Signs and Symptoms of Canker Sores

By understanding the symptoms of canker sores, you can notice them sooner and apply the proper treatment of the condition to these sores. In many individuals, canker sores are more than just a nuisance. Although most of the population deals with canker sores on a regular basis, others experience painful lesions on the inside of the mouth that are larger and more painful than what most people deal with. By understanding what the symptoms of canker sores are, you can spot them before they begin so that you can treatment them faster and reduce their severity.

The Look

The most obvious symptom of canker sores is the actual look of the condition. Canker sores have the following characteristics:

• They are red and often times swollen areas instead the mouth.
• They look like open sores.
• The minor classification of canker sores has lesions that are less than half an inch in diameter. Those that are larger are considered major canker sores and are the most painful.
• Most are shallow, meeting they are only abrasions to the skin, but major canker sores can become very painful and deep if left untreated.
• They often are oval in shape, but the edges of the larger canker sores are less defined.
  If you have any of these types of sores, it may be a canker sore. They occur on the inside of the mouth, not on the lips or on the face. They often appear on the gums, the tongue or can occur on the soft tissues of the inner cheek. If you have open sores on your lips, this is a form of a cold sore. Canker sores are not contagious but they are very painful.

It is possible that you may have an infection in the canker sore. If that is the case, you may have a fever associated with the condition. You may also be listless or have swollen lymph nodes. In cases where these symptoms occur, it is necessary to obtain treatment for the canker sores since they are likely infections and are very painful.

If you have larger sized canker sores or the pain is intense, seek out your doctor’s care. In some cases, recurring ulcers, the sores can develop before the last ones heal over. This too is an instance when you should seek medical aid. By understanding the symptoms of canker sores, you may be able to get treatment sooner and thus reduce the likeliness that the condition will develop an infection.