Cold sore (herpes simplex)
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What is cold sore (herpes simplex)?
Oral herpes simplex is caused by human herpesviruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1 or HSV-2). It is characterized by small fluid-filled vesicles on the skin or a mucous membrane with a raised base often referred to as cold sores or fever blisters.
Common symptoms reported by people with cold sore (herpes simplex)
Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it
Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
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Treatments taken by people with cold sore (herpes simplex)
Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
2
Tried for
cold sore (herpes simplex)
(1)
cold sores (fever blisters)
(1)
Data from patients with cold sore (herpes simplex), who reported starting treatments within the last 5 years.
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Compare treatments taken by people with cold sore (herpes simplex)
Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Perceived effectiveness
for fatigue (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
fatigue
(3)
Perceived effectiveness
for cold sores (fever blisters) (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
cold sore (herpes simplex)
(1)
cold sores (fever blisters)
(1)
Perceived effectiveness
for depressed mood (1 evaluation)
Side effects
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
depressed mood
(2)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
pain
(2)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
pain
(1)
Perceived effectiveness
for depressed mood (1 evaluation)
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
depressed mood
(1)
Treatment name(s)
Biotin
Perceived effectiveness
for fatigue (5 evaluations)
Total evaluations
5
Tried for
fatigue
(1)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
depressed mood
(1)
Treatment name(s)
Cervical Epidural
Perceived effectiveness
for pain (1 evaluation)
Side effects
pain
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
pain
(1)
- Major
- Moderate
- Slight
- None
- Can't tell
- Severe
- Moderate
- Mild
- None
Data from patients with cold sore (herpes simplex), who reported starting treatments within the last 5 years.
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Who has cold sore (herpes simplex) on PatientsLikeMe?
- 183 patients have this condition
- 2 new patients joined this month
- 68 say cold sore (herpes simplex) is their primary condition
| Age | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| <20 | 2 | |
| 20s | 24 | |
| 30s | 43 | |
| 40s | 49 | |
| 50s | 30 | |
| 60s | 14 | |
| 70+ | 4 |
| Age at first symptom | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| 0-19 years | 42 | |
| 20-29 years | 13 | |
| 30-39 years | 12 | |
| 40-49 years | 7 | |
| 50-59 years | 4 | |
| 60-69 years | 2 | |
| 70+ years | 0 |
Distribution of sex
| Sex | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 48 | |
| Female | 116 |
| Diagnosis status | Proportion | # of patients |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosed | 69 | |
| Not Diagnosed | 23 |
These charts show data from cold sore (herpes simplex) patients who have completed their condition history
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