Barley is an inflammatory process localized on the eyelid, having a purulent nature of formation. An abscess can occur due to hypothermia, overheating, low immunity, etc.
The first signs of stye are a new formation of a red hue, painful sensations around it, and possible excessive tearing of the eye.
Contrary to the well-known opinion that barley needs to be treated with heat, doctors strongly do not recommend using this method, because it is possible to heat the formation only if there is no abscess, because heat only enhances the development of staphylococcus.
This article details how a stye breaks out on the eye, its stages of development, and possible treatments used in medical settings and at home.
Mechanism of disease development
How does barley break out?
Source: proglaziki.ru If you missed the moment when the stye popped up on the eye and you saw a purulent head, eliminate the methods of cauterization and dry heat. Without drug treatment there will be nothing to do here.
Actions at the first sign
Ideally, at this stage it is better to consult a doctor. You should not rely on sick leave, since this is not a disease that requires treatment at home. However, an examination by an ophthalmologist will prevent complications from occurring in the future.
Buy eye drops: Albucid, Levomycetin, Tobrex, Gentamicin and others (there is no shortage of them). They can be used as soon as the abscess reveals itself on the eyelid and pops out as a white cap covered with a thin film.
They can be dripped up to 6 times a day. At night, you can put an eye ointment - tetracycline, erythromycin, hydrocortisone, or others behind the lower eyelid (in the conjunctival sac). At this stage, you can make lotions from herbs so that the stye on the eye bursts faster and the long-awaited recovery occurs.
To prepare them, you can use plantain, chamomile, calendula, and aloe. Medicinal raw materials need to be crushed (you can use dry and fresh flowers and leaves), brew with boiling water (a glass of water for one tablespoon of chopped herb).
Leave for 20 minutes, pass through cheesecloth. Moisten a sterile cotton pad in the resulting infusion of herbs and apply to the inflamed area. What is strictly forbidden to do at this stage of the ripening of the abscess is to squeeze it out.
It is a mistake to consider this formation as an ordinary pimple or blackhead. The pus contains dangerous bacteria that can spread throughout the entire eye socket, spread to the other eye, and penetrate the body.
The consequences of such careless handling of barley can be very disastrous. You just need to get treatment, follow the above recommendations and wait patiently for the stye on the eye to finally open.
What to do when the abscess bursts and finally begins to subside? Despite the fact that after this culminating moment the condition will become much easier (the pain will go away, the appearance of the eye will begin to return to normal), you cannot calm down and stop caring for the sore spot.
When the stye has broken through, ensure your eyes are completely sterile and clean, observing basic hygiene rules, and continue drug treatment for a couple more days:
- reduce the number of drops you put in your eyes to 3 times a day;
- continue to apply the ointment at night;
- do not touch your eyes with your hands unnecessarily;
- morning and evening, rinse both eyes with filtered water or herbal infusions;
- do not use decorative cosmetics (mascara, cosmetic pencil, eye shadow) for a week after the abscess has already broken out;
- you should have a personal towel that no one else should touch: change it daily;
- wash your hands often with antibacterial soap;
- do not wear contact lenses for another week after the abscess breaks out;
- carefully monitor your feelings: any deviations should alert you, since at this stage all painful symptoms should gradually subside.
If the stye breaks through, but you still don’t feel better (the pain doesn’t go away, the swelling doesn’t subside, the redness doesn’t go away, headaches and watery eyes start, the discomfort spreads to the other eye), the only thing you can do in such a situation is to contact See a doctor for help.
Only he, during a medical examination, will be able to determine what is happening, what complications after the illness are taking place and how they can be dealt with quickly and effectively.
Causes of prolonged illness
Exacerbated chronic diseases can provoke a sharp decrease in the body's defenses. In this case, barley can last 3 weeks or even longer.
Why can’t a person get rid of barley for so long? There are the following reasons for this:
Incorrect treatment of an abscess.
This can happen if people do not seek professional help, do not know how to properly apply a compress or warm up, and treat the disease with inappropriate means that doctors prescribed once to them or their friends and relatives. But you need to understand that in each specific case the disease develops specifically, and if earlier, for example, Erythromycin ointment helped, now it may not cope with the pathological process. If therapy is inadequate, you should not expect positive results, because such treatment will be ineffective.It is in this case that recovery is delayed. Usually, the symptoms of such barley do not disappear, although patients should feel much better immediately after the abscess breaks out.
And in some cases, the abscess does not break out at all, sometimes increasing or decreasing in size. This is the first sign that the disease is entering a chronic stage.
- Weak immunity. If the abscess does not go away for a long time, then this is confirmation that the body’s defenses are not enough to fight the disease. Such stye usually lasts several weeks longer than usual and brings minor discomfort, which does not allow us to talk about a complete recovery.
