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Cold sores are a common and often frustrating skin issue. While they may look like harmless blisters, cold sores are actually caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which comes in two types: HSV-1 and HSV-2.
HSV-1 is the primary cause of cold sores, usually appearing around the mouth.
HSV-2 generally causes genital herpes but can also lead to cold sores.
While the appearance of cold sores caused by both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can look similar, their locations tend to differ. However, it is possible for HSV-1 to cause sores on the genitals and for HSV-2 to appear on the mouth.
Cold sores are highly contagious and can spread easily. The virus can be passed on through:
Even when a cold sore isn’t visible, the virus can still be spread through close contact. This makes prevention and management key to reducing outbreaks and the risk of infecting others.
Once someone contracts HSV, it stays in the body for life. While the virus remains dormant most of the time, it can reactivate and cause new sores, especially during periods of:
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for the herpes virus, but the symptoms can be managed.
Cold sores don’t just appear out of nowhere. Before the sore is visible, you may notice a tingling or burning sensation around the lips or face, which can occur several days before the sore forms. This is the best time to begin treatment to shorten the outbreak.
When a cold sore does appear, it often looks like a red, raised blister filled with fluid. The blister can be painful to touch, and there may be more than one. Cold sores usually last around two weeks and are contagious until they crust over and heal.
Cold sores go through distinct stages as they develop and heal:
Certain factors can trigger the reactivation of HSV, leading to cold sores. These include:
There’s no cure for cold sores, but several treatments can ease the symptoms and help manage outbreaks.
Over-the-counter antiviral creams like docosanol (Abreva) or prescription ointments like penciclovir (Denavir) can help reduce the duration of an outbreak, especially if applied at the first sign of a cold sore.
Prescription antiviral medications like acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir can also help, particularly for people who have frequent or severe outbreaks. Your doctor may recommend taking these medications regularly to prevent future outbreaks.
There are also some home remedies that may provide relief, such as:
While cold sores and canker sores may seem similar, they are quite different:
Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus, appear around the mouth, and are contagious.
Canker sores are not contagious and appear as ulcers inside the mouth or throat.
To avoid spreading cold sores:
Cold sores can be a persistent issue, but with proper care and management, you can reduce the frequency of outbreaks and prevent spreading the virus to others.
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Most women who've had preeclampsia remember it as something that happened during pregnancy. The blood pressure spiked, doctors kept a close watch, the baby arrived, and everything went back to normal.
Case closed, or so it seems. But there's a quieter part of this story that doesn't get told nearly enough - what preeclampsia might mean for a woman's heart years down the line.
It's a condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy, when blood pressure rises sharply and starts putting pressure on organs like the kidneys or liver. During preeclampsia, the lining of blood vessels - the endothelium - becomes inflamed and doesn't relax and dilate the way it normally should.
This is the same vessel dysfunction we see in the early stages of coronary artery disease, just decades ahead of schedule. Doctors usually catch it through routine checks - protein in the urine, sudden swelling, or blood pressure readings that don't sit right.
Once the baby is delivered, blood pressure almost always comes back down. That "return to normal," though, doesn't mean the story is over.
Also read: Vitamin D & Pregnancy: Could Vitamin D Deficiency Increase Risk Of Premature Birth?
Think of preeclampsia as an early stress test that the heart didn't quite pass. It is associated with increased risk of hypertension in future and also increase the risk of heart failure, stroke and cardiovascular diseases. And this isn’t a risk that shows up only in old age, in some cases, death happens within the first 10 years after pregnancy.
The risk of heart failure also increases by four-fold and the risk of coronary heart disease by two folds in patients with preeclampsia. The risk of ischemic heart disease and hypertension is elevated too. The risk increases further if preeclampsia occurred early in pregnancy, during multiple pregnancies, or alongside other factors like obesity or a family history of heart disease.
It highlights the importance of life law monitoring of cardiovascular rest factors in a woman who has history of preeclampsia.
Also read: PMOS Isn't Just About Periods Or Pregnancy: Why Women Need To Think Beyond Fertility
Once the baby is here, attention naturally shifts entirely toward the newborn - and a new mother's own follow-ups tend to fall away quietly, usually right after that standard six-week check. That's the gap, we need to close in postpartum care. Women with a preeclampsia history should regularly monitor their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and actually bring these numbers up during the consultation.
None of this means preeclampsia guarantees heart disease down the road. It just means the risk picture has shifted, and that's worth knowing. Staying active, eating well, keeping weight in check, and staying away from smoking helps reduce the risk.
More obstetricians and cardiologists are starting to treat preeclampsia as something to track for life, not just for nine months. That shift in thinking could end up protecting a lot of hearts long after the pregnancy itself is over.
