Aphthous ulcer history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: José Eduardo Riceto Loyola Junior, M.D.[2]

Symptoms of aphthous ulcers include oral pain, dysphagia, and oral bumps that may have resolved spontaneously in the past.

• The patient’s most commonly complain is oral pain, especially while ingesting acidic, salty or hot foods and beverages.
• Many patients complain of previous episodes of aphthous ulcers that resolved spontaneously.

The first symptom of an aphthous ulcer is usually a tingling or burning sensation that you feel before other symptoms develop. The following symptoms may then occur:

• Painful, red spot or bump that develops into an open ulcer
  • Center is colored white or yellow
  • Usually small (under 1 cm) but occasionally larger
  • Single bump or group of bumps (crops)
• Sore may turn gray just before starting to heal
• Pain decreases in 7 to 10 days, with complete healing in 1 to 3 weeks.
• Pain is usually worsened with the ingestion of acid, salty or hot foods and beverages.
• Particularly large ulcers (greater than 1 cm in diameter) often take longer to heal (2 to 4 weeks). Occasionally, a severe occurrence may be accompanied by nonspecific symptoms of illness, such as fever.
• Canker sores often return.^[1][2]

Less common symptoms of Aphthous ulcers include:

• Fever
• General discomfort or uneasiness (malaise)
• Swollen lymph nodes^[2]
• Some patients may present with genital ulcer, such as Behçet‘s

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