How to distinguish a cold on the lips from herpes? How to quickly say goodbye to herpes? Stages and symptoms of the disease

Spring and autumn often turn into unpleasant surprises for us, such as viral and colds. Sometimes they manifest themselves as cold sores on the lips. And then a person has a question, how to distinguish a common cold from herpes and what is the difference between them?

Definition

A cold It is customary to call a bubble-shaped formation on the lips; it can be of different etiologies, including herpetic.

Herpes is a viral infection that, once it enters the body, resides in human nerve cells and does not manifest itself in any way for some time. As soon as there is a decrease in immunity or some kind of malfunction in the body, the herpes virus is instantly activated and manifests itself in the form of a cold.

Comparison

Cold sores can be caused not only by the herpes virus. It often becomes a consequence of various disorders occurring in the body. Next, we will look at the main causes of colds; they can be different not only in their etiology, but also in appearance. Sometimes a hard chancre (a sign of syphilis) appears on the lips; it can manifest itself approximately 5-6 weeks after contact with a person with syphilis. Therefore, the appearance of a painless ulcer on the lips is a reason to urgently consult a doctor and undergo a series of necessary examinations. In addition, the cause of a cold on the lips can be vitamin deficiency; an ulcer becomes a consequence of a deficiency in the body of certain vitamins, for example, vitamin B. In this case, a person’s skin becomes dry and rough, cracks appear and ulcers that are difficult to heal are formed.

Herpes is a viral disease that is located in the nerve endings and periodically worsens, manifesting itself in the form of a cold on the face and body. Currently, medicine does not have a way to cure herpes, there are only methods to reduce its activity. Most often, the disease manifests itself when a person’s immunity decreases, then the herpes virus resumes its activity again. During this period, a person must observe the rules of personal hygiene, take antiviral drugs and strengthen his immunity. Herpes manifests itself in the form of grouped blisters on the lips or on the chin; people often call this herpes the common cold or fever.

Herpes on the lip

Conclusions website

Herpes is a viral infection that manifests itself as a cold on the face or body. A cold is usually called small sores or blisters, which are localized mainly on the lips and chin.
Herpes can manifest itself as cold sores on the lips and chin. However, the cause of a cold can be not only herpes, but also other diseases (for example, syphilis, vitamin deficiency).

Herpes on the lip and a cold on the lip - are they the same thing? This question worries many people who want to know how to distinguish these two diseases.

Definition of herpes and colds

Herpes is an infection that, once in the body, integrates the DNA of the virus into the DNA of nerve cells. When immunity is reduced, the virus begins to multiply, descends and exits along the processes of nerve endings to the surface of the lip in the form of a cold or fever.

contact with a person who has an active virus;
household and household items;
sometimes by airborne droplets;
during sexual intercourse;
almost always when kissing.

Blood infected with the virus spreads it to other organs. The herpes virus is present in 98% of people around the globe, but in 80% of the population it is in the dormant stage and sometimes makes itself felt, most often with a cold on the lower part of the face.

This is the common name for small sores or blisters on or around the lips. Various diseases can be hidden behind a common cold on the lip, and there are several reasons for such manifestations.

Due to herpes infection

If a cold on the lips manifests itself in the form of pain, redness, and then blistering rashes with liquid, then the herpes virus type I has awakened, which begins to multiply rapidly. Usually the blisters cluster on the lips or around the mouth, and the skin becomes swollen and red. After a couple of days, the bubble bursts, and the area is covered with a crust that cannot be combed. If you pick it off, the infection will again enter the affected area, and the recovery time will be delayed. This process occurs when the body’s immunity is weakened by chronic or infectious diseases, worries, stress, sunburn, hypothermia, diets or exhausting physical activity.

Very often, colds on the lips occur during... Pregnancy is a colossal stress for the body, and so that the woman’s body does not reject the fetus as a foreign body, immunity decreases. Because of this, many processes are activated that previously did not make themselves felt, including the manifestation of herpes. The first manifestation of herpes can be dangerous for a pregnant woman and her unborn child, especially since it is at this time that all the main functions of the fetus are formed. Consultation with a doctor in this case is extremely necessary.

By the time they reach childbearing age, few women remain uninfected with the herpes virus. Most often it is acquired at the age of 4 years, and sometimes even at the time of birth. Repeated manifestations of a cold do not pose any danger; moreover, the antibodies acquired by the child from the mother give him immunity to this infection until he is six months old.

