The little twinge you feel is your body's way of informing you that over the course of the next two weeks you will become a social leaper. At least in your mind, anyway. Everyone that has dealt with fever blisters knows all too well the anxiety associated with fever blisters. Their only concern is how to get rid of a fever blister and FAST!! What’s worse, fever blisters tend to rear their ugly heads when you have an important social event, a date or an unavoidable business appointment causing you an immense amount of stress. Unfortunately, most fever blisters will run their course, subjecting you to more mental and social stress than actual pain.

What Causes Fever Blisters

Fever blisters are the result of and caused by a virus called herpes simplex which is contagious. There it is…I said it, Herpes! Before you go and search out every person you’ve had sex with you should know over ninety five percent of all fever blisters are the result of herpes simplex type one. Type two is the herpes virus that effects people in the genital area, so put down the baseball bat and calm down. Unfortunately, the herpes simplex virus type 1 is very contagious when blisters are present, so don’t kiss your significant other or try to hook up with someone. It’s doubtful you would be successful anyway since it’s difficult to hide when a fever blister is glowing on your lip. And parents, please refrain from kissing your kids when you have a fever blister or you risk condemning them to suffering through social hell just like you.

Most people that carry the type one virus became infected before they reached puberty so all of you people that are fortunate enough to not be infected, cut your friend some slack. Odds are they didn’t get it from a ill-advised roll in the hay, in fact, there is a ninety percent chance they contracted it before they even considered kissing someone other than Mom or Dad.

Fever blisters usually appear on the lip or below the nostril but can sometimes be found inside the mouth or throat. Usually a fever blister announces it’s presence with a twinge or itching sensation, followed a few hours or a day later by a small fluid filled blister. Some people have reported fever and swollen lymph glands in the neck. The blister will form into a cluster of blisters, merge together into one large social life destroyer and then collapse on itself. After the blister collapses, a crust will form over the area as the healing process begins, usually followed by cracking and bleeding as the area gets smaller with healing.

Fever blisters usually have a trigger which somehow invites them to the surface and ruin our social lives for the following two weeks. Stress is one of the main causes for an outbreak. Try not to stress yourself out too much or you could effectively reduce your social life to nonexistent. Other triggers include overexposure to the sun and upset stomach.

Fever Blister Cures And Remedies

I’m sure there are many things a person could do to reduce their chances of getting a fever blister like watching your diet, taking supplements, making sure your immune system is in tip top shape. You could probably find a wealth of information on the Internet about natural remedies to cure fever blisters and I’m sure they are all helpful. But this hub page is not about fever blister home remedies. It’s about how to get rid of a fever blister to avoid social anxiety and all that comes with walking around with a unwanted passenger on your lip or below your nose.

Here’s my secret: As soon as you feel the little twinge or burning sensation and the first small blister rears it’s ugly head, get in the car and drive to the nearest drug store. Purchase a tube of Abreva which is around $20 and very small. You will think you are getting ripped off but who cares, you don’t want your social life destroyed over the next two weeks and you are desperate. Go back home, find a sewing needle, dip it in alcohol, then dip the tip of it in the Abreva and bust the blister with the needle. Let all the fluid drain out, and reapply more Abreva. Keep putting Abreva on the fever blister every few hours over the next two or three days and the fever blister will be gone in less than 5-7 days, usually around four days. A heckva lot better than two weeks of social anxiety, don’t you think? That is how to get rid of a fever blister.

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before using this method since this is the method used by the author of this hub page and may not be a suitable method for everyone. Whether this method is acceptable to the medical community, the author has no clue. However, this method for getting rid of fever blisters works for the author and is only a suggestion to the readers of this hub page and should only be used after consulting with a qualified medical professional.