The virus that causes cold sores is very contagious. To help prevent it from spreading to others:. Be especially careful not to touch your eyes. If HSV-1 gets into the eyes, it can cause a lot of damage.
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Are Cold Sores? But it can wake up again later from things like: other infections a fever sunlight cold weather menstrual periods stress , like before a big test at school When the virus reactivates, it can cause tingling and numbness around the mouth before blisters appear.
What Causes Cold Sores? How Are Cold Sores Treated? But some treatments can help make cold sores less painful and not last as long: Cold compresses can help with discomfort. Prescription or over-the-counter treatments are sometimes recommended by the doctor. Cool foods and drinks can help make eating more comfortable. If you touch your sores or the fluids from the sores, you may transfer herpes to another part of your body, such as your eyes.
Do not touch the sores or fluids to avoid spreading herpes to another part of your body. If you do touch the sores or fluids, immediately wash your hands thoroughly to help avoid spreading your infection. If you are pregnant, there can be problems for you and your developing fetus, or newborn baby.
How could genital herpes affect my baby? If you have herpes, you should talk to your sex partner s and let him or her know that you do and the risk involved. Using condoms may help lower this risk but it will not get rid of the risk completely. Having sores or other symptoms of herpes can increase your risk of spreading the disease.
Even if you do not have any symptoms, you can still infect your sex partners. You may have concerns about how genital herpes will impact your overall health, sex life, and relationships.
It is best for you to talk to a health care provider about those concerns, but it also is important to recognize that while herpes is not curable, it can be managed with medication.
Daily suppressive therapy i. Be sure to discuss treatment options with your healthcare provider. Since a genital herpes diagnosis may affect how you will feel about current or future sexual relationships, it is important to understand how to talk to sexual partners about STDs external icon.
Herpes infection can cause sores or breaks in the skin or lining of the mouth, vagina, and rectum. This provides a way for HIV to enter the body.
Even without visible sores, having genital herpes increases the number of CD4 cells the cells that HIV targets for entry into the body found in the lining of the genitals. Box Rockville, MD E-mail: npin-info cdc.
Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Genital Herpes. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Genital herpes is a common sexually transmitted disease STD that any sexually active person can get. Even without signs of the disease, herpes can still be spread to sex partners. Basic Fact Sheet Detailed Version Basic fact sheets are presented in plain language for individuals with general questions about sexually transmitted diseases.
STDs Home Page. See Also Pregnancy Reproductive Health. The signs and symptoms of an oral herpes outbreak may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your health care provider for an accurate diagnosis. Since oral herpes can be confused with many other infections, including allergic reactions, a virus culture PCR , blood test or biopsy are the only ways to confirm your diagnosis.
However, your health care provider may also diagnose your condition based on the location and appearance of the blisters. Although the specific triggers that cause oral herpes to recur are unclear, several factors may play a role. These include:. While recurrent outbreaks are more common in the first year after the initial episode, they tend to lessen as the body builds antibodies to the virus. Taking antiviral oral medications, such as acyclovir, famciclovir and valacyclovir these medications are traditionally the most effective.
Causes of Oral Herpes Oral herpesis spread most commonly from individuals with an active outbreak or sore. Oral Herpes Symptoms The initial primary infection of oral herpes is usually the worst. The blisters will leak fluid and become sores. After about four to six days, the sores will start to crust over and heal. Diagnosing Oral Herpes Since oral herpes can be confused with many other infections, including allergic reactions, a virus culture PCR , blood test or biopsy are the only ways to confirm your diagnosis.
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