevent Cold Sores?
Cold sores cannot be prevented if the HSV has already infected a person. But there still are certain preventive measures that can be taken up to prevent cold sores. These include –
• Avoid getting into any physical contact with anybody who has HSV.
• Sharing utensils and other objects with an infected person should also be stopped.
• In case of coming in contact with an HSV patient, one must always wash their hands thoroughly.
• In case of any physical contact with an HSV patient, one must try to keep themselves healthy. Foods rich in vitamin C have a lot of health benefits.
They must be consumed directly or as an oral supplement. Patients are even required to take rest to boost their immune systems.
• Sun protection is necessary to protect oneself from triggering cold sores8. Lip balm must also be used because lip balm can keep the lips moisturized, which can relieve the stinging effect of a cold sore, and if the lip balm has SPF, then it can also protect the infected area from sunburns.
10. Frequently Asked Questions
- Are sores contagious?
Yes, sores are contagious as they are caused due to HSV that can be transmitted from one person to another so that sores can be transmitted to a healthy person from an infected one by any oral physical contact.
2. How long does it take sores to heal?
Although an antiviral medication can heal and ease fever blisters, it cannot prevent them. Fever blisters might be uncomfortable, but they heal in about two to three weeks.
3. What is the healing process of fever blisters?
There are five stages involved with a fever blis. g,g In the first stage, tingling sensations are felt around the mouth or on the lips.
In the second stage, tiny blisters appear at once on the infected area. These include tingling, blistering, breaking out, crust, ing, and healing.
In the third stage, the blisters break, crusting takes place in the fourth stage, and the wound gradually heals.
4. Is it important to see a doctor for a cold sore?
Although cold sores heal on their own in about two to three weeks, consulting a doctor is necessary if the outbreak hurts a lot and occurs frequently.
If the cold sore causes eye infections, throat aches, and stomach upset,s then consulting a healthcare professional is a must. If cold sores do not heal on their own, then visiting a doctor is a must for treating them.
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Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
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