Aphthous ulcers usually begin as a burning or tingling sensation. A red spot or bump usually forms, which develops into an open ulcer. The ulcers are usually small, less than 1 centimeter in diameter, but larger ulcers are possible. A single ulcer can form, but so can a cluster of ulcers at the same site. Here's what one can look like:
Aphthous ulcers are usually painful and can make eating and drinking certain foods/beverages difficult.
Once the aphthous ulcer begins to heal, a whitish-gray membrane will form over the ulcer. Large aphthous ulcers may cause some scarring upon healing.
Diagnosing aphthous ulcers can be difficult, given that they can resemble viral infections that cause similar ulcers, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV). However, aphthous ulcers are not usually responsive to therapies used to treat HSV, so a correct diagnosis might not be made until after viral infections like HSV have been ruled out.
It is not usually necessary to biopsy aphthous ulcers. However, if the ulcers are large, it might be necessary to conduct a biopsy to rule out more serious problems, such as cancer.
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