Preparing for an appointment

Cold sores generally clear up without treatment in two to four weeks. Make an appointment with your family doctor if your cold sores:

• Are lasting or severe
• Return often
• Are accompanied by eye discomfort

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to list answers to the following questions:

• Have you ever had these symptoms before?
• Do you have a history of skin problems?
• What medications and supplements do you take regularly?

Below are some basic questions to ask your doctor about cold sores.

• Do I have a cold sore?
• What treatment approach do you recommend, if any?
• What self-care steps can I follow to ease my symptoms?
• Am I contagious? For how long?
• How do I reduce the risk of spreading this condition to others?
• How soon do you expect my symptoms will improve?
• Am I at risk of complications from this condition?
• Can I do anything to help prevent a recurrence?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:

• Could you sense a cold sore coming before the sore became visible?
• Do your symptoms include eye irritation?
• Have you noticed if anything in particular seems to trigger your symptoms?
• Have you been treated for cold sores in the past? If so, what treatment was most effective?
• Have you recently experienced significant stress or major life changes?
• Are you pregnant?
• Does your work or home life bring you into contact with infants or with people who have major illness?