Remedies to get rid of stye

A stye or hordeolum is a red bump that looks somewhat like pimple. When oil glands around the eyelashes get secrete lubricating substance. The dead skin, dirt and oil might clog or block these small holes. The blocked gland inhibits the bacterial growth inside, which eventually causes development of stye.

Painless stye might be a chalazion, They are similar to stye but may take longer to heal. Here are some home remedies that can speed up the healing process for styes.

• Cleaning eyelids with a mix of tear-free baby shampoo and a bit of warm water will help in reducing the symptoms of stye. Wipe off your eyelids gently using a cotton swab or a washcloth.
• You can also use a saline solution which will help in draining and breakdown of bacterial membrane.
• Use a warm tea bag instead of warm cloth compress. A warm teabag of black tea helps in reducing the swelling and possesses some antibacterial properties. Soak a teabag in a boiling water and let it steep for about a minute. Wait until the teabag cools down and is just warm enough so that you can place it on your eyes. Keep the teabags on your about for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure that you use a separate tea bag for each eye.
• In case you don’t have tea bags handy, use warm compress of a washcloth. The warmth of the washcloth helps in dissolving the oil and pus, thus helping to drain the pus naturally.
• For mild causes of stye, simply message the area with the lid wipes, which helps in promoting drainage. Message gently with clean hands. Once the pus drains out of stye, keep the area clean. Avoid touching your eyes and stop if massaging hurts.
• Refrain from using eye makeup and contact lenses. Applying makeup on eyes infected with stye can cause irritation in the eyes and delay the healing process. Using same brush for the other eye makeup might spread the infection to the other eye. If you are wearing contact lenses the bacterial infection from the stye can get into the lenses and spread the infection further.
• For moderate to severe causes of stye, you can buy over-the-counter antibiotic ointments and painkillers. Pull the eyelid and apply about a quarter inch of ointment. Avoid using topical steroids as it may cause side effects. Painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen helps in easing the pain caused due to stye. Even though these medications are available over-the-counter, it is advisable to consult a doctor before taking up the medication.
• If the cases of stye are severe to the extent that it is affecting your vision, then you might need a doctor who will provide a professional treatment to drain out the stye, and might also prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.