The eyes are some of the most delicate parts of the human body and are also considered an essential part of a healthy functioning life. Without optimal vision, it can be challenging to go about your daily activities, since we continuously depend on our vision to help us do our job, take care of our families, watch the road while driving and even for many entertaining activities, such as watching a movie.
Many conditions can affect the eyes and cause vision problems and other potential complications, especially when treatment is not administered quickly. In this post, we want to take a look at a stye, a particularly irritating condition that affects the edge of your eyelid. We will take a look at what causes a stye to develop, what symptoms may accompany a stye, and also provide a complete overview of how you can get rid of a stye quickly.
Is It A Stye Or Chalazion?
When a bump develops on the eyelids or another area surrounding the eyes, it is important first to determine what condition you have developed before proceeding with a treatment protocol. When a bump forms on the eyelid, then it may be either a stye or a chalazion. Knowing the difference between these two conditions is essential – even though the treatment protocol for these two conditions is similar, they do not heal at an equal rate. A stye is usually accompanied by pain, while a chalazion will not cause pain in the majority of cases. This is the primary difference between these two conditions. If you do find that you have a chalazion, then similar treatments can be used as when treating a stye, but the healing time for a chalazion is somewhat longer.
How A Stye Develops
Small oil glands are found on the eyelids, with the majority of these oil glands situated in the area where the eyelashes are found. These oil glands are exposed to a buildup of oils, as well as dirt and dead skin cells. When excessive amounts of these materials accumulate in the area, then it may cause these small oil glands to become clogged. When an oil gland found on the eyelid is blocked, then it creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. The growth of bacteria then causes swelling and the development of a stye.
Symptoms That A Stye May Cause
The most obvious symptom associated with a stye is a bump that develops on the eyelid. A stye usually develops on the outside of the eyelid and most often on edge. In addition to the bump that forms when a stye is present, it should be noted that other symptoms may also become present. Inflammation around the area where the bump presents itself is relatively common, and localized pain in the area may also accompany the bump.
Other symptoms that a stye may cause include:
- Tear production may be increased
- Some people may find that a crust develops around the affected eyelid
- The eyelid that is affected by the stye may become itchy
- Tenderness may also develop in the area that is affected
How To Get Rid Of A Stye
A stye can be genuinely uncomfortable and even become very painful in some cases. Even though a stye can usually clear up on its own within a couple of days, most people desire faster relief of the symptoms they are experiencing – and obviously, want the bump that has developed to go away faster. Luckily, many home remedies can be used to help speed up the recovery from a stye, reduce the inflammation and pain caused by the bump, and help to destroy the bacteria that has manifested within the blocked oil glands.
Let’s take a look at some of the most effective home remedies you can use to help you get rid of your stye quickly and easily.
Warm Compresses
One of the most useful home remedies and also the most cost-effective approach is to apply a warm compress to the stye. Use warm water to wet a cloth – make sure the cloth is clean. The water should not be boiling or too hot as this may cause you to burn the area where you will be applying the warm compress. You should apply the damp cloth to the area that is affected by the stye for up to 10 minutes. Be gentle and avoid pressing the cloth too hard on the area. The warm cloth will help the oil that is clogging the oil gland to dissolve and drain more easily. This method can be repeated up to four times per day and should ideally be utilized until the stye goes away.
It should be noted that, while a cloth is often considered an effective way to apply a warm compress to a stye, a warm teabag can also be used. You should add a teabag to boiling water and allow the tea to steep in the water for approximately one minute. Remove the teabag from the water and let it cool down a little – you do not want to burn the skin around your eyes. If both eyes are affected by the condition, you should not use the same teabag on both eyes.
Over-The-Counter Ointments
If a warm compress does not seem to work, then you should pay a visit to your local pharmacy. Different types of stye ointments can be purchased without a prescription – these ointments usually contain antibiotic properties that help to destroy the bacteria that is present in the stye. Only a small amount of these ointments should be applied to the affected area at a time, and you should try to avoid getting the ointment directly into your eyes.
Wash Your Eyelids
Washing your eyelids can also be an excellent way to help promote the drainage of the stye and to help flush out the bacteria that is causing the stye. You can either mix warm water with baby shampoo (choose a “tear-free” option) or choose to opt for a saline solution. Both of these can help to reduce irritation and discomfort, while also promoting the drainage of the stye.
Precautions
When treating a stye yourself at home, it is essential to take some precautions to ensure you do not make the condition become worse. No matter what you do, never try to squeeze or pop the stye. If you decide to pop the stye, it may cause the infection to spread and cause complications. This can make the healing time much longer and may even lead to complications that require medical treatment. If you prefer to have the stye drained, then you should consider making an appointment as doctors are able to drain a stye without causing the infection to spread.
Another necessary precaution that you need to take into account is to avoid wearing any type of makeup while the stye is present. Makeup can cause the eye and the stye to become irritated, which may not only cause the healing time to become delayed but may also lead to possible complications. If you wear contact lenses, then you should also consider switching to glasses until the stye goes away.
Preventing A Stye
Since a stye can be very discomforting, the good idea is to learn how you can prevent this condition from developing in the first place. We looked at the cause of a stye earlier in this post – it is the buildup of oils, dirt, dead skin cells, and other materials that cause oil glands in the eyelids to become blocked, leading to the growth of bacteria. By keeping your eyes clean, you can help to prevent these oil glands from becoming blocked. Washing your eyes out each day is one of the best ways to prevent a stye from developing – this will help to flush out any buildup of material and help to reduce the risk of your oil glands becoming clogged and bacteria growing inside of these glands.
When To See A Doctor
In some cases, it may be a better idea to see a doctor than to try home remedies when a stye seems to be persistent and more problematic than they commonly are. In particular, when pain is excessively severe, then it might be a good idea to rather make an appointment with a doctor to have a professional take a look at the stye. If a stye interferes with your vision, then it also calls for expert opinion by a doctor. Furthermore, if you treat the stye and it fails to go away after a few days, then you should also consult with your doctor.
Conclusion
A stye is a condition that can affect anyone. This condition can cause pain, inflammation and can quickly become a nuisance. Preventing a stye is the more effective approach as this will avoid the symptoms associated with the conditions in the first place. When a stye develops, knowing how to get rid of the stye quickly can help to provide fast and effective relief of symptoms such as inflammation and pain, and reduce the discomfort caused by the bump.
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