Usually, barley with weak immunity is recurrent - it seems that the abscess has passed, the swelling has disappeared, and the redness has already become equal to the color of healthy skin, when swelling, pain and purulent contents appear again.Such styes may not break through, but regress until almost complete recovery, then appearing again. Very often, such abscesses can plague young children - with weak immunity, stye on the eye does not go away for 2 months or more.
- Hidden diseases. Also, ulcers may not go away for a long time due to another serious disease of the body. Most often, this situation with barley is observed in diabetes mellitus and HIV infection. Usually this diagnosis can be made quite quickly when first interviewing the patient or reviewing his medical record. In the future, the doctor determines the treatment strategy for barley, taking into account the underlying pathology.
Stages of development
When the disease just begins, a small reddish swelling forms on one of the eyelids, which will cause a feeling of discomfort when blinking. At this stage of the disease, it is very important to make sure that it is really stye that is brewing on the eye, and only then decide what to do next.
The problem is that many people attribute this swelling to ordinary dirt that has gotten under the eyelid, an insect bite, or one of the manifestations of chronic blepharitis. If you skip this stage of barley ripening on the eye, recovery may take a long time.
As soon as it jumps up, you need to make sure that it is this particular disease and begin to take measures to eliminate it. The first thing to do is to remove all decorative cosmetics from your eyes so that their particles do not get into the conjunctiva, and do not use them again throughout the entire disease.
Rinse both eyes thoroughly and wash your hands with antibacterial soap. If the stye on the eye is still just maturing, it is recommended to cauterize it (unless, of course, we are talking about an internal abscess).
To do this, you need to take a cotton pad, soak it in vodka or medical alcohol, squeeze it thoroughly and apply it to the swollen area of the eyelid. The eyes should be closed and care must be taken not to get any alcohol into the conjunctiva.
Place a large, thick piece of cotton wool on top for insulation. The compress is kept for 10–15 minutes. You can burn it with brilliant green. If a stye has just appeared on the eye, cauterization will prevent it from developing further: it will disappear even without ripening.
If you have a low pain threshold and are afraid of cauterization, use the second method of treatment at the initial stage of abscess formation, when it has just popped out. This is dry heat. What should you do?
Dry heat method
Boil an egg or potato, wrap the hot, unpeeled product in a handkerchief or gauze and place directly on the ripening barley. You can simply heat regular table salt in a frying pan, wrap it in the same handkerchief and keep it on the swelling for 5-7 minutes.
If you don’t have time to prepare food, you can make a compress with a cotton pad soaked in hot water for a stye that has just popped up on your eye.
Since this disease is infectious in nature and may indicate that the immune system is weakened, take this into account and start taking multivitamins, increase the amount of fruits, berries, juices and fresh vegetables you consume in your diet.
This will not be a direct method of treating a brewing abscess, but as a preventive measure it will save you from new foci of inflammation in the future. All this is recommended to be done at the initial stage of the disease, when the abscess itself has not yet come out.
As soon as this happens and a white purulent head appears, it will no longer be possible to use dry heat or cauterize - completely different methods of treatment will be required.
First stage: formation of a purulent core
A small red swelling appears, causing discomfort when moving the eyelids, this means that the stye is beginning to ripen. It is important to recognize whether it is really a stye or not. It is very easy to confuse it with swelling due to dirt, a mosquito bite, or due to blephavit.
At the first manifestations, you need to wash both eyes and wash off the infection from your hands with antibacterial soap. If the first signs appear, it can be removed by ordinary cauterization. For these purposes, alcohol or vodka is suitable, which should be applied along with cotton wool.
The eyes must be closed tightly to prevent the drug from entering the conjunctiva. To ensure that there is no damage, you can make a small roller and apply it near the eye, and cover it with another so that the area warms up faster. This compress should be kept for about 15-20 minutes.
Zelenka can help effectively. For those who do not welcome cauterization, you can use the method that is used when the abscess is not fully formed - the method of exposure to dry heat.
Hot potatoes, salt, and water are suitable for this. Apply the warm product for a few minutes. Such techniques are advisable only at the initial stage of the disease, until the abscess appears outward.
Second stage: formation of an abscess
At this stage, the abscess has already matured; only medications will help. Here you don’t need to do anything on your own, but it’s better to see a doctor and get diagnosed. Standard medications for the treatment of stye are:
- Levomycetin;
- Tobrex;
- Albucid;
- Gentamicin.
They are allowed to drip no more than 6 times a day. Before going to bed, you can put the ointment in the conjunctival sac. The following are used as eye ointments:
- Tetracycline;
- Hydrocortisone;
- Erythromycin.
Herbal lotions or compresses are also welcome. These procedures help the abscess burst faster. Herbs that are suitable:
- chamomile;
- calendula flowers;
- aloe juice;
- plantain.
The mixture is poured with boiling water in a 1:1 ratio, boil a little and strain. Cool to room temperature, soak cotton wool in it and apply to the affected area.
