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Herpes On Tongue: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

herpes on tongue

Ever heard of herpes on tongue infection? Perhaps you’re only familiar with genital herpes. The two infections share a similarity in that they’re caused by the same virus- The Herpes Simples Virus. The only big difference between them is that genital herpes occurs around the genital parts while herpes on tongue affects the tongue.Usually, the infection affects your mouth as a whole, resulting in painful sores on the gums, lips, inside the cheeks and at the roof of the mouth, hence the name oral herpes or cold sores. When the virus affects your tongue, the resulting infection is referred to as herpes on tongue (this is the most painful and uncomfortable form of oral herpes).Like any other form of herpes, this herpes only lasts for around ten days.

Did you know: The average weight of the human tongue from adult males is 70g and for adult females 60g

What Are The Causes Of Herpes On Tongue?

Though we have shed some light on the cause of herpes on tongue infection in the primary area, it’s necessary to go into deeper details about this topic.

Like any other types of herpes recognized by humans, this infection is caused by herpes simplex virus. But there are two types of this virus, right?

So, which one is responsible for the infection? Well, HSV-1 is the primary cause. HSV-2 is sometimes held responsible. The virus is DNA in nature and usually affects humans. It’s characterized by painful sores or formation of watery blisters on the skin and mucous membrane of your oral cavity.

Now, when you’re infected with the virus, it undergoes the following three primary stages:

1. Primary Infection: In this phase, the virus enters your body through the skin/mucous membranes and starts reproducing. Here, you might not develop any symptoms or cold sores making it hard to know if you have the infection.

It is known as asymptomatic infection.

Note that asymptomatic infection has a high likelihood of occurring twice as the herpes disease (this time showing the symptoms).

2. Latency: The stage is characterized by movement of the virus from the infected site to the dorsal root ganglion (a mass of nervous tissue found in your spine). Here, it reproduces again and then becomes inactive.

3. Recurrence: though the virus has become inactive, certain physical and emotional triggers might reactivate it, leading to the development of new sores around your tongue as well as the emergence of symptoms associated with the disease.

What are those emotional and physical triggers responsible for reactivating the virus? Let’s look at herpes on tongue outbreak triggers next…

1. Food: Yes, consuming some foods is one possible way of bringing the inactive virus back to action. Examples of such foods include chocolate, coffee, nuts, popcorn, alcohol, and so much more.

Extreme environmental conditions: such conditions often affect your emotional or physical state. It leads to triggering of a nerve response that in turn increases the risk of reactivation of the herpes infection.

2. Menstrual cycle: Menstruation is also responsible for triggering herpes on tongue infection recurrence due to the release of hormones. Many women have reported this.

When undergoing your cycle, it’s always advisable to lower your stress levels to reduce the chances of the infection recurring.

3. Friction: Herpes on tongue reactivation chances can be increased by the excess friction produced during intercourse. Good news, however, is that you can employ lubricants to avert this risk.

4. Involvement in an active sex life: similar to the previous factor, active sexual activities result to rubbing of genital areas, causing irritations. Eventually, herpes on the tongue will settle in.

5. Lifestyle: some personal/lifestyle factors such as stress, diet, lack of sleep, illnesses, and fatigue can reactivate herpes simplex virus.

Over time, you’ll identify the personal factor responsible for the trigger and then learn to avoid it.

Symptoms Of Herpes On Tongue

And now to the infection of this scaring infection…

Do note that after contacting the virus, it takes 2-12 days before you start seeing the actual symptoms (this is known as the incubation period). For most people, the symptoms appear after only four days.

The infection lasts for 2-3 weeks

Here are its symptoms:

1. Fever: Similar to other infection you might have encountered, herpes on tongue infection causes your body to raise its temperatures above the normal. It helps maintain your normal body functions and signal you of an infection in the body.

2. Muscle Pain: The symptom is more common to herpes on tongue victims with a high level of cholesterol, osteoporosis, depression, and multiple sclerosis. People taking drugs such as aspirin, Baycol, Zocor, Crestor, and Lipitor will also experience the sign.