Due to lack of vitamins

Colds on the lips may appear due to a lack of vitamins. There are a number of vitamin deficiencies, but in this case it is primarily a manifestation of a lack of vitamins A, B and C. Such a deficiency causes skin problems, disrupts the moisture balance and leads to loss of elasticity. B vitamins, and especially B2, are involved in the transfer of hydrogen within the cell and play a direct role in reduction reactions. A deficiency can lead to angular (angular) stomatitis, popularly called jams. This stomatitis is characterized by cracks in the corners of the lips. They cause pain when talking, coughing, or any movement of the lips.

Often a staphylococcal infection settles on a damaged surface and, against the background of a destroyed protective barrier, begins to rapidly multiply, which leads to poor healing of ulcers. Even worse is the combination of staphylococcal infection and fungal infection. Sometimes jams appear after taking antibiotics, due to licking of the lips, low air humidity. It often occurs as an allergic reaction to lipstick or toothpaste.

Due to syphilitic infection

If a cold on the lips appears in the form of a hard chancre, absolutely painless, we can assume that the diagnosis has already been made - this is a manifestation of primary syphilis. To know the source of infection, you need to remember the last month of life, because that’s when the infection occurred during unprotected sex. Chancre on the lips appears after 4–5 weeks. At the moment of manifestation of this symptom, a person is very contagious and is a spreader of sexually transmitted infections.

If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately get tested for a syphilitic infection.

If the result is positive, the specialist will prescribe a number of antibiotics that cope well with this problem. If syphilis is not treated, it can be deadly.

Treatment of herpes

At this time, there is no way to get rid of this virus, there are only remedies to help overcome the symptoms. If you identify the early signs of developing herpes in time, you can significantly reduce its manifestation or completely reduce it to zero.

You can use the following tools:

You can lubricate the inflammation with toothpaste. It is better to do this before going to bed - then the paste will dry out the rash overnight.
Valocordin lotions, chamomile decoction or tea bags will help speed up healing.
Lubricating the lesion with juice or onion will also bear fruit.
, sea buckthorn, sunflower oil can be used to lubricate lips.

Acyclovir-based products help well. This is not just one drug - the choice of herpes remedies is very wide. These are specific drugs against the herpes virus. The developers of this substance received the Nobel Prize for its creation. The remedy only works when the herpes virus is active. Acyclovir-based drugs are available in the form of cream, ointment or tablets, respectively, they are used both externally and internally.

The tablets are taken according to the instructions and prescription of the doctor, and creams and ointments should be used to lubricate the rashes more often - every 4 hours. This will relieve burning and itching and help the ulcers heal faster.

Actions to help quickly cope with herpes

It is necessary to strengthen the immune system, lead an active and healthy lifestyle, and give up bad habits.
During an exacerbation, avoid lemons, oranges, chocolate, sweets, smoked meats, nuts, and ham.
Take vitamin complexes, diversify your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
There are foods that contain lysine: fish, yogurt, fermented baked milk, cheese, vegetable oil, meat.
In some cases, you need to take immunostimulating drugs.
Compliance with hygiene rules is mandatory. During a relapse, the patient acquires the status of being contagious, and this is dangerous not only for those around him, but also for the patient himself. Through dirty hands, you can transfer the infection from the source of inflammation to other areas of the skin, eyes or genitals. Infection of the eyes can cause conjunctivitis, and genital herpes is a very painful and dangerous disease.
Do not squeeze or scratch wounds. These actions can harm yourself, increasing the source of infection.
To avoid infection, ointments and creams for herpes should be applied using cotton swabs.
After any procedure, be sure to wash your hands with soap.

Thus, by removing the cause of the activation of herpes, you can get rid of its manifestation, if not forever, then for a long time. Treatment during pregnancy may differ only in that some drugs are contraindicated during this period, so consultation with a doctor is necessary.

If the manifestation of herpes is a rare guest on the lips, then there is no reason to worry, but if the fever appears about 6 times a year, then this is already serious. It is necessary to contact a dermatologist or a center specializing in the treatment of herpetic infections. Frequent inflammation can be a signal of a pathology of the immune system, and you need to undergo a thorough examination.

