cold sores

[mae246]

cold sores inside my top lip
i have had them outside before but not inside
what can i do they are very painfull
my job consist of talking on the phone all day and that makes for a very painfull day

[Tom905]

Hello Dr. Santos,

Please forgive me if I am out of line in asking a question on this thread, it is in relation to what this thread is about. If I'm out of line I'll gladly start a new thread.

My question is; is it common for cold sores to appear on the roof of the mouth? I recently noticed what appears to be very tiny blisters/bubbles in the center of the roof of my mouth. I honestly don't know if I have ever noticed them before, or if I'm just thinking that they are blisters! my doctor took a look inside my mouth today but says he can't see anything that resembles what I'm describing although I can even feel them with the tip of my tongue.

Can it be that these are just things that are present in everyone's mouth but for some reason I'm thinking they are blisters?

Thank you!

[kookie159]

i have painfull sores in my mouth but they are on my checks is it herpes?

[Dr Santos]

Hi,

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV) and usually appear on the lips, nostrils, chin or fingers. They may also occur inside the mouth, but only on the gums or roof of the mouth. Otherwise, if the sore appears on soft tissues inside the mouth, it may be a canker sore. Cold sores presents with a small, painful, fluid-filled blisters on a raised, red, painful area of the skin. Pain or tingling, often precedes the blisters by one to two days. Once you've had an episode of cold sores, the virus lies dormant in the nerve cells in your skin and may emerge again as an active infection at or near the original site. The usual triggers for recurrence are fever, menstruation, stress and exposure to the sun. Cold sores are contagious and can be passed from one person to another through skin-to-skin contact. (http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/cold-sores-topic-overview)

Cold sores generally clear up without treatment in seven to 10 days. For treatment of recurrent cold sores, the following medications may reduce the severity and duration of the outbreak: pain relievers; topical ointments (such as Orajel or Anbesol) that numb sore areas in the mouth or on the lips; and  oral antiviral medications can be used when the first symptoms develop. Try applying ice or warm compresses to the blisters to ease the pain.  Use a mouth rinse that has baking soda to soothe a sore mouth and avoid foods such as citrus fruits that contain acid may also help. Take care and keep us posted.