3. General feeling of uneasiness and discomfort: This is the first and the most common sign you’ll experience when suffering from herpes on the tongue.

4. Itching and burning sensation around your tongue: This sensation occurs long before the sores appear on the tongue. It is preceded by blisters which ultimately erupt and can be observed as shallow, grey ulcerations on red bases. With time, the ulcerations dry up and turn yellowish.

5. Cold sores: The sores can appear on your lips, tongue, roof, throat, gums, and inside the cheeks. They’re very painful and make eating and drinking difficult for the victims.

6. Swelling of the neck lymph nodes. They become painful as well.

7. Bleeding and red swollen gums are also a possible sign.

8. A dry mouth is a primary sign of your body being dehydrated due to herpes on tongue infection.

9. The decrease in urination might also occur as your body tries to conserve as much water as possible to counter the dehydration.

10. Drowsiness or feeling sleepy during the day can result from active herpes on tongue disease.

How to Treat Herpes on Tongue

If you’ve been diagnosed with herpes on the tongue, there is no need to panic. Why? Because there exist some effective methods of countering this disease, making you feel well again.

Find the list of available treatment options for herpes on tongue below:

1. Herpes medications: opening our list of herpes on tongue treatment options is the herpes medications. These medications have been tested and proved to be the most efficient options for people suffering from this infection. Some good examples o such medications are Valtrex for Herpes and Acyclovir.

2. Lysine supplements: Lysine is an amino acid present in certain types of foods. The amino acid appears on our list of treat options for its effectiveness in suppressing the herpes simplex virus. There are many lysine supplements in the market today and taking one will help you treat the disease.

3. Laser treatment: Laser therapy is another effective treatment for oral herpes. It goes a long way in reducing the pain as well as the number of occurrences of the disease. Note that this option is highly recommended for elderly people only as it does not cause many side effects to them.

4. Use of specific mouthwashes: There exist some mouthwashes, e.g., benzydamine and Chlorhexidine, that you can use to rinse your mouth. They work as analgesics.

NOTE:

-Given that our bodies are completely different, some of the above treatment methods may not work for you. It is therefore recommended that you try a variety of them and identify the one that works best for you.

-Herpes virus cannot be cured. It hides deep in your spine and has the habit of returning periodically as an outbreak. All the above treatment methods, therefore, are meant to treat and suppress the disease outbreaks.

In addition to the above treatments, other effective treatments for herpes on tongue include:

Products That Cures Herpes on Tongue

1. ProsurX 4-hour Cold Sore & Herpes Treatment, 0.5 Oz Bottle

Imagine healing your cold sores in as little as 4 hours? How would you describe that? Fantastic? Unusual? True, it sounds ridiculous, yet it’s very possible. ProsurX, the above-mentioned product, has proved to heal your cold sores in only 4 hours. It soothes the sores as it treats them, taking away the pain they’ve been causing you.

ProsurX – See Customer Reviews and Ratings on Amazon

Clinical results carried on the product have proved this as well.

With such a product available, you need not stress yourself whenever you imagine how much pain the current or future outbreaks will cause you. The cream works on both layers of your skin, to uncover and destroy herpes virus. This will drastically end your pain and make you feel comfortable again.

Using this product is also as easy as you can imagine. Using a cotton swab, gently apply the cream on the sores and wait for the product to work wonders.

What benefits will you enjoy from using ProsurX Cold Sore and Herpes Treatment Cream?

  • ProsurX controls a herpes outbreak in just a single use. Given that the bottle comes with about 50 uses, the product can be described as highly economical. It’s a great investment that you can buy and use to control as many feature breakouts.
  • The product heals your sores and herpes faster that usual. Clinical tests have been carried to prove this fact.
  • All ProsurX ingredients are FDA- approved. You won’t experience any side effects after using the product.
  • It reduces the tingling, burning, and itching sensation you always get from herpes on tongue cold sores outbreak.
  • The product does not leave its odor in your mouth. You don’t need to worry about smelling the product all day long.
  • It effectively targets and suppresses herpes simplex virus present on the skin surface and the lower layers.

