5 misconceptions about treating barley in the eye
Many have encountered such a nuisance as barley on the eye. This disease appears due to infection of the mucous membranes with pathogenic bacteria, in most cases - Staphylococcus aureus. Risk factors are reduced immunity, endocrine disorders, chronic inflammatory processes in the tissues of the eye, hypovitaminosis and severe hypothermia.
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Symptoms (redness, pain, swelling, and itching) usually develop very quickly. Then, within 2-3 days, a small abscess matures on the inner or outer surface of the eyelid. The disease is not considered dangerous, but it can significantly complicate the patient's life and disrupt his plans for several days.
There are many myths about the treatment of barley. Today we bring to the attention of our readers the most common of them.
Warming up
The advice to "warm up well" the place where the barley is formed can often be heard at the very beginning of the disease. Particularly popular are "dry heat" warming, usually with salt or sand. They are heated in a dry frying pan, and then placed in a cloth bag, which is applied to the eye. The second place in the list of warming agents is confidently held by hard-boiled chicken eggs used hot as a compress.
Doctors warn: any attempt to warm the affected eye leads to increased inflammation. Under the influence of heat, the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms is activated. As a result, swelling and the amount of purulent discharge increase, and the abscess, which, in fact, is barley, expands and spreads to adjacent tissues.
Barley can be cured with saliva
The misconception that barley passes if someone unexpectedly spits in the eye of a sick person is sometimes heard from well-educated people. The origin of this myth is unclear. And it is completely unclear what role the suddenness of an unhygienic “procedure” plays in the cure.
As for the effect of saliva on the focus of the inflammatory process, it seems more than doubtful. Saliva does contain natural antiseptics, theoretically they are able to reduce inflammation, but their concentration is extremely low, insufficient to achieve any significant effect. In addition, aggressive bacteria and fungi may well appear in saliva, especially if the "healer" has dental problems.
Treatment with medicinal herbs
The list of medicinal herbs, decoctions and infusions of which supposedly help to quickly cope with barley, is great. It includes such well-known antiseptic agents as chamomile, wild rosemary, plantain, calendula, birch buds … The most accessible is a compress of black or green tea.
No one argues that these plants have healing properties. In the absence of individual intolerance, they cannot harm a patient with barley. Compresses with decoctions or steamed grass are quite capable of reducing the itching and swelling of the eyelid at the very beginning of the disease, but they cannot cope with an infectious pathogen.
The advice to treat barley by eating 10 tansy flowers 2-3 times a day looks absolutely absurd. Obviously, this will not affect a bacterial infection in any way, but a negative reaction from the digestive tract is quite possible.
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Barley disappears after burning with brilliant green
A well-known method: moxibustion of the point on the eyelid, from which the barley "grows", with a solution of brilliant green (as an option - with pure alcohol). The procedure is carried out several times a day using a toothpick, a finely sharpened match or a cotton swab.
The effectiveness of such a fight against rapidly developing inflammation is questionable. But there is a very high risk of brilliant green (alcohol) getting on the cornea and injuring it with a sharp object. Needless to say, then the patient's suffering will intensify?
Garlic or aloe juice treatment
An attempt to make the barley "dissolve" with the help of aloe or garlic juice can lead to no less unpleasant consequences. In this case, it will not be possible to stop the inflammatory process, and the ingress of caustic liquid into the eye will cause an extremely unpleasant burning sensation and aggravate the problem.
Barley on the eye is an acute purulent inflammatory process. He is successfully treated with antiseptic preparations in the form of ointments and drops, but only a specialist can choose the means adequate to the situation. Therefore, at the first signs of an illness, you need to see a doctor.
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Maria Kulkes Medical journalist About the author
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".
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