Treatment due to vitamin deficiency

To normalize the vitamin balance in the body, you need to take multivitamin preparations or vitamins A, B and C. Add foods such as carrot juice, cheese, kefir, beets, tomatoes, cauliflower to your diet. But at the same time, a cold that occurs on the lips must be treated with bacterial ointments and creams. To make cracks heal faster, they can also be lubricated with an oil solution of vitamin A.

Angular stomatitis often affects young children. Infection usually occurs through toys, pacifiers, and other objects that children put in their mouths. , which, when bursting, forms a hard crust. The crust comes off and a crack appears, then it becomes crusted again and the process repeats. All this causes the child inconvenience and discomfort associated with pain.

As a preventive measure, personal hygiene and child hygiene are necessary. The child’s toys should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water, if possible with boiling water, and care should be taken to ensure that the child does not put foreign objects in his mouth.

The answer to the question of how herpes differs from a cold becomes obvious: herpes is a virus that lives in the body and appears during a relapse in the form of a rash on the lips, and a cold is a sign of some diseases of the body, including herpes.

The manifestations of a cold are often called herpes, but the blisters that appear on the lips can be cured, but the viral nature of herpes is not yet possible. It should be remembered that the manifestation of herpes or a cold on the lips is in both cases a very alarming signal that should not be ignored.

People have the idea of the herpes virus as a manifestation of a cold. Not every person has any idea how to distinguish them from each other. The two inflammatory processes are interrelated, but they are not the same thing.

First, there is a decline in the body’s defenses, only then herpes formations appear on the skin. A cold appears in the place where hypothermia occurred. This is evidenced by enlarged lymph nodes.

Herpes is found in the blood of an infected person and appears periodically whenever immunity decreases. More often the virus chooses the same place. A relapse can occur at any time; inflammation can be prevented by following practical recommendations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Differences in inflammation

Colds form in the form of reddish pimples. Touching such places is accompanied by pain; abscesses with pustules are often observed. The duration of inflammation corresponds to the period of immune restoration.

The manifestations of colds and herpes are often confused. However, acne can be cured permanently by following disease prevention measures.

But the viral nature cannot be destroyed; it will manifest itself periodically throughout a person’s life.

Herpes forms an inflammation of the skin, accompanied by reddish pimples, which have the form of blisters with liquid. The affected area may gradually spread across the surface. The appearance of the problem area looks unpleasant, and residual erosion worries for some time.

An infectious form of inflammation exists in human blood. Measures to localize skin manifestations do not get rid of the virus itself. Doctors say that it is impossible to completely get rid of it. Methods were used when a complete blood transfusion was performed, but a relapse of inflammation occurred again.

How does inflammation occur?

The herpes virus has up to eight types. Most often people deal with two:

appears on the face: lips and eyes - HSV-1;
inflammation forms on the genitals - HSV-2.

The moment of the acute stage of the complication may be accompanied by pain from touching the skin; on the genitals, discomfort is caused by a simple trip to the toilet. Redness may form in the urethral canal.

A cold is different in that it appears on the surface of the skin, the blood does not suffer. It can be dangerous in cases where inflammatory processes form in the temple area, eye or ear canal. A purulent formation at the time of rupture can affect the optic nerve, auditory membrane or parts of the brain. Partial loss of hearing and vision may occur, or the functioning of the head may be disrupted.

The symptoms of herpes are less dangerous, but cause significant discomfort for both women and men. The fluid inside the reddish areolas is bacterial and can infect others if they come into contact with it. When the blister bursts, it spreads the infection to surrounding tissues, which provokes new lesions.

Causes of complications

Both types of disease arise as a result of a decrease in the body’s defenses, as a result of many factors. Colds on the lips can be a manifestation of a more dangerous disease - syphilis. An ulcer on the lip forms after the incubation period of the disease is 5 weeks.

The skin on the lips is very sensitive to hypothermia, lack of vitamins and minerals in the body, and fungal infections. Such conditions can be eliminated using simple methods by identifying the source of the problem. By influencing the cause of the ailment, the external manifestations of a cold are removed.

Lip tissue is treated with solutions and ointments to enhance the treatment effect. Herpes is a chronic form of inflammation. The virus itself lives in the nerve endings in a dormant form, waiting for the immune system to reduce its influence and give free rein to action.

The problem area needs to be stopped and the negative impact of the virus on the daily rhythm of life reduced. To do this, drugs are prescribed to enhance immunity and antiviral agents are used: ointments, suppositories, tablets.