Third stage: breakthrough
When barley breaks through, this does not mean recovery. You must carefully ensure that your eyes are clean, and also use drops and ointments prescribed by your ophthalmologist.
What recommendations should be followed:
- the number of instillations should be reduced to 3 times a day;
- do not touch or rub your eyes with your hands;
- after and before bedtime, rinse your eyes with boiled or simply filtered water;
- make herbal compresses;
- do not wear makeup;
- have your own personal hygiene items: towel, toothbrush, etc.
- Do not let your loved ones touch your things so that they do not become infected;
- wash your hands more often;
- do not wear lenses during the period when the abscess begins to break out.
If the discomfort and pain begin to pass, it means recovery is coming. If the stye begins to break through, but does not get better, then you urgently need to see an ophthalmologist. Only after diagnosis can you really understand what is happening. What symptoms should be present:
- pain;
- swelling persists;
- redness does not decrease;
- headache appeared;
- excessive tearing;
- discomfort when touching the eye.
Causes of the phenomenon and methods of influence
It must be said that sometimes barley ripens, but does not break through. This does not always indicate the presence of problems - it also happens that this formation resolves without the release of pus. But if it persists for more than a month and the patient notices unfavorable symptoms, it is worth consulting a doctor.
These symptoms include:
- temperature increase;
- the appearance of compaction;
- blurred vision;
- severe swelling of the eyelid.
These symptoms, combined with a long period of maturation, may indicate the presence of a chronic disease or a weak immune defense. This needs to be clarified, otherwise similar phenomena will occur frequently.
Another feature of this pathology is that the abscess matures quickly, but in its place one or more more are formed. Such situations are also not uncommon, and if they occur, you should also consult a doctor.
Despite the fact that barley ripens quite quickly, some patients want to speed up this process. This is especially true for women who are worried about their appearance. And if the barley does not go away for more than a week, this issue becomes especially relevant.
When the barley does not break through, a specialist will tell you what to do. An ophthalmologist can explain what products should be used to make the stye go away quickly. Therefore, it is undesirable to use untested recipes - sometimes they are harmful. It is most effective to use drugs for local treatment (Albucid, Levomycetin). But they should be used only as prescribed by a doctor, since they have contraindications.
In order for the barley to break through quickly, it is permissible to use folk remedies:
- The simplest method is to apply dry heat to the damaged area. For this treatment, salt, buckwheat or boiled eggs are most often used. Cereals or salt must be heated in a frying pan and wrapped in thick cloth. The damaged area should be covered with a towel, and then warmed with hot filler. Warming up with a chicken egg is as follows: hard-boil the egg, wrap it in a cloth and warm the eyelid for about 15 minutes.
Another option that can speed up the ripening of an abscess is the application of compresses. Thanks to them, the most unpleasant symptoms of the pathology disappear and the infection process weakens. Compresses based on tea, both black and green, are considered effective.Compresses made from medicinal plants, such as chamomile, which have antibacterial and soothing properties, are beneficial. It is advisable to carry out treatment not only on the damaged, but also on the healthy eyelid. This is done to prevent the infection from spreading further.
Stye in a child
Source: linza.guru
A stye on a child’s eye - depending on the baby’s temperament, it can be simply catastrophic for the whole family. Sometimes it is very important to be able to calmly explain to your baby what is happening to his eye and why he is experiencing unusual discomfort.
Moreover, in such a way as not to frighten the child and to ensure his compliance in treatment. The disease also begins with a swollen eyelid, further redness and increased inflammation.
Consequences in children
This entire painful process usually occurs around the eyelash. Due to severe swelling, the child's eyelid begins to twitch, and a narrowing of the palpebral fissure may occur. In the absence of proper and timely treatment, the baby’s eyes may not open at all.
In children, it is possible that headaches are a companion to this infectious disease. Sometimes such immunity disorders occur that barley appears in both eyes of the child at the same time.
Around day 3-4, the stye on the eyelid becomes completely inflamed and pus begins to ooze out. At this moment, parents have a question whether it is possible to squeeze out barley.
The abscess, just like in adults, is strictly forbidden to open and squeeze out, especially accidentally and with dirty hands. When squeezing out pus, there is a danger of serious complications, eyelid abscess, meningitis and other serious diseases.
It is very important that parents monitor the child during this unpleasant process and do not allow the baby to rub his eyes with his hands. Styes are contagious, and the infection may affect another area of the eye. Another stye will appear, and all treatment procedures will have to be repeated.
All reasonable parents worry when they discover a stye on their child’s eye, but few know what to do and how to cure a stye. The key to a successful and quick recovery is, first of all, the timely initiation of treatment.
When the first painful symptoms occur, it is necessary to show the child to a doctor. Modern pharmacology will help you cope if you have stye on your eye: treatment with medications will quickly relieve symptoms and speed up recovery.
