Using a Hot Compress to Treat Eye Styes
If you have developed an eye stye you should know that this is a very common ailment that many people get around the world every day. The method described in this article is a common way many people have treated eye styes over the years, but this is not meant as medical advice and you should talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about your stye.
An eye stye can form in many different ways, including from a flu, not washing your hands and rubbing your eye, or just coming into contact with someone who has an infection. A stye will appear as a pimple or blister on your eyelid and it can cause your eye to appear swollen. The stye will usually itch a lot and cause redness of your eyes. Although it can be annoying and even scary to have an eye stye, it’s important to note that it should not be life-threatening and should not cause any long-term problems with your vision.
Using a hot compress on eye styes is not so much a home remedy as it is a means to help alleviate some of the pain and irritation associated with eye styes.
First you will need a warm wet cloth. You can either run hot water over a wash cloth to warm it, or you can put a wet cloth in the microwave for a few seconds. Either way, make sure you do not make the cloth too hot or you will burn yourself and cause even greater irritation and pain. Now lean back and close your eyes as you gently lay the cloth over your eyes. You will probably experience immediate relief, but you should do this 4-5 times a day until the stye is gone.
Some advise to put aloe in the wet cloth to put over your eyes as well. This can help with the irritation and itchiness. There are many different ways to use a wet compress, including wet tea bags and even coriander seed, but the principle is the same. That the cloth must be warm, wet, and applied for at least 10 minutes. If the cloth gets cool on your face you should remove it.
Since eye styes occur as a bacterial infection you should remember to wash your hands as much as possible and try to avoid touching or rubbing your eyes. Yes, it will itch like crazy, but itching it will only make it worse and last longer. It might also be tempting to try to squeeze or pop your eye stye, but this will also make matters worse, and could even cause an eye stye to spread to your other eye or to someone else you come in contact with. Retaining proper hygiene will be the best defense against styes, so always use a separate towel than someone else in your household, especially if you already have a stye or someone else in your house does.
