Cold Sore Symptoms and the Five Cold Sore Stages
Fever blisters, more commonly known as cold sores, are one of the conditions that occur most commonly today. Fever blister symptoms inconvenience millions and the growing number of people contracting the virus can be quite alarming. Fever blisters are red swollen sores or lesions that are mainly caused by the herpes simplex virus. The virus spreads very easily and can be contracted by direct contact with people or with fluids that are infected with it.
Fever blisters tend to grown on the most conspicuous areas. You can have fever blisters on the lip (usually on the edges), or fever blisters on the nose. Many people also develop fever blisters in the mouth and fever blisters on the tongue. What does a fever blister look like, anyway? To say that fever blisters are watery lesions that grow on the face is too simplistic. There are other fever blister stages wherein these swollen bumps appear quite differently.
Before seeing full-blown swollen fever blisters, you would feel tingly, itchy and burning sensations on the affected area. A few days after the red, fluid-filled sores sprout, the fever blister usually breaks open and weeps creating an ulcer (the most painful and most contagious stage). The ulcerated area eventually dries out and forms a scab (accompanied by some itching). About two weeks after the first symptom of fever blister was felt, the cold sores heal completely as the scab falls off. No visible traces are usually seen after an outbreak, though fever blister scars may be left in severe cases.
Many people who have cold sores still allow them to go through its natural healing process. You can opt to do so as well, but remember that no matter how tempting, you must never pop a fever blister. Popping your sores would cause it to spread not only into other parts of the face, but to people around you as well. On the other hand, there is now a wide range of management and treatment options that can lessen the discomfort you will feel, speed up the healing and prevent spread of the virus.
The problem with fever blisters is that they have the tendency to recur at anytime. After an outbreak, the virus simply goes into the nervous system and lies dormant, ready to attack again when triggered. There are various triggering factors that can start another outbreak, including stress, hormonal changes, local trauma and prolonged exposure to sunlight. You should determine what triggers yours and avoid them.
While it is always best to exercise precautionary measures to avoid contracting the virus, it can sometimes prove to be difficult. During unavoidable circumstances, detection of the earliest symptoms should be the next best thing. The earlier you manage your fever blister symptoms and treat the lesions, the shorter the outbreak duration will be; the lesser the discomfort.
About the Author
Dylan Bavol is an author who writes about various health topics and conditions including fever blisters. You can visit his site for more of his writings on cold sore information, cold sore symptoms and cold sore treatment options through http://www.coldsoreproof.com
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