Quite an uncomfortable condition, and pretty unsightly if it happens to be big, a stye is a red bump that appears on or near the root of the eyelashes. This can be due to an infection in the glands located at the root of the eyelashes.
The infection would cause these glands to swell up and become reddish, resulting in the appearance of reddish bumps called sties.
In addition to being extremely uncomfortable and painful to handle, sties can sometimes ooze fluid, start bleeding or cause secondary infections.
Excellent Home Remedies To Take Care Of A Stye
Although Sties are best treated with OTC medications and antibiotics, there are certain home remedies that can offer relief from the pain and discomfort caused by these bumps. These home remedies would also effectively get rid of the Sties and prevent recurrences.
Apply Warm Compresses
One of the best known home remedies for recurring sties happens to be a warm compress. Applying a warm compress near the swollen glands would increase blood circulation to the infected site. With time, the stye would drain out and disappear.The warmth produced by the compress would also increase the number of white blood cells in the infected region, thereby making it easier for your body to fight off the infection. You can use a towel dipped in hot water as a compress. Make sure your body can handle the heat as the eyes are extremely sensitive.
Place the warm towel over the closed eyelid for about 10 minutes until the warmth reduces. Dip the towel in hot water and place it on the infected region again. Continue doing this at least thrice a day and for a few days until the symptoms of the condition reduce noticeably.
Note: Don’t use the same part of the towel twice. Doing so can lead to reinfections.
Shower In Hot Water
If the pain and discomfort caused by the stye becomes overwhelming, rush into the bathroom and stand under a hot shower.The warmth of the water would open the stye, drain it out and reduce the pain and inflammation almost instantly.
Massage Regularly
Massaging the skin near the infected area can help increase blood flow to the region and thwart the infection from spreading.Gently massage the eyelids at regular intervals throughout the day for the same purpose. With time, the pain and swelling caused by the condition would reduce and the sties would disappear as well.
Rinse With Salt Water
Rinsing the infected eyelid with warm saline solution can help reduce the pain and swelling caused by the stye, and can flush out the infection causing it.Mix a teaspoon of salt in hot water and let the solution cool down until it is warm enough. Rinse your eyelids with the warm saline solution (look upwards as you do so).Continue rinsing the eyelids for about 10 minutes until you feel better. Repeat this at least twice a day for prolonged results.
Rinse With Raspberry Solution Or Tea
If you can get hold of some raspberry leaves, try this remedy. Boil some raspberry leaves in water for about 20 minutes and strain the mixture.Let it cool and rinse your eyelids with the warm solution. Do this thrice a day to get relief from sties and their symptoms.Alternatively, you can purchase raspberry leaf tea powder at any supermarket or grocery store. Brew the tea and wait for it to cool down. Rinse your eyes with the cooled tea to get instant relief.
Place Warm Tea Bags
In addition to placing warm towels on your eyes, place warm tea bags on the sties regularly to get rid of them and the infection behind them quickly (tea bags contain tannins that can absorb the bacteria causing the infection).All you need to do is soak the tea bags in hot water and let them steep for 10 minutes or so. Remove the tea bags afterwards and let them cool down a bit. Place the warm tea bags on the eyelids for about 10 minutes until the pain and irritation come down.
Throw the tea bags away after using them. Repeat this remedy at least twice every day to get rid of the infection causing bacteria quickly and bring down the symptoms of the sties significantly.
Place Potato Slices
An effective way to curb the growth of sties and offer relief from their symptoms is to place potato slices on the infected areas of the eye. Cut a potato in half and cut out thin slices from one half. Place these slices over the sties (and other infected areas) for about 15 minutes and throw them away afterwards.Continue this for an hour at least twice every day to get relief from the pain, discomfort and inflammation caused by the sties. Alternatively, you can opt to grate a potato and keep it soaked in warm water for about 15 minutes.
Place the now warm pieces of potato on the infected eye and rinse with warm water after about 15 minutes. You can also use the potato-soaked water to rinse your eyes.
Apply Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe Vera has potent antibacterial properties that would help flush out the bacteria causing the stye, and reduce the symptoms of the condition to a great extent. Natural Aloe Vera gel would be the best option when it comes to dealing with sensitive areas of the body like the eyes.Cut a small piece (a leaf or stalk) from an Aloe Vera plant and keep it in the refrigerator until the gel inside the plant becomes cool. Apply this gel over the sties to reduce pain and inflammation instantly.Rinse with cold water after about 15 minutes. Keep applying the gel at regular intervals throughout the day until the pain subsides and the sties disappear.
Rinse With Coriander Seed Solution
Boil some coriander seeds in water (a glass of water would do) for about 20 minutes and strain the resultant solution.Let the solution cool down and rinse your eyelids with it afterwards. Repeat the same at least thrice a day.Doing so would reduce the pain and inflammation caused by sties, and would also promote quick healing of the infected site.
Use Turmeric Eye Drops
Turmeric has antibacterial properties that can get rid of the bacteria causing the infection. It also has antiseptic properties that would promote quick recovery from an infection.Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with 2 glasses of water. Boil the solution for about 20 minutes until it is reduced to half the original quantity.Strain the resultant solution. Once the solution cools down, use a filler to apply 2-3 drops of it over the sties. Do this 4-5 times a day and the sties would disappear in no time at all.