Most often, the doctor prescribes sulfonamides for internal use, which serve directly to treat the infection. Depending on the age of the child, the proportions of taking these medications are selected.
Barley in a child can be cured with medications intended for external use. Try using Albucid eye drops.
Internal stye in a child can be dangerous. It is placed on the inside of the eyelid, and in most such cases, treatment of stye in children requires the intervention of a doctor.
The therapist will refer you to a surgeon if he finds an internal stye on the eye: treatment consists of opening and treating the abscess under sterile conditions. Surgical intervention may also be required for advanced forms of external styes.
Causes of barley
How long does stye last on the eye? It is extremely important to understand the causes of this health problem. The main task is to determine the correct treatment and prevention tactics. In many situations, eliminating the factors that contribute to eye inflammation allows you to forget about barley for a long time.
So, barley appears under the influence of the following reasons:
- weakening of the immune system;
- lack of vitamins and nutrients;
- failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
- endocrine diseases;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- furunculosis;
- regular stress.
The above reasons should be correctly understood, since only if unfavorable factors can be eliminated, you can forget about the regular appearance of barley.
Classification
It is customary to distinguish 2 types of disease - external and internal barley.
- External stye. This is the most common type of barley. It is an abscess, that is, an abscess on the edge of the eyelid. The abscess matures on the outside of the eye. Its development is caused by infection of surrounding tissues.
- Internal stye. This is an abscess on the inner surface of the eyelid. It develops as a result of infection of the meibomian glands. The Meibomian glands are located in the middle of the eyelid, at the base of the eyelashes. Their number is about 50-70 in each century. These glands help keep the eyes moist by preventing tears from evaporating from the surface. If the meibomian glands become blocked, an internal stye can lead to the development of a chalazion.
Styes can be dangerous if not treated correctly or if the diagnosis is incorrect. Squeezing out pus leads to the spread of infection through the vessels, which can even lead to meningitis or blood poisoning. And here you cannot do without serious treatment.
Cause of occurrence
The main factor causing the development of barley is a staphylococcal infection. Pathogenic microbes enter the organ of vision when personal hygiene rules are not followed. As a result, Staphylococcus aureus enters the hair follicle or sebaceous gland. In addition, a common cause is dysfunction of the immune system.
What factors lead to the appearance of barley:
- hypothermia of the body;
- infection with worms;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- avitaminosis;
- increased blood glucose levels;
- furunculosis;
- changes in metabolism;
- disorders of the endocrine system;
- long-term stressful conditions.
Associated chronic illnesses often lead to the fact that barley is not eliminated for several months. It is also important to know that the disease is not transmitted to another person.
Reasons for appearance
The first and main reason for the appearance of stye on the eye is lack of hygiene. For stye to occur, it will be enough to scratch your eyes with dirty hands or wipe your face with a dirty towel, or a small speck will get into your eye.
The sebaceous gland or hair follicle becomes infected, resulting in barley. Especially if the infection is brought with dirt on the eyelid, then against the background of hypothermia and weakened immunity, stye will most likely appear on the eye.
Other risk factors that can lead to the appearance of stye on the eyelid:
- Hypothermia. For this reason, stye appears if a person gets his feet wet, gets caught in the rain, or is exposed to prolonged wind in the face, especially with dust.
- Reduced immunity. If the disease constantly returns, you need to improve your immunity; hardening is especially useful here; cool eye baths will also help. Immunity can decrease when the body is weakened by frequent colds, lack of vitamins, and stress.
- Sometimes the cause may be a mite that has settled on the eyelashes - demodex.
- Often this disease appears in people suffering from diabetes, chronic blepharitis, and seborrhea.
- Using low-quality eye cosmetics.
People who spend little time outdoors are also at risk of developing stye. With a lack of vitamins C, A and B (vitaminosis) and anemia, there is also a risk of getting sick. A person with a stye on his eye does not pose a threat to others, so you should not avoid such people - you will not become infected.
Why doesn't barley break through for a long time?
If the protective abilities of the immune system are insufficient, inflammation cannot be stopped because a sufficient number of protective cells (for example, lymphocytes) are not produced to suppress the infection.
For this reason, long healing of barley is typical for patients who have recently suffered from infectious or viral diseases, and also have chronic abnormalities. A decrease in immune abilities also occurs due to the following reasons:
- poor (unbalanced) nutrition with frequent irregularities;
- unstable and weak sleep, overwork, constant stress;
- neglect of hygiene recommendations;
- living in polluted domestic or environmental conditions;
- long-term use of medications that inhibit microflora (including those performing protective functions).
In this case, treatment of stye on the eye should be continued, combined with measures aimed at strengthening the immune barrier.
