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Cold Sores


The Basics | Symptoms | Detection & Treatment

What Are the Symptoms?

  • Fluid-filled blisters or red, painful sores on or near the mouth, or on fingers.
  • Swollen, sensitive gums of a deep red color.
  • A fever, flu-like symptoms, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck often accompanying the first attack. Recurrent sores usually don't produce these symptoms.
  • Tingling and itching in the area of a previous outbreak - symptoms of a recurrence.

Call Your Doctor If:

  • You develop a high fever and/or chills; high fevers can be dangerous.
  • Your sores are very painful; you may be able to get prescription relief.

Reviewed by Tracy Shuman, MD,  July 2005

Sources:  National Institutes of Health _ National Library of Medicine.  Thomson PDR

The Basics | Symptoms | Detection & Treatment

© 2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

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