Sources of viral relapse

Exhausting the body with diets leads to health problems. The tone decreases, which leads to the formation of depression. This becomes the source of an unpleasant surprise in the form of herpes on the lips. The body should not lose more than 3 kg per month to cope with germs.

Treatment methods for lip inflammation

You need to get rid of skin disorders for the following reasons:

the appearance of a swollen lip is unpleasant;
with herpes, you can infect loved ones with a kiss;
blisters and pimples cause pain that prevents you from working, relaxing and doing the things you love;
The issue of rashes in pregnant women is relevant: herpes needs to be extinguished before conception, the virus can affect the health of the unborn child.

To get rid of herpes use:

drug treatment of the affected area;
immunomodulatory agents;
taking vitamins;
It is also possible to use vaccination.

Doctors' opinions differ on the need to use the latter method, because the body already has some amount of the virus, and if an additional portion is introduced, undesirable consequences may occur.

If the desire to get rid of the disease is overwhelming, then before vaccination you should consult several specialists. It may be best to try less painful options first.

Localization of blisters and pimples

The choice of drugs should be made together with the attending physician. Self-treatment may result in additional costs to combat the consequences.

Zovirax ointment is commercially available. This is an effective remedy for eliminating herpes on the lip. It is an antiviral drug, sensitive to cytomegalovirus, lichen. Used for inflammation of the cornea of the eye.

Let's look at how to treat colds and herpes on the skin using medications:

The antiviral drug Panavir can be used for colds. Capable of increasing the protective function of cells and killing the herpes virus. Used for papillomas and tick-borne encephalitis. It is also available in the form of a solution for intravenous use.
Acyclovir is an antiviral, antiherpetic drug. Can be used as a means of combating chickenpox and lichen. Apply to the skin every hour to achieve the best effect.

The cold is a common disease that often occurs in the cold winter, both in adults and children. All types of acute respiratory diseases are included in the concept of colds. It is usually accompanied by coughing, sneezing, and sometimes.

with weakened immunity of the body after chronic and infectious diseases;
experiences and stress;
sunburn or, conversely, hypothermia;
poor diet or exercise;
pregnancy and;
lack of vitamins;
syphilis

Herpes is a disease that is carried by ninety percent of the human population. It is mainly infected in childhood, through contact with relatives or with other children or household items in kindergarten. This disease settles in a person’s body for the rest of his life.

When it appears on the lips, it not only poses a threat from a medical point of view, but also causes discomfort and a reluctance to appear in society with small watery dots. It spreads and is accompanied by pain.

This type of rash tends to appear more on the upper lip, but it is not unlikely to appear on the lower lip as well.

Distinctive features of herpes

People often confuse the concept of a cold with herpes, because the virus mainly appears when immunity decreases. But colds on the lips mainly appear due to hypothermia, as evidenced by.

Unlike a cold, the virus sits in a person’s blood and can appear at every opportunity when immunity decreases. It is quite difficult to distinguish herpes from a cold, since the diseases differ only in the cause of their occurrence, but the symptoms are the same:

The first one or two days accompanied by redness and itching of the lips. Treatment must be started in a timely manner, otherwise the disease may spread throughout the entire face.
On the second or third day bubbles with clear water begin to appear, which gradually turn into a grayish color. The sores can be painful and it is advisable not to touch them with your hands.
On the third, fourth day bubbles burst and may appear in their place. With the appearance of sores, a person becomes not contagious and can calmly communicate with the people around him.
On the seventh, tenth day the patient is considered completely healthy, sometimes the sores leave a mark in the form of a scar. This rarely happens in cases of deep sores.

Why are these two concepts confused?

Not every person can distinguish a cold from herpes. These two processes are interconnected, but they are not the same thing.

Between regular acne and herpes rashes. The appearance of a bubbly reddish pimple on the lip is popularly considered to be a cold. The bubble form can be of different sizes and of different origins. Touching such a place is accompanied by pain and pustular abscesses. A cold can be cured completely by following all the measures prescribed for treatment.

Herpes cannot be completely cured; it appears periodically. The virus appears as . The blisters spread over the surface and, even if they are localized, are not completely cured.

Herpes is a viral infection that, once it appears in a person’s body, never disappears. As soon as a decrease in immunity occurs in the body, the virus comes out in the form of a cold.