Endocrine system problems
When, after making enormous efforts, the stye does not go away for 2 weeks or a month, suspicions arise that the organs of the endocrine system are not functioning properly. First of all, such suspicions arise when the patient has problems with the thyroid gland or suffers from diabetes. The production of hormones and enzymes is a key component of counteracting foreign microflora, including streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus.
Improper care
With stable endocrine organs and strong immunity, stye should disappear from the eye within a week, maximum two. When this does not happen, doctors first of all suspect patients of an incorrect approach to treatment.
How a frivolous approach worsens the condition of barley | ||
Error | Hope that everything will go away on its own | An attempt to squeeze out |
Consequences | Due to the fact that inflammation can go away on its own, many people do not perceive styes as a dangerous disease, which, at a minimum, can cause them discomfort for a long time, and at a maximum, grow into a larger inflammation affecting the tissues. Therefore, facial hygiene and consistent use of prescribed products are extremely important. | The opening of the capsule should occur after “ripening”. This way the purulent masses come out completely, and the inflamed area is washed well. If you try to squeeze out the abscess earlier, the process will continue, and perhaps worsen in an open wound. In addition, this action can provoke the appearance of new inflammatory nodes. |
Symptoms
Stye on the eye means a yellowish or white, not yet opened, abscess on a swollen and reddened eyelid. Just starting to ripen, barley immediately manifests itself with certain symptoms:
- First, itching, burning, and discomfort occur in the eyelid area.
- There may be a small painful area at the edge of the eyelid, which is a kind of hard swelling. The pain intensifies with pressure. The patient may feel as if there is a foreign body in the eye. Upon inspection, nothing will be found.
- The skin in the area of inflammation turns red. Redness can also affect the conjunctiva (the lining of the eye). Hyperthermia in the affected area (local increase in body temperature) often occurs.
- Swelling may develop. In some patients, it is so strong that almost the entire eyelid swells, the eye “swims”, and it becomes impossible to open it.
On the second or third day after the first manifestations, an abscess matures. Outwardly, it looks like a yellow dot visible through the skin. With internal styes, it may be barely noticeable.
At the end of the disease, the abscess opens on its own with copious discharge of pus, finally bringing relief to the patient. Within a week, not a trace remains of the disease. In rare cases, ripened barley may resolve before reaching the opening stage.
External stye
At the beginning of the disease, the patient feels a painful point on the edge of the eyelid. After this, a limited, very painful swelling appears in that place, the skin above it turns red. Subsequently, the swelling of the eyelid increases to the point of significant tumor-like edema, possibly due to swelling of the preauricular glands.
In some cases, barley causes slight swelling, while in other cases it is accompanied by a very large reaction. The swelling of the eyelid can be so severe that a person cannot open his eyes. The severity of pain depends on the intensity of swelling.
On the 2-3 day, purulent contents appear at the edge of the eyelid in the place of greater swelling, which is manifested by the formation of a yellow head. After this, the pain gradually decreases. On the 3-4th day, the barley breaks through, and pus with particles of dead tissue is released from it.
After opening, by the seventh day, swelling and redness quickly decrease and disappear. In the place where the barley has broken through, a small scar may remain, but as a rule, the barley passes without a trace.
Internal stye
The symptoms of internal stye are in many ways similar to external styes. However, inflammation occurs in the thickness of the eyelid and on its inner surface. Typically, the internal stye breaks open and empties into the conjunctival sac.
Internal barley is accompanied by pain and swelling, but the purulent contents here are formed closer to the conjunctiva, so after 2-3 days the purulent contents can be visible from the side of the conjunctiva.
Development of the disease
The cause of stye is an inflammatory process in the sebaceous gland or in the ciliary hair follicle. Further suppuration is possible.
How long does it usually take for a stye to last on the eye? To understand this issue, let’s look at the development of the disease point by point:
- on the first day, one of the eyelids turns red, swelling appears, pain is practically not felt, but there is itching;
- on the second or third day a purulent head appears, the pain is more noticeable, hyperthermia and increased redness of the eyelid are characteristic;
- the final stage - the abscess breaks through, and the patient notices significant relief.
Thus, an illness that is not complicated by any reason lasts from 3 to 5 days. But sometimes barley does not go away for a long time or after opening it appears again and recurs.
Diagnostics
If you suspect a stye, it is best to seek help from an ophthalmologist. After a detailed examination and clarification of the circumstances of the disease, the doctor will be able to prescribe appropriate treatment.
If a person develops stye regularly, the ophthalmologist will prescribe an additional examination, including:
- Detailed clinical and biochemical tests, examination of skin scrapings to detect demodex.
- Analysis of stool and blood to detect helminths.
- Bacteriological culture to identify the pathogen.
- Blood test for sterility.
You may need to consult related specialists (for example, an immunologist, an ENT doctor, an endocrinologist).
Treatment for a child
Stye is an aesthetically very unpleasant disease, so many people, and especially girls, are very worried about stye and try to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
This is understandable: it is impossible to close your face and eyes from curious acquaintances, but you need to work and study somehow. Fortunately, the choice of remedies for barley is quite extensive.
