Stye: causes, symptoms and treatment to cure it

A stye is a red bump near the edge of the eyelid that looks like a pimple or pimple.. It is relatively common for it to appear, although there are people more likely than others to develop styes more frequently.

Although they are painful and annoying, they do not pose a serious health risk. Some care must be taken so that they do not become infected and cause a greater problem, and there are some solutions to alleviate the discomfort and facilitate its disappearance.

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What is a stye?

A stye is a lump on the eyelid that causes pain. This appears because the sebaceous glands swell due to an infection caused by the staph bacteria.

When this bacterium lodges in any of the areas of the eyelid, this swelling occurs that gives rise to the annoying stye. If it appears on the edge of the eyelids, then it is an external stye, while if it appears from the inside it is called an internal stye.

However, either type of stye requires the same care and precautions. They have similar characteristics in terms of symptoms and possible complications, in reality only the name changes depending on where they are located.

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Causes

Staphylococcus bacteria is the culprit in the appearance of the stye. This bacteria directly affects the sebaceous glands found in the eyelids. It can lodge in the area where the eyelashes are born and cause an infection.

There are other factors that could trigger the appearance of a stye beyond a bacterial infection. Although they are not so common causes, there is knowledge that there are other causes that cause the appearance of this annoying pimple.

These causes are hormonal changes, stress and contagion by an infection (close to the eye, nose or ears). Although this is less likely to happen, it should not be ruled out that its appearance may be due to any of these symptoms.

Symptoms

Stye symptoms are very clear. The first thing that happens before it appears is that there is pain in the eyelid, causing redness and tenderness in the area.

After these first symptoms appear, a red pimple begins to appear. This can be accompanied by inflammation throughout the eye, and in some cases there is intense tearing.

Styes do not harm or affect vision in any way. If any other type of vision discomfort appears or is damaged in any way, it is important to see a doctor; This should not be related to the appearance of a stye.

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What to avoid

There are myths about how to relieve a stye, most are advised against by doctors. One of the most common is to squeeze or pop the stye as if it were a common pimple. This should not be done for any reason as it can spread the infection and aggravate something that does not represent any risk at first.

A very popular myth is that any metal (mainly a ring) is rubbed with clothes and put on the stye. This became popular because the heat produced by the friction of the metal with the clothes, could cure the stye. But it is not a good idea and it can make the infection worse.

While the stye lasts, no type of cosmetic should be used in this area. It is best to get rid of the cosmetics that were being used as they could be already infected and repeat the circle over and over again.

When to go to the doctor?

The appearance of a stye does not require urgent medical attentionAlthough it is good to be able to go to a professional to review the case without taking too long. A stye shouldn't lead to complications, but your doctor should examine it.

It is necessary to go to the doctor if after 48 hours of its appearance it seems to get worse. If redness or swelling extends to the cheeks or other nearby areas, it should be examined by a professional. Also if vision is affected in any way

It is also advisable to go to the doctor if the appearance of styes is very frequent. In this case, some treatment or cleaning routine may be recommended, as this helps reduce the frequency with which a stye appears.

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Treatment

Styes have a life cycle that must be allowed to pass. The reality is that there is not much else to do about it. The medical treatment for a stye basically consists of a series of cares to avoid complications.

The first thing to do is take extreme hygiene measures and not touch your eyes with dirty hands. Applying warm compresses to the eyes can help decrease inflammation. In addition, it may be advisable to wear sunglasses if you go outside to prevent any dirt particles from entering the eye.

In some cases the doctor may prescribe antibiotic creams. This resource should always be at the discretion of the medical specialist and under his supervision. It is a measure that can be used in some cases in the face of recurrent appearance of styes.

How to prevent the appearance of a stye?

With some prevention measures you can avoid the appearance of a stye. Some people are much more likely than others to suffer from this discomfort, and in this situation, precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of its appearance.

The most important preventive measure is not to touch or rub your eyes with dirty hands. This is a very high risk factor, especially in people who get styes frequently.

Another important step is to use quality eye makeup products and remove makeup daily. It is also important not to use other people's cosmetics.

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Bibliographic references

• Carlisle, R.T. and Digiovanni, J. (2015). Differential Diagnosis of the Swollen Red Eyelid. American Family Physician, 92 (2), 106–112.

• Deibel, J.P. and Cowling, K. (2013). Ocular inflammation and infection. Emergency medicine clinics of North America, 31 (2), 387–397.

• Tamparo, C. and Lewis, M. (2011). Diseases of the Human Body. Philadelphia, PA: F.A Davis Company.