You’ve every reason to smile, knowing that a simple and efficient treatment of cold sores and herpes is within reach!

ProsurX – See Customer Reviews and Ratings on Amazon

2. HERP-B-GONE – Herpes, Cold Sores, and Shingles: Suppress Herpes and Live Life on Your Terms

Herp Be Gone Image

Another solution for herpes on the tongue? Yes, it is!

Herp-B-Gone, the soothing balm

that you need to apply on your cold sores, sit back, relax and wait for results. Herp-B-Gone equals pain gone! It heals yours sore and kills the culprit behind them- the HSV-1.

Released in January 2015 by a renown professional doctor (Hannah Yoseph), the product is very new in the market. Despite this, it’s working wonders and who knows: it might be the real treatment for oral herpes we’ve been longing for.

Herp-B-Gone is an all natural product. All its ingredients are 100% natural. This is unlike other products that are made of harsh chemicals which instead of healing the infection, they worsen it and even affect the overall appearance of your face.

Here’s a share of the ingredients that allows the product to perfectly suppress herpes virus ad treat the sores on your tongue:

  • Oregano oil
  • Beeswax
  • Chamomile oil
  • Peppermint oil
  • Eucalyptus oil
  • Hemp seed oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Lemongrass oil
  • Lemon oil
  • Tea Tree oil
  • Camphor oil
  • Hyssop oil
  • Peru Balsam oil
  • Ginger root oil
  • Thyme oil and
  • Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) preservative

As the creator of the product puts it, the balm gives you a chance to live life on your terms.

These are the top benefits you’ll enjoy from using this product:

  • The product offers you a quick healing relief for shingles, cold sores, and herpes
  • 100% money back guarantee: this clearly shows how confident the creator is in the effectiveness of this product. He won’t shy away from giving you 100% refund if you find that the product does not work.
  • No side effects: look at the list of ingredients used to manufacture this product. It’s crystal clear you’ll not get any side effects from using a simple combination of natural ingredients.
  • It produces fast results. It starts working immediately you apply on the affected part. For the best results, however, it’s advisable to apply it at regular intervals
  • Its ingredients are FDA approved. Additionally, they’ve been proved to suppress/kill herpes virus
  • Butylated hydroxytoluene soothes your sores when you use the balm

See Customer Reviews and Ratings on Amazon

3. Pure Planet – Red Marine Algae Plus – 90 VegCaps

No more outbreaks; no more cold sores; no more pain; everything gets back to normal and the embarrassing moments goes away. If you’ve been living the miserable life of herpes on the tongue, it’s time to let go of it permanently with Pure Planet Red Marine Algae Plus.

See It On Amazon

The product, a simplex herpes supplement, has taken away herpes by many users, and they can’t stop narrating how happy their lives have become since then. You too can join the course!

After invading the aquatic plant life in the 1970s, a group of scientists couldn’t have found anything better than the ingredients used to manufacture this supplement. On their list of discoveries, they had Red Marine Algae, an ocean vegetable whose immune-supporting characteristics continue to amaze even the modern-day scientists. The ocean vegetable destroys most of the herpes colonies (i.e. reduces their number) and inhibits them from replicating any further.

A single Pure Planet Red Marine Algae Plus capsule contains the necessary portions to combat actively herpes and the list of symptoms it comes with, including the painful sores!

There are the benefits you’ll get from using Pure Planet Red Marine Algae Plus- 90 VegCaps

  • The supplement effectively attracts herpes virus and slows down its growth. Sulfated polysaccharides, the active ingredient, do this by stimulating the formation of antibodies and T-cells that significantly boosts your immune system.
  • The product comprises of Gigartina and Dumontiaceae. The two ingredients have been proved by scientific studies to be the best immune supports for peoples undergoing viral infections such as herpes
  • Pure Planet Red Marine Algae is available in vegetarian capsules making it suitable for everyone to use, including the vegans
  • The presence of a powerful blend of blue-green and red algae for slowing down their replication across of herpes virus
  • Overall, the supplement assists your body immune system response in case of the Herpes simplex virus outbreak
  • It does not have any side effects since it’s made of red marina algae proper food.

