Do you have a wound on your lip that doesn't heal? It may be the so-called lip fire. Health is, today and increasingly, one of the greatest concerns of today's society. The fact of having an adequate state of health makes our quality of life much higher, so that we can enjoy our day to day without discomfort or symptoms that limit us when we do our activities.
In everything that is intimately related to health, there are no problems of lesser severity for the patient. Even in pathologies or mild diseases, for the person who suffers it is a problem that must be solved since it can condition their life habits and generate continuous discomfort, apart from the fact that, although it seems a mild pathology, it may lead to a more serious one. One of these diseases is the so-called “lip fire”, an alteration that can be considered mild but that can generate a lot of discomfort to those who suffer from it. Is this your case? In we tell you what lip fire is, its causes and home remedies.
What is lip fire
Lip fire is one of the many names given to cold sores, which is also known as fever sores, warmth, or fever pimple on the lip. Herpes or lip fire is a viral infection that appears in or around the area of the lips.
It can be easily distinguished and differentiated from other possible alterations such as pimples or the so-called “shingles” (burning sensation and redness in the parts near the lips, which is also called shingles) because it occurs in the form of one or more blisters. Prior to its appearance, the most normal thing is that you notice that itchy sensation a day or two before the blisters appear. That is why you will distinguish it from a shingles or a simple granite.
The most common transmission is orally, as simple as eating with the fork or drinking from the glass that a person who has it has used.
Symptoms of lip fire
Among the main symptoms of lip fire, the following stand out:
- Tingling and itching: Although many times herpes simplex 1 does not present discomfort, there are people who feel itching and tingling around the lips the first few days, before the scabs or blisters appear. Arguably, tingling and itching is usually the first symptom of lip fire.
- Blisters or rashes: this is one of the most remarkable symptoms. These blisters are filled with fluid and usually appear on the outer edge of the lips, although they can also spread down the nose or cheeks.
- Suppuration and scabs: a few days later, the blisters end up exploding and oozing liquid, which gives way to the scabs. In this way, we could say that, after a few days, herpes causes wounds on the lips. But after curing them correctly, the cold sores will disappear.
We recommend that you be patient, because the process of herpes simplex 1 can take up to 30 or 40 days. It is also likely that, if you have previously suffered from cold sores, it may recur at other times throughout your life, even though it has been correctly cured the first time.
Other symptoms of lip fire
However, during the first outbreaks, you can also suffer symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Muscle aches
- Malaise
- Gum pain
- Eroded gums
- Swollen lymph nodes
Auses of lip fire
Lip fire has one main cause: the herpes simplex virus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [1], herpes or lip fire is caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1, which is the one that generates this type of symptoms, although it can also cause those blisters or vesicles in the genital area, as does the herpes simplex virus type 2, exclusively causing genital herpes. This type of virus, once infected, remains in our body throughout life, but can remain inactive and asymptomatic and appear only at certain times, such as in the following:
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Hormonal changes
- Exposure to the sun or wind
- Viral infection
According to the World Health Organization, the figures that indicate the amount of the world's population suffering from this problem is very high. In 2012 it was estimated that almost 4,000 million people under the age of 50 could suffer from it.
In general, you will be more at risk for lip fire if you are at a time when your immune system is weaker or because of hormonal variations (such as ovulation or menstruation).
Home remedies to cure hot flashes in the mouth
Before explaining some home remedies to combat the symptoms of lip fire, we remind you that they are complementary to any medication (probably some antibiotic lip ointment or some antiviral product) that your doctor has prescribed, therefore, these natural tips are only to relieve discomfort. It is also important that you know that you should not break the blisters, but wait for them to explode by themselves and that you must take care of the area every day, keeping it clean and washing your hands every time you touch it so as not to increase the risks of contagion. Here are some natural solutions to fight discomfort:
- Ice: it is very simple, you just have to take a small ice cube, wrap it in a cloth or napkin and place it in the reddened area to relieve the burning sensation. Always remember to wrap it so as not to burn the area.
- Lemon: surely you have heard that lemon has antiseptic properties. Take advantage of them by squeezing half a lemon in a glass and carefully applying a few drops on the affected part.
- Garlic: this food has antibiotic and antiviral capabilities, so we advise you to take a garlic, crush it forming a paste and cover the area very carefully. Let it act for two minutes and wash it. You can repeat it once a day. For more information, we leave you this other article on How to cure cold sores with garlic.
- Milk: Did you know that an amino acid called arginine favors the appearance of lip fire? Lysine is another amino acid that inhibits the effect of arginine, and milk contains lysine, so you can soak a cotton ball in this food and apply it to the area.
- Aloe vera: Aloe vera is excellent for relieving cold sore pain. You can apply it directly on the lip, removing the bark first. If you want more information, you can read this other article about What are the benefits of aloe vera.
- Tea tree oil: it has great antiseptic properties, which helps fight lip fire. However, tea tree oil is very powerful, so it usually dries out the area in which it is applied, also generating discomfort. In this way, it is advisable to mix it with a little olive oil or chamomile, since both products regenerate and moisturize the skin. Of course, if you notice that you are in the initial phase of the lip fire, we advise you to put the tea tree oil directly on the area to stop the evolution of herpes, and then apply a little olive oil or chamomile to moisturize and regenerate the skin.
Now that you know what lip fire is, its causes and home remedies, you may also be interested in this other article on How to treat a mouth sore with home remedies.
