Also called: Also called: Fever blister, Oral herpes
Cold sores are caused by a contagious virus called herpes simplex. There are two types of herpes simplex virus. Type 1 usually causes oral herpes, or cold sores. Type 1 herpes virus infects more than half of the U.S. population by the time they reach their 20s. Type 2 usually affects the genital area.
Some people have no symptoms from the infection. But others develop painful and unsightly cold sores that last for a week or more. Cold sores usually occur outside the mouth -- on the lips, chin, and cheeks, or in the nostrils. When they do occur inside the mouth, it is usually on the gums or the roof of the mouth.
There is no cure for cold sores. Medicines can relieve some of the pain and discomfort associated with the sores. These include ointments that numb the blisters, antibiotics that control secondary bacterial infections, and ointments that soften the crusts of the sores.
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Cold Sores (Herpes)
(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coldsores/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coldsoresspanish/htm/index.htm
- Cold Sore(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cold-sore/DS00358/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Oral Herpes(American Social Health Association) - http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_oralherpes.cfm
- Can You Get Genital Herpes from a Cold Sore?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/expert/illnesses/hsv1_sores.html
- Cold Sores (Orofacial Herpes)(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/orofacialHerpesSimplexVirusHSV.htm
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Cold Sores (Herpes)(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/coldsores/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/coldsoresspanish/htm/index.htm
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Herpes Labialis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Herpes+Labialis%22
- Article: Interventions for the prevention and treatment of herpes simplex virus... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19160295&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Towards evidence based medicine for paediatricians. Does oral aciclovir improve... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19158139&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: The practical use of lasers in general practice. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19127932&tool=MedlinePlus
- Cold Sores -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(herpes+labialis[mh]+OR+stomatitis,herpetic[mh])+AND+English[la]+AND+humans[mh]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+2+Years&tool=MedlinePlus
- American Social Health Association - http://www.ashastd.org/
- National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of STD Prevention(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/std/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
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Coping with Cold Sores(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/cold_sores.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/comunes/cold_sores_esp.html
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Cold Sores (HSV-1)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/cold_sores.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/ulceras.html
- Herpes Simplex - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herpessimplex.html
- Mouth Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthdisorders.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Mouth and Teeth - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mouthandteeth.html