What does a cold sore look like on your tongue

Cold sores, often called fever blisters, are clustered, small, fluid-filled blisters. You may feel a tingling on your lip before a small, hard, painful spot appears (top). In a day or two, blisters form, which later break and ooze (bottom). Healing usually occurs in two to three weeks without scarring.

Cold sores — also called fever blisters — are a common viral infection. They are tiny, fluid-filled blisters on and around your lips. These blisters are often grouped together in patches. After the blisters break, a scab forms that can last several days. Cold sores usually heal in two to three weeks without leaving a scar.

Cold sores spread from person to person by close contact, such as kissing. They're usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and less commonly herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Both of these viruses can affect your mouth or genitals and can be spread by oral sex. Cold sores are contagious even if you don't see the sores.

There's no cure for cold sores, but treatment can help manage outbreaks. Prescription antiviral pills or creams can help sores heal more quickly. And they may reduce the frequency, length and severity of future outbreaks.

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Symptoms

A cold sore usually passes through several stages:

  • Tingling and itching. Many people feel itching, burning or tingling around the lips for a day or so before a small, hard, painful spot appears and blisters erupt.
  • Blisters. Small fluid-filled blisters typically erupt along the border of your lips. Sometimes they appear around the nose or cheeks or inside the mouth.
  • Oozing and crusting. The small blisters may merge and then burst, leaving shallow open sores that ooze and crust over.

Signs and symptoms vary, depending on whether this is your first outbreak or a recurrence. The first time you have a cold sore, symptoms may not start for up to 20 days after you were first exposed to the virus. The sores can last several days, and the blisters can take two to three weeks to heal completely. Recurrences typically appear at the same spot each time and tend to be less severe than the first outbreak.

In a first-time outbreak, you also might experience:

  • Fever
  • Painful gums
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Muscle aches
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Children under 5 years old may have cold sores inside their mouths and the lesions are commonly mistaken for canker sores. Canker sores involve only the mucous membrane and aren't caused by the herpes simplex virus.

When to see a doctor

Cold sores generally clear up without treatment. See your doctor if:

  • You have a weakened immune system
  • The cold sores don't heal within two weeks
  • Symptoms are severe
  • You have frequent recurrences of cold sores
  • You experience irritation in your eyes

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Herpes on the tongue typically doesn't require medical care, but the sores can cause quite a bit of discomfort. Taking Ibuprofen can relieve the pain and help reduce any fever or inflammation that might arise.

If needed, contact a medical or dental professional for further care. Ask your doctor to prescribe an anti-viral medication or a topical anesthetic like lidocaine to provide pain relief. And contact your dentist to ask about medicated rinses and about toothpaste ingredients to avoid.

If the pain is severe enough to interfere with eating and drinking, be careful to avoid dehydration. Sip cold water in tiny amounts throughout the day, or try using a straw for drinking enough fluids. Also, soft food or nutritious beverages, such as smoothies, might be on your menu until healing occurs. And, of course, avoid spicy or salty foods.

We sympathize with the pain, annoyance, and embarrassment herpes outbreaks can cause. But by giving yourself some tender loving care when an outbreak occurs, you'll have the fortitude to ride it out until the healing starts. And you now have the information to be aware of triggers and early symptoms so you can seek treatment asap to minimize this viral infection's effects and live your life to the fullest.

Can cold sores appear on the tongue?

Cold sores, or oral herpes, are blisters that form on or near the lips, nose, or mouth. In some cases, cold sores can form on the tongue. There are two strains of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV type 1 (HSV-1) is the strain usually responsible for cold sores.

How long does it take for a cold sore on the tongue to heal?

Both types of sores tend to heal on their own within 2 weeks. There aren't any cures for cold sores or canker sores, but there are many treatments that can help speed up the healing process or prevent them altogether. Cold sores can be treated with ointments, lip balms, and sunscreen.

What do blisters on the tongue look like?

Canker Sores Blisters under the tongue, inside your cheeks, on your gums, or on the tongue itself, are common. You can recognize canker sores by the white or yellow center and red border, but they may start as painful red spots or bumps that develop into the red-rimmed ulcers.