- Iodine, alcohol and brilliant green. You can use these simple remedies to cauterize stye. You just need to do this immediately after you notice swelling. After this, as a rule, the tumor goes away and no longer bothers the person.
- Medications. Apply the eyelid with extreme caution. During the process, you should not touch the eye itself - you should limit yourself to only the swollen area.
- Marigold and chamomile. You can make a compress from decoctions of these flowers and press it to the eye for three minutes several times a day. The main thing is not to overdo it. Three times will be enough.
- Antibacterial ointment. This remedy for styes on the eye is remarkably helpful in fighting the disease, because it usually occurs due to bacteria. Erythromycin ointment is especially popular among buyers. Many also prefer hydrocortisone ointment. Tetracycline ointment brings a good effect, but you need to use it very carefully: you should apply it to the applicator and press it to the affected area, following all the necessary rules. You need to understand that the listed drugs have a very strong effect on the body, and it would be better if you consult with a doctor who will tell you how to use them correctly.
- Antibacterial eye drops. They must be used according to the rules. The result will not be long in coming, because these drops are excellent at fighting germs.
- Physiotherapeutic procedures. Your doctor may recommend ultra-high frequency therapy or dry heat therapy, but you will also take pills at the same time.
When to see a doctor
In most cases, people do not go to the doctor because they believe that stye is not a dangerous inflammation of the eye. However, exceptions do exist and sometimes medical care becomes mandatory. In complex and specific cases, not every person can know what to do to improve their health and eliminate an unpleasant illness.
Seeing a doctor is recommended if a person notices the following unpleasant symptoms:
- temperature increase;
- Strong headache;
- blurred vision due to large swelling of the eye;
- the appearance of regular relapses of barley;
- the disease lasts more than 4–5 days.
Most often, barley should go away on the third or fourth day. In case of severe inflammation, there is a risk of the disease prolonging for up to five to seven days. If, after this period, the tumor still persists, a relapse can be assumed, which signals a serious malfunction of the immune system.
In this situation, you should not only undergo treatment, but also take preventive measures to prevent such situations. If a stye on the eye does not go away within 2 months, it requires mandatory medical attention.
If the course of the disease is favorable, the abscess should break through on the 3rd or 4th day. After this, your health gradually improves.
Drug therapy
So, what will it take to quickly treat stye at home? In general, the standard treatment regimen for stye includes antibacterial drops and antibacterial ointments. In complicated cases, the ophthalmologist prescribes oral antibiotics.
If the purulent vesicle does not open on its own, then it is opened in a medical institution. Antibiotic eye drops are designed to fight microorganisms and prevent the spread of the process. The most effective drops for barley:
- albucid (sodium sulfacyl);
- Phloxal;
- chloramphenicol solution;
- erythromycin;
- penicillin;
- gentamicin;
- ciprolet;
- ciprofloxacin;
- tobrex.
Antibiotic eye ointments perform a similar task, but are intended for use at night because they impair the quality of vision. The best ointments for barley for quick treatment:
- hydrocortisone;
- erythromycin;
- tetracycline.
- floxal (ofloxacin).
Ointments are usually applied at night, and drops are instilled into the eye 3-6 times a day. Accordingly, the drops work during the day, and the ointment at night, which promotes rapid recovery at home.
The duration of treatment until complete relief from the disease is 5-7 days, symptoms will begin to decrease 1-2 days after the start of antibacterial therapy. Do not under any circumstances interrupt the use of medications after symptoms have decreased; adhere to the treatment period prescribed by a specialist.
Stages of development
The inflammatory process goes through several stages:
- Initial stage – the eyelid turns red, slight swelling appears; the patient feels almost no pain or any discomfort, but the pathological area itches intensely.
- After 1–2 days, a head appears, containing purulent exudate; a feeling of pain is formed when pressing on the eyelid; typical symptoms are hyperthermia and severe redness.
- The last stage is the breakthrough of the abscess; the person feels improvement immediately.
Barley stays on the eyelid for 3–5 days. But sometimes the disease drags on or is accompanied by constant relapses.
Recipes for home cooking
Traditional methods in the treatment of stye on the eye can also show positive results, but they are only auxiliary. The use of antibiotics (drops or ointments) is of primary importance.
Let's look at popular recipes to relieve symptoms that you can make yourself at home:
- Hurry up using this remedy, as it is effective only at the initial stage of the disease, BEFORE the formation of an abscess. Then it is strictly forbidden to heat the affected area! You need to hard boil an egg. Without cooling or cleaning it, put it in a handkerchief (or any other clean cloth) and apply it to the eye until it cools completely.