By Dr Waseem Farooqui, Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Care, Medanta Hospitals, Noida
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After a brain bleed, controlling blood pressure is crucial—but is it enough to prevent another stroke? Neurologists explain why consistent BP monitoring, regular medicines, lifestyle changes, and follow-ups matter after discharge. They also share warning signs families should never ignore and when sudden BP rises require urgent medical attention.
Dr Shubha Subramanian - Senior Consultant - Neurology - Kauvery Hospital, Vadapalani, Chennai told Health and Me, "After a brain bleed, controlling BP is extremely important, but this is only for spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage, not in cases of an AV malformation, an aneurysm-related bleed, or a traumatic bleed, where the aetiology is different." He added, "In case of idiopathic spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage, probably because of BP fluctuations or high BP, in that case, for secondary prevention, there will be a reduced number of bleeds if the BP is well controlled. Consistent control is very, very important."
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After a brain bleed, patients should regularly monitor blood pressure and pulse, with diabetics also checking blood sugar at home. Periodic blood tests and ECGs may be advised. Families should watch for confusion, seizures, weakness, changes in speech, or facial drooping. Recognising these warning signs early and maintaining consistent BP control can help prevent another bleed.
"Common mistakes include missing medications, not monitoring blood pressure regularly, stopping follow-up visits when they are feeling better, smoking and consuming too much alcohol, and returning too soon to strenuous activity," said Dr. Soniya Tambe, Consultant, Neurology, Fortis Hospital, Bannarghetta Road, Bengaluru. She added, "Patients also may ignore symptoms such as severe headache, weakness, speech difficulty, or vision changes. These signs should never be dismissed."
Recovery after a brain bleed doesn’t stop when a patient leaves the hospital. The steps taken at home are equally important in reducing the risk of another stroke. Along with taking medicines as prescribed and keeping blood pressure under control, patients should focus on making healthy, long-term lifestyle changes rather than following temporary restrictions.
A balanced, low-salt diet can support recovery, while smoking and alcohol should be avoided. Patients should ease back into physical activity gradually and only with their doctor’s advice, especially in the early recovery period. Getting enough sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress are also important. Regular follow-ups help monitor blood pressure and other heart-related risk factors.
Dr. Praveen Chander, Senior Consultant Neurology, Gleneagles Chennai, told Health and Me, "Families should also recognise sudden weakness or numbness, difficulty speaking, confusion, loss of balance, severe headache, or sudden vision changes as possible warning signs. These symptoms require immediate medical attention rather than waiting for them to settle."
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Alcohol use among US adults has declined for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, driven largely by Gen Z and millennials, a new study found.
However, alcohol use remains above pre-pandemic levels, according to the findings published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"It’s encouraging to see alcohol use decline for the first time since the start of the pandemic,” said Brian P. Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist with Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California and principal investigator of the study.
“However, use remains above pre-pandemic levels and certain groups continue to have concerning trends," he added.
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Researchers analyzed National Health Interview Survey data from 114,352 US adults between 2018 and 2024.
Heavy drinking was defined as five or more drinks per day or 15 or more drinks per week for men, and four or more drinks per day or eight or more per week for women, in the 12 months before the survey.
From 2022 to 2024, any alcohol use fell by nearly 2%, while heavy drinking declined by more than 8%.
Researchers said this was the first confirmed reduction in alcohol consumption since the pandemic began, following increases in drinking reported in previous studies.
The biggest decline in any alcohol use was among Gen Z adults, whose consumption fell by more than 5%.
Millennials recorded the largest drop in heavy drinking, at 17% between 2022 and 2024.
The study did not examine why younger adults reduced their drinking, though researchers noted that changing social attitudes toward alcohol may be one explanation.
In contrast, alcohol use increased among adults aged 50-64. From 2018 to 2024, any alcohol use in this group rose by nearly 4%, while heavy drinking increased by more than 36%.
According to Lee, the increase is particularly concerning because older adults face higher risks of alcohol-related conditions, including liver disease, certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.
"Heavy drinking among ages 50-64 is up by more than a third since 2018, a concerning trend because this age group faces some of the greatest risks of harm from alcohol, including cirrhosis and alcohol-related cancers,” Lee said.
Men saw a larger decline in any alcohol use than women, 2.4% versus 1.1%. However, heavy alcohol use fell more among women than men, 9% versus 7.7%.
Lee noted that understanding differences in drinking patterns could help develop more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Read More: Heart Diseases, Mental Disorders And Cancer Among 62 Health Risks Linked To Alcohol Use: Study
Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the leading preventable causes of illness and death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Alcohol accounts for approximately half of all liver-related deaths, while alcohol-associated cirrhosis has become the leading cause of liver transplants, according to Lee.
The World Health Organization says health risks begin with the first drop of alcohol, meaning no level of consumption is completely safe or risk-free.
Although the decline in alcohol use is a positive development, "we cannot assume alcohol-related harms will decline automatically,” said Lee. “Continued attention to screening, prevention and treatment will be critical, particularly among groups where alcohol use remains elevated.”
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