Colds on the lips appear due to frequent disruptions of the body. Sometimes a blister appears due to vitamin deficiency, in particular the lack of vitamin B, which results in cracking of the ends of the lips and the appearance of a cold, and a rash in the form of a painless chancre can occur due to infection with syphilis. Therefore, when a painless sore appears on the lips, it should be a reason for examination and identification of the causes of the disease.

A cold differs from herpes in that it occurs only on the lips or lips, while the virus can occur on any part of the body.

Treatment methods

This type of rash can be easily cured if treatment is started within the first twelve hours. It is very effective to lubricate them with ointments like

Dr. Kosov will reveal some features of the fight against herpes on the lips, both traditional and folk methods:

In conclusion of the article, I would like to note once again that although people believe that herpes is just a cold, this disease can have a number of very serious consequences, and we recommend treating it from the first moments of the appearance of symptoms. The person you are being treated with can accurately determine whether it is a cold or a virus and will help you quickly deal with this problem.

How is herpes different from a cold? A reasonable question. Herpes and cold sores are two closely related phenomena. Often the first may follow the second. Often colds provoke later manifestations of herpes infection due to a general weakening of the immune system. In addition, a cold leaves wounds and scars on the mucous membranes, which are a kind of “gate” for an unpleasant formation, such as herpes on the lips. Or herpes on the body, but in the case when the cold formations do not attack the mucous membranes.

In spring and autumn, according to statistics, viral and cold diseases worsen. You can often encounter the fact that a cold attacks the mucous membranes - the lips are susceptible to attack. It is worth understanding that a cold formation may not be a cold at all.

Colds are considered to be formations and conditions in which characteristic redness, ulcers and blistering rashes appear on the lips or body. Herpes manifests itself in the same way on the body and lips.

Colds and herpes are closely related, as we have already noted. But there is a difference and it is obvious.

With a cold, characteristic signs or symptoms may be a general increase in body temperature, runny nose, sneezing or coughing and other symptoms unique to colds.

Of course, there is a possibility of having the same symptoms in the case when herpes has formed on the body or on the lip, but they appear during the initial infection or in complex forms of a recurrent virus.

Mechanisms of manifestation and formation of herpes (colds)

Herpes and colds: similar! But there are always a couple of “buts”.

A cold differs from a phenomenon such as herpes on the body or lip in the reasons for its manifestation and how it manifests itself. Often, at first, an ordinary “sore” or tumor forms, resembling a hardened chancre. In this case, we can begin to talk not about infections such as vesicles, but about more serious viruses.

If such a formation on the mucous membranes or body looks very much like a viral one, but does not hurt or itch when touched, and the patient does not feel a burning or tingling sensation, then you should urgently consult a doctor to clarify questions about what the nature of the manifestation is and what it is associated with .

It is also worth considering the fact that colds (not herpes on the body or on the lip) are associated with vitamin deficiency. If there is a lack of certain vitamins, minerals and other nutritional and beneficial elements, especially B vitamins, there is a possibility of cold rashes. The skin may dry out, become rough and bleed as a result of cracking. But this is not a virus.

The main differences between herpes and colds:

Herpes on the body or lips, other mucous membranes is primarily an infection caused by a virus, manifesting itself as a cold-like formation on the face or body. A cold refers to small ulcers or blisters, localized mainly on the lips and chin;
The herpetic virus can also appear on the mucous membranes of the lips, but it is often the root cause of colds. It is important to take into account that it can be provoked by syphilis, vitamin deficiency and other viral diseases and immune disorders.
In order to avoid the questions discussed in the material presented earlier, we will consider the conditions of the body that precede herpetic rashes.

Before the herpes virus attacks

Painful conditions preceding viral rashes:

So: in the article we figured out the difference between herpes and a cold. Now you can distinguish them yourself. Of course, if you have a cold or cold-like symptoms, it is better to consult a specialist, because he will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and help prescribe the correct and correct treatment for the existing illness.

It is worth remembering that health deviations for one reason or another will certainly lead to a decrease in the tone of the body’s vital forces, which in turn will cause unpleasant surprises, such as viral rashes or colds.

To protect health from the threats considered, it is important to maintain the entire body as a whole in proper condition: get enough sleep, rest, do not overwork, eat right and monitor your lifestyle, preventing weakening of the immune system.