So you’ve woken up to find your eye has a burning, itchy sensation and when you look in the mirror you see a reddened swelling that looks like a pimple on the edge of your eyelid. The painful, swollen lump is making your lid feel scratchy and teary and you realize with dismay that you have a stye on your eye. A stye on the eyelid may also make your eyes sensitive to light and make blinking uncomfortable.
Causes And Symptoms Of A Stye Or Sty
So what causes a stye and how long does it last? A stye – or hordeolum – is an acute infection of a sebaceous gland, apocrine gland or eyelash follicle in the eyelid caused by the bacterium staphylococcus. When a sty occurs on the inside of the eyelid, its known as internal hordeolum. On the other hand, something known as a chalazion is what you spot as a lump in the eyelid.A stye on the eye can be caused by any of the following factors:
- poor hygiene
- stress
- dehydration
- poor nutrition
- inadequate sleep
- inserting contact lenses with unwashed hands
- old cosmetics or facial products
- rosacea
The infection will disappear naturally over a period of 48 hours.
Treatments And Remedies To Cure A Stye In The Eye
The most important step to clear up a stye or sty is to keep your hands clean and do not squeeze the boil-like spot as the pus that will seep out causes the virus to spread. Remove contact lenses and make sure you don’t put them in again until the symptoms have gone completely. If you wear makeup, wash all cosmetic brushes and applicators and refrain from wearing makeup while the inflammation is still present.There are a number of natural remedies for eye stye treatment. Below is a list of home remedies that you can try in the comfort of your home to speed up the disappearance of the virus. You will no doubt have at least one of these items in your pantry, garden or medicine cabinet:
- Aloe vera
This plant has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties that will help soothe the inflammation. Extract the gel from the plant, rub it on the painful spot and remove after 20 minutes.
- Guava leaves
Wash 3 leaves and wrap them in a hot wet cloth. Remove the leaves from the cloth and apply to the general area.
- Potato
Grate some potato and apply directly to the skin.
- Onion
Apply a slice of onion to the swelling – it will burn so be careful to keep it on the lid area itself.
- Tomato
Slice up a tomato and cover the area with a slice to draw out the pus.
- Cucumber
Use this cool vegetable to soothe the irritation caused by the contamination of the gland
- Cloves
Soak 5 or 6 cloves in water for 10 minutes, then wet a cloth with this liquid and apply.
- Coriander seeds
Boil a cup of water with 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds and use a cloth to apply this liquid with anti-inflammatory properties to the swelling.
- Turmeric
Add a tablespoon of turmeric to 2 cups of water and bring to the boil. Strain and use a cloth to wash the area with this anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory liquid.
- Turmeric and milk
Mix half a teaspoon of turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk to fight the infection.
- Cayenne pepper
Boil a cup of water with cayenne pepper powder and soak a cloth in the liquid once cooled down slightly. Use the soaked cloth to wipe the area clean.
- Parsley
Boil a handful of parsley leaves and use the resulting liquid as a warm compress for 15 minutes. This parsley water will purify the skin of any toxins.
- Cabbage
Thoroughly wash a cabbage leaf and apply it to the socket area overnight. The cabbage reduces the painful inflammation.
- Spinach
Boil some spinach to make a poultice that can be applied to the infected area 3 times a day for 30 minutes.
- Mint
Make a poultice out of mint leaves and place this on the inflamed spot for several minutes to reduce swelling and irritation.
- Garlic
Garlic juice can be applied directly to speed up the healing.
- Egg
Separate the yolk from the egg white and dip a cloth in the egg whites. Apply the cloth to the skin for 15 minutes.
- Salt water
Known for its many healing properties, salt water destroys the bacteria causing the infection.
- Allum
Dissolve 2 to 3 granules of allum and wash out the sore spot with this solution.
- Colloidal silver
Place 1 to 2 drops of colloidal silver directly in the eye and the bacteria causing the infection will be eradicated.
- Metals
Take a gold ring or iron and, after washing it 3 times, rub it over the stye to promote healing.
- Ear wax
Use a little ear wax to rub on the spot as this will ease the itchiness.
- Urine
Dab some urine on the problem area to draw out the pus which will accelerate the healing process.
- Toothpaste
Dab some toothpaste on to soothe the pain and reduce swelling. Be sure not to get it in your eye and remove it carefully as this could aggravate the inflammation.
- Baby shampoo
Take tear-free baby shampoo and dilute it before washing the area out with the solution. It’s a very effective cleaning agent to rid the area of bacteria.
- Castor oil
Put a few drops of castor oil on a cotton swab and wipe the stye with it. The oil helps to open the pore that is infected.
- Neem oil
A few drops of neem oil on a cotton swab applied to the infected skin is an extremely effective treatment. The virus and symptoms will be gone overnight.
- Dandelion tea
Brew some dandelion tea and drink it to destroy harmful bacteria.
- Green tea
Place a used tea bag in cold water and then place it over the lid. the anti-inflammatory properties of green tea will help with the swelling and will keep the skin moisturized and comfortable.
- Goldenseal tea
Apply this tea using a warm compress to benefit from its anti-bacterial properties.
- Echinacea tea
Drinking Echinacea tea boosts the body’s immune system so that it can fight the infection more effectively.
- Chamomile
Boil 1 litre of water with some thyme, horsetail and chamomile and use the strained liquid as a warm compress.
- Calendula
Boil a cup of water with a tablespoon of dried calendula. Soak a cloth in the strained solution and use it to clean the lid area.
- Triphala powder
Dissolve a teaspoon of Triphala powder in some water and leave it to draw for several hours before washing the eye out with the strained liquid.
If the bacterial infection on your eyelid lasts longer than 48 hours or the infection spreads to the rest of your face, it’s advisable to see a doctor. In extreme cases where there are complications, you may be referred to an ophthalmologist who can prescribe an eye stye treatment such as antibiotic eye drops or a topical antibiotic ointment.