- Pharmaceutical chamomile is popular for its calming, antiseptic and cleansing effect on the body. Therefore, herbalists recommend using this plant to quickly eliminate ripening barley. Pour boiling water over a heaping tablespoon of dry raw materials and leave for half an hour, wrapped in a woolen scarf. Then strain, moisten a cotton pad in the resulting infusion and apply to the affected area. Repeat several times.
- Apply a brew of steamed black tea to the sore spot. You can use worn out tea bags.
- Pour a glass of boiling water over a teaspoon of birch buds, cool and apply lotions often as needed until improvement occurs.
- Lotions: add a glass of boiling water to the plantain herb (3 tablespoons). Wrap it up, let it brew, strain. Apply to the sore eye 4-6 times a day.
- To cure stye on the eye, folk remedies recommend using aloe. Chop a medium-sized leaf and pour boiled cold water (200 grams). After a day you can apply it in the form of lotions.
Remember that it is still not worth treating barley with these remedies alone, since any folk remedy only alleviates external symptoms without eliminating the disease itself.
When preparing folk remedies, you need to strictly observe all the proportions of the ingredients in their composition and ensure complete sterility of all procedures.
Heat treatment
- This traditional folk method has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in accelerating the ripening process and naturally emptying the inflamed area of pus. The following should be applied to the site of inflammation: A hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a clean handkerchief, and hold it until it cools.
- You can use a boiled tuber of not very hot potatoes as a “heating element”.
- Heated flax seeds or salt in a frying pan will help.
But heat also contributes to the accelerated development of infection - microbiologists have proven that staphylococcus feels great and multiplies at elevated temperatures.
Also, ruptured pus can infect surrounding tissues and organs, which can lead to terrible complications. Therefore, heat treatment should either be completely excluded or used with extreme caution!
Causes of lingering stye
Main reasons:
- Traditional methods for fighting barley do not cope with severe infection, which leads to a persistent inflammatory process. In this case, there is no need to postpone a visit to the doctor - this condition can lead to complications, including loss of part of your vision.
- The immune system does not fight well against an uninvited guest - an infection or virus. A stye on the eye does not go away for 2 months or more or appears immediately after it bursts. In this case, it is necessary to approach treatment comprehensively along with taking vitamins and immunomodulators. Monitor your diet and healthy lifestyle.
- Therapy not started in a timely manner. Ophthalmologists recommend treatment while the stye is not yet ripe. At the first signs, you need to apply dry heat to the eye - a boiled egg, etc. Next, apply ointments and drops every three to four hours.
- Speeding up the process by piercing or extruding. Sometimes a sick person wants to speed up the recovery time. Decides to get rid of the problem on his own, but does not wait for the abscess to mature. An independent procedure can not only prolong the course of the disease, but also lead to complications in the form of sepsis. Barley should take two to five days to ripen; if this does not happen, then you should consult a doctor.
- Constant presence of a person in conditions favorable for the development of the disease: draft, cold, high humidity or very dry air. In this case, you need to think about strengthening your immune system.
A stye is often confused with a chalazion. This is a growth that presses on the eye. Unlike the inflammatory process on the eyelid, it does not cause discomfort or pain to a person, there is no hyperemia. The reason for the development of chalazion is clogging of the sebaceous glands or a violation of the outflow of secretions. Often this disease is a complication of barley. But it is already a different ailment, to which its own treatment methods are applied.
In order not to progress the disease to a dangerous state, it is important to consult a specialist in time.
Chalazion therapy
It is better to be examined by a doctor in the early stages of the disease, so the therapy will speed up. Prolonged inactivity causes the chalazion to grow and thicken, thereby interfering with normal vision.
At the initial stage, you can use ointments (erythromycin, chloramphenicol), drops and physiotherapeutic procedures. In advanced cases, treatment with injections with a resolving effect is required.
Surgery can be done if the chalazion reaches a size of 5 ml or more. The procedure will not take more than 10-11 minutes, after it there are no scars, marks, scars.
How to speed up the breakthrough of stye on the eye?
Source: symptoms-treatment.rf
Thus, traditional healers advise starting therapy if, after 4-5 days from the onset of swelling on the eyelid, pus does not mature in it, the eyelid simply remains red.
To speed up the appearance of a purulent core, you need to apply a hard-boiled egg to the inflamed area, after wrapping it in an ironed handkerchief. It should be warm and under no circumstances hot!
The first application should not exceed 30-40 seconds, then the duration of the manipulation should be increased. To obtain maximum results, that is, rapid maturation, such an event should be carried out 3-4 times a day.
As soon as the formation of purulent contents is visible, the procedures should be stopped. In general, traditional healers advise applying an egg to the eyelids at the first sign of stye. This way you can get rid of it much faster.
Onions are another option for accelerating the maturation of inflammation on the eyelid. In this case, you need to take a small vegetable, peel it, bake it in the oven and apply it warm to the eyelid.