Home Remedies For Herpes On The Tongue

If you feel that your case of herpes on the tongue is not that bad, or you simply don’t feel like spending on the doctor, we have some good news for you.

There are proven home remedies for treating herpes on the tongue that we’re going to share with you.

These remedies are:

  1. Increase the intake of fluids. As we did say earlier, herpes on tongue leads to total dehydration of your mouth. This is very dangerous as it might expose you to other dangerous dental diseases by giving bacteria and virus a great room for replication. Luckily, you can prevent this by increasing your fluids intake.However, not all fluids are useful. Alcohol is known to be a drying agent and taking alcoholic drinks will, therefore, worsen the condition. Water on another hand is a great way to replenish your body water requirements. Take at least 8 glasses of water every day for the best results.
  2. Over the counter pain relievers. If the cold sores are causing you a lot of pain, you can easily alleviate it by taking some pain killers from your local drug store. Painkillers containing iBuprofen usually work best.While still at it, if the person suffering from herpes on the tongue is a young child, avoid administering Tylenol painkillers to them as this might lead to the development of asthma.
  3. Avoid disturbing the lesions. It’s also important to avoid contacting the lesions. Rather, let them resolve on their own. This is simply because contacting them might make the infection spread to other uninfected areas, causing you more pain.
  4. Observe proper hygiene. Similar to other infections out there, observing the right hygiene when facing herpes on tongue infection will subject you to less severity.
  5. Use of Acetaminophen and iBuprofen. Remember our list of symptoms for herpes on the tongue? Fever and muscle aches make up the list. Finding a good medication for these two is, therefore, a great way of taking care of your body health. Acetaminophen and iBuprofen medications will be of great help to you.
  6. Avoid use of SLS toothpaste. These kinds of toothpaste contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a compound that’s highly irritating and might increase the level of pain in your mouth.

Is Herpes On Tongue Contagious?

Must you be eagerly waiting for the answer to this question right?

Apparently, the answer is a big YES; Herpes on the tongue is a highly contagious infection.

But again, this should not make you feel worried about contacting the disease. There are a couple of good preventive measures that you can take to avoid contacting the deadly oral infection.

Preventive measures to take to avoid contacting herpes on tongue:

  • Avoiding direct contact with the cold sores and other herpes lesions from infected people
  • Avoid sharing of utensils with the infected persons. This should especially be avoided when the lesions are very active as the contagious chances are higher.
  • Avoid oral sex with infected partners
  • Avoid getting into contact with saliva, skin, or mucous membrane of the infected person as this could expose you to the risk of getting the virus into your body.

Canker Sores and Herpes: Same thing?

Are canker sores similar to cold sores?

Before making a conclusion that you have herpes on the tongue, you MUST read this!

Unlike what most people think, there’s a big difference between canker and cold sores.

Lest get a better explanation for this.

Canker sores refer to painful ulcers or open sores that usually develop on your tongue, inside the cheeks, on the lip and even along the throat lining. Though the main cause of canker sores remains a mystery, it’s suggested that orthodontic works, biting of tongue and cheek, and aggressively brushing your teeth might be the culprits.

Canker sores aren’t contagious and are not caused by a virus.

Cold sores, on the other hand, are contagious. They occur inside the mouth: on your tongue, along the linings of cheeks, throat and even on the lips. They usually appear as red blisters and are attributed to the type 1 herpes simplex virus (HSV1).

Now that you know the differences between the two types of sores, what type of sores do you have?

After all, you might not be suffering form the oral herpes disease- smile!

Final Verdict

Herpes on the tongue is a dangerous disease that affects everyone, from very young kids to old people. If you haven’t contacted the disease yet, taking the preventive measures provided in this post will keep you safe.

If you already have the disease, you’ve not reached the end of the road either. Using the top solutions we have offered you in this post is all you need to lead a happy life.

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