Herpes labialis infection is caused by a virus called herpes simplex. It may attack the lips, mouth or the gums. It causes small blisters to appear on these areas called the sore blisters or the fever blisters. Initially, the virus remains dormant in the nerve tissues but later it may reactivate to cause cold sores.
People generally get affected by herpes by the age of 20. Herpes is a contagious virus and it spreads through personal contact and through contact with infected objects like the towels, dishes and the like.
Symptoms
A forewarning may appear in form of itching, tingling and burning sensations. There is an increased sensitivity around the vulnerable area 2 days before the sores come out. The clear symptoms are:
* Skin rash around the infected area (lips, mouth and gums)
* Small fluid filled blisters
* Blisters mature to become painful
* Blisters rupture and trickle
* Sometimes small sores merge to form bigger ones.
* Mild fever
These symptoms appear in stages to mark the severity of the infection. The condition becomes quite irritating if it happens to be inside the mouth. The sufferer is unable to eat properly which makes it all the more troublesome.
Treatment
If left untreated, herpes labailis goes by itself in 1-2 weeks. But if treatment is opted for, anti-viral medication helps the best. The available oral medicines in the market are acyclovir, famciclovir and valacyclovir. The herpes virus has the tendency to come back time and again. So, anti viral medicines should be taken before the eruption of the lesions to counter the virus. Anti-viral ointments can also be applied every two hours to delay the outbursts. Washing the area with an antiseptic is ideal to stop the virus from spreading. It must be made sure that the lips are not left dry. Application of some moisture balm is advised.
Prevention
To prevent future eruptions, contact with infected items must be fully avoided. Wash all the infected items with hot water. Do not share anything with a person infected with herpes virus (items like towel, utensils etc). Make sure to avoid triggers such as sun exposure if you are vulnerable. Avoid giving or taking oral sex in case of active herpes virus in any of the partners. Both, genital and oral herpes may get transmitted even if the person does not have active sores.
Some people hold a belief that herpes is a hereditary problem. This is entirely false. However, there is a possibility that the herpes virus may get transferred to the baby if the mother is carrying a genital herpes virus in her.
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