Baked onions have always been used to draw out pus and accelerate the maturation of boils in any place on the skin. And when treating an ophthalmological problem, this remedy also helps a lot.
Garlic will also be a good helper. The cut vegetable slice should be applied with the cut to the area of inflammation for 20-25 minutes. Such compresses must be changed throughout the day. The vegetable has excellent bactericidal properties.
It cleans well, disinfects, and kills pathogenic microorganisms. Many people use dry soap compresses if the inflammation on the eyelid does not mature and recovery is delayed. It is advisable to take tar or household goods.
The composition of these hygiene products will help to quickly cope with the inflamed eyelid, accelerate the appearance of exudate, and the breakthrough of the abscess. You need to soak a small piece of soap and apply it to your eyelid, fix it with a band-aid.
Keep the compress for at least half an hour. It is recommended to change it 3-4 times during the day. Another effective and simple remedy is agave juice. Freshly squeezed must be used.
It is recommended to use it in the form of an aqueous solution in a 3:1 ratio, but it can also be used in its pure form. A cotton pad or swab is moistened in the liquid and, again, applied to the affected eyelid.
It would not be amiss to remind you that during the therapy period you must especially carefully observe personal hygiene and avoid drafts. The latter sometimes cause problems or prolonged immaturity of the internal contents of the inflamed eyelid.
Why doesn't stye break out on my eye?
Source: zrenie.online
There are several factors why barley does not break through.
Ineffective treatment
Therapy is based on the use of eye antibacterial drugs (drops, ointments), rinses and compresses. With intensive treatment, ordinary barley breaks out within 2-3 days, and the inflammation goes away within a week.
But it happens that drug treatment does not give the desired result for the following reasons:
- late start of therapy;
- the use of eye drops and ointments without prior examination by an ophthalmologist;
- improper treatment with drugs, violation of the conditions of their use or small dosages.
Low immunity
Causes of reduced immunity:
- recent cold or infectious disease;
- presence of chronic illnesses
If the cause of inflammatory processes is reduced immunity, you need to remember that improving the functioning of the immune system should take place simultaneously with therapy against barley.
When the body's protective functions fail, Staphylococcus aureus (the main cause of eye stye) is instantly activated. To prevent the formation of an abscess on the eyelid, you need to know what circumstances can lead to a weakened immune system, and try to prevent them from entering your life.
These include:
- poor health by inheritance, when all kinds of viruses regularly cling to the body;
- poor (low-quality, poor) nutrition;
- various internal diseases (the cause of stye on the eye can lie in both severe chronic pathologies and ordinary caries);
- dysbacteriosis (manifests itself due to disruption of intestinal microflora, lack of blood cells);
- bad habits;
- long-term use of medications (most often the cause of weakened immunity is antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives);
- poor environmental conditions: gas pollution, smoke, release of large amounts of harmful chemical substances into the atmosphere;
- regular stress, overwork, excessive physical and mental stress, lack of sleep, bad mood.
As soon as the cause of weakened immunity, due to which barley appears under the eye, is clarified, all measures must be taken to eliminate it, thereby speeding up the desired recovery.
At the same time, you have to reconsider your diet, daily routine, free yourself from the harmful influence of bad habits, treat underlying diseases, try to worry less, avoid stress, and avoid dark thoughts.
It is on these factors, which seem insignificant at first glance, that immunity depends, the weakening of which is the main reason for the occurrence of purulent stye on the eye.
If barley does not go away for several months: causes of complications
The appearance of stye means that an infection or virus has entered the hair follicle of the eyelash. The pathogen provokes swelling, redness, and soreness in the eye. Often barley goes away on its own even without the use of medications - activated immunity leads to the destruction of the source of inflammation, the abscess breaks through and the eyelid is restored. To speed up this process, ointments, drops and disinfectant solutions are used.
Barley that does not go away for a long time indicates the presence of negative factors that impede healing. These include:
- low protective abilities of the immune system (the body is not able to defeat the disease without help);
- prescription of ineffective therapy or its incorrect implementation;
- chronic viral or infectious diseases occurring in the body;
- hormonal imbalance;
- infection with acne gland (parasitic mite).
Let's consider how one or another of the listed circumstances prevents barley from going away quickly.
The danger of removing an abscess yourself
You cannot squeeze out the pus yourself. Purulent inflammation can spread throughout the entire mucous membrane of the eye and infect not only the eyeball, but also nearby tissues. This infection can cause meningitis and other acute diseases.
When puncturing, the integrity of the purulent capsule, in which part of the pus is retained, is disrupted. It can get inside the eye socket or into the circulatory system. The neoplasm is not dangerous to the body, but if you puncture or squeeze it out yourself, complications will not keep you waiting.
The most common consequences of squeezing barley include:
- abscess of the eyelid;
- thrombosis of the ophthalmic veins;
- inflammatory processes of the brain;
- blood poisoning.