Fever Blister – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) can cause infections that affect the mouth, the face, the genitals, the skin, the buttocks, and the anal area. This article will concentrate on non-genital herpes. Many people acquire the virus and have no symptoms. For others, painful blisters appear near the area where the virus entered the body. Typically, the blisters heal completely but reappear when least expected (or desired). In between attacks, the virus hides deep in nerve roots. When herpes simplex lesions appear in their most common location, around the mouth and lips, people often refer to them as "cold sores" and "fever blisters."

Causes

Fever blister is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a virus that passes from person to person by direct contact with infected skin or secretions, including saliva. The sores usually appear as clusters of tiny blisters on the lip. HSV-1 can cause similar, but smaller, blisters that rapidly become ulcers inside the mouth on the gums and palate (roof of the mouth).

A number of factors weaken the body's defenses and trigger an outbreak of herpes simplex. These factors include emotional stress, fever, illness, injury, and overexposure to the sun. Many women also only experience recurrences during certain phases of their menstrual cycles. One study indicates that susceptibility to herpes recurrences is inherited. Research is currently underway to uncover how exactly "trigger" factors interact with the immune system and the virus to prompt a recurrence of fever blisters.

Most people infected with the type 1 herpes simplex virus became infected before they were 10 years old. The virus usually invades the moist membrane cells of the lips, throat or mouth. In most people, the initial infection causes no symptoms. About 15 percent of patients, however, develop many fluid-filled blisters inside and outside the mouth 3 to 5 days after they are infected with the virus. These may be accompanied by fever, swollen neck glands and general aches.

Symptoms

When you feel the tingling, burning or itching sensation, rub juice from aloe plant on the affected area. Dab of aloe gel is effective too. Aloe will begin the healing process immediately and not allow the sore to grow.

The virus is highly contagious when fever blisters are present. It is spread by kissing. Children become infected by contact with someone who has a fever blister and then they spread the virus by rubbing their cold sore and touching other children. A person with fever blisters should be careful not to touch the blisters and spread the virus to new sites, such as the eyes or genitals.

A primary herpes infection — the first time a person is infected — causes fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, painful swelling and open sores on the gums and inside the cheeks, and a painful throat infection that is often mistaken for "strep throat," or another form of bacterial infection in the throat. These symptoms usually begin approximately a week after exposure to someone with HSV-1.

Treatment

There currently is no cure for recurrent fever blisters. A number of medications can relieve some of the pain and discomfort associated with the sores, however, including numbing ointments applied to the blisters, antibiotics that control any occurring secondary infections and ointments that soften the crusts of the sores.