Aaron asked
A couple days ago I noticed that I felt a little bit under the weather. I had very mild muscle aches, and a very slight sore throat. I also noticed that a cold sore was beginning to form on the edge of my nose. It didn't concern me much, so I took some Ibuprofen and went to bed. By morning, my symptoms seemed to be completely gone, all that was left was the cold sore, but I also noticed that the lymph nodes under my jawline seemed to have swelled and become rather tender. My question: Is this normal? Is it possible for a cold sore to cause tender lymph nodes? If so, should I be concerned about it? Two days has past, the cold sore is still there, and my lymph nodes are still tender.
Answer
What you are describing, with the swollen and tender lymph nodes, is common with cold sores. You may also feel pain or tingling 1 to 2 days before the sore appears. Other people have also experienced fever and mouth soreness along with the small blistered area on the skin.
What Causes Cold Sores?
Cold sores are caused by a virus. There is no cure for this virus available, but there are treatments and prevention methods available. It is only when the virus is active that you will develop a cold sore. This is also the time that you are most contagious and at risk for spreading cold sores to others.
Avoid spreading cold sores to other by avoiding direct contact and do not share items that come into contact with the sold sore.
Generally cold sores will heal without treatment in 10 to 14 days. If the cold core does not heal within 2 weeks or they get worse, call your doctor about taking a medication to help treat the virus infection. You may also be a candidate for preventative treatment if you have more than 6 outbreaks a year.
Common triggers for a cold sore appearance are listed below:
- Infectious diseases
- Stress
- Sun exposure
- Exposure to cold weather
- Upper respiratory Infections
- Menstruation
- Immunocompromised
- Certain foods like chocolate
Just to summarize, it is considered common and normal to experience lymph node swelling and tenderness with cold sores. The sore throat may have been caused by another infection which led to the cold sore outbreak. Alternatively, any of the listed factors could have caused the cold sore.
For a definitive diagnosis, make an appointment with your doctor for evaluation.
