2024-05-09 16:44:40
Cold sore symptoms are more than just blisters
Many believe that cold sores are the only sign of painful blisters. However, the pharmacist names more symptoms such as itching, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, as well as headaches and muscle pains.
“Rashes usually appear on the edges of the lips and are accompanied by pain, burning, itching and fever. Later, multiple vesicles appear, which merge into one and begin to burst, opening wounds.
The first 2-3 days are the most painful, and healing takes up to two weeks. Sometimes people open up that for all the pain it is more difficult for them to accept the psychological discomfort caused by their appearance”, says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
The pharmacist emphasizes that even if the rashes have already disappeared, the herpes virus can still be contagious for about 3-4 days, which is why you should avoid close contact with others.
The virus we have, but it only activates when provoked
Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1). The pharmacist says that often a person does not even know that he has this virus until it is provoked by certain factors.
“If a person is infected with the herpes virus once, it will remain in the human body forever. For the most part, it remains in an inactive state. The active state of the herpes virus can be caused by weakened immunity, stress, colds, hormonal changes, and overwork. It is during such periods that a person may complain of activated cold sores.
If a person ignores the factors that cause the virus and does not try to avoid them, cold sores can recur up to 6 times a year,” says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
Cold sore treatment
“Once you notice the first symptoms of cold sores, you should not delay and start treatment as soon as possible so that the disease does not progress. Special cold sore ointments or patches can help treat the virus.
The latter can create an optimal environment for healing for up to 12 hours, protect against the spread of the virus, as well as hide blisters, and make-up products can be safely used on such patches,” says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
The pharmacist also emphasizes that during the treatment of cold sores, it is very important to touch and scratch the blisters with your hands as little as possible in order to avoid possible complications. You can also take vitamin C, which helps fight infections, and vitamin E, which can stimulate cell regeneration.
“And if cold sores recur very often, the sores do not heal within three weeks, the blisters spread to other parts of the body such as the eyes, or you first got cold sores after pregnancy, you should definitely consult a doctor.
He will assess your condition and prescribe the most suitable treatment. In such cases, cold sores can also be treated with prescription drugs prescribed by a doctor,” says pharmacist J. Deksnienė.
2024-05-09 16:44:40