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Cold Sores. or Fever Blisters (the medical term is herpes labialis when on the lip) are common and annoying, but not serious. Nonetheless, they seem to appear at the worst time such as the day before a wedding. In fact, at least 20% of the population gets cold sores at one time or another. They are caused by a herpes virus, specifically HSV-1. What happens is that a patient contracts a cold sore from another person, usually through the mouth or lip. The cold sore then forms on the lip, lasting for 7-10 days and then decreases in size. In most cases, they are gone in two weeks but residual swelling may last for a month or more.

Unfortunately, the virus that caused it does not. Rather it sets up shop in your nervous system and then returns periodically - often, but not always - during times of stress. Most patients can decrease the time they have the condition and in some cases, abort it when they feel it starting. How do you know it is coming. Most patients have what are called prodrome symptoms. This is a numbness or tingling (or both) in the area where the cold sore is about to form - usually the lip or below the nose.