Natural therapy has been used to urgently solve some common health problems and both natural elements and knowledge derived from traditional practice are used.
Among the health problems treated by naturopathic medicine are eye diseases such as conjunctivitis and traditional medicine has found the use of home remedies to alleviate their symptoms.
For this reason, in this article we provide you with information on some home remedies to relieve conjunctivitis .
What is conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is an irritation or inflammation of the conjunctive membrane that covers the cornea of the eyeball and the inner part of the eyelid, which constitutes a problem for people’s quality of life.
Note: Conjunctivitis can present in several ways, but the two most common are bacterial conjunctivitis, which is caused by a virus or bacteria, and allergic conjunctivitis, caused by allergic processes in the body. (1)
It should be noted that the symptoms that a patient with conjunctivitis presents include redness, itching and watery eyes. It can also cause discharge or crusting around the eyes, commonly called rheum.
home remedies for conjunctivitis
Traditional medicine has arranged a series of natural therapies to alleviate the annoying symptoms of conjunctivitis and which we mention below:
1. Cold water compresses
Cold compresses have the property of relieving some symptoms derived from conjunctivitis such as swelling and itching in the conjunctive membrane, since cold has an analgesic property.
To do this, a sterile compress should be moistened in cold water and then placed on the affected eye with the eyelid closed for a few minutes, removed and repeated twice a day.
To highlight: Cold water compresses only relieve some symptoms of conjunctivitis , but they do not solve the condition, especially if the infection is of bacterial origin, so it is advisable to see a doctor .
2. Physiological serum
Physiological serum is a saline solution, which is recommended mainly because it is a medication that is totally sterile , which indicates that it will not cause irritation or any other damage since its chemical composition is similar to tears.
In the case of conjunctivitis, it is very common to get sleepy eyes when you get up, even if your eyes are closed because of it.
In this sense, physiological saline is used to clean and maintain eye hygiene, so in this situation a sterile compress should be moistened with physiological saline and proceed with cleaning. Then place a few drops inside the eyes.
You should know: Physiological serum is also used to clean and maintain contact lens hygiene.
3. Chamomile compresses
Chamomile has been reported to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and sedative properties. The use of chamomile compresses is to relieve the discomfort of conjunctivitis such as inflammation of the blood vessels and irritation, as well as causing an analgesic effect in the affected area.
Note: The application of the chamomile compress will begin with the preparation of a chamomile infusion and when it is at room temperature, a sterile compress should be moistened with the infusion and applied to the affected eye, leaving it there for at least two minutes. times a day.
4. Calendula compresses
Calendula (2) has many properties, including anti -inflammatory and antibacterial (3) . In conjunctivitis, this plant is used to relieve some of its discomforts such as inflammation, as well as to prevent the excessive growth of the number of bacteria that cause these infections.
In this case, an infusion should be prepared with the flowers of this plant , which will be allowed to cool to room temperature and with the use of a sterile compress or a sterile cloth moistened with this infusion, place on the affected eyes at least twice . a day for a few minutes.
To highlight: For the definitive remission of the infection that causes conjunctivitis, it is advisable to visit the ophthalmologist so that he can indicate a suitable antibiotic.
5. Salt water
It has been described that the salt has antiseptic properties , so it could work in the treatment to relieve the discomfort of conjunctivitis.
One of the ways to use it is by diluting a small amount of salt in a container with water and shaking it until both elements are mixed, then inserting the head with the eyes open for a few seconds so that the liquid penetrates the eyes.
You should know: Salt water can help reduce the bacteria that cause conjunctivitis.
6. Green tea compresses
Another of the home remedies, used to relieve the symptoms of conjunctivitis with quite promising results, is the use of green tea compresses . Thanks to its chemical compounds with antioxidant properties , green tea favors the inflammation of the conjunctiva membrane and reduces irritation.
Note: In this case prepare an infusion of green tea and let stand until it reaches room temperature. Then soak a compress and place it on the affected eyes for a few minutes and repeat this operation at least twice a day.
7. Carrot Juice Compresses
In this case, the carrot is used as an effective natural anti-inflammatory , to mitigate some of the discomfort caused by conjunctivitis.
To do this, carrot juice must be made taking care that the water used is drinkable and sterile. It is recommended, in order not to use water, to remove the juice from the carrot with a juice extractor .
To highlight: In either case, we must make sure to strain the juice very well, then soak a sterile compress and apply for a few minutes to the affected area at least 2 times a day.
Key takeaways
- Conjunctivitis is an irritation or inflammation of the conjunctiva membrane.
- Home remedies for conjunctivitis help reduce inflammation and irritation.
- In some cases, home remedies can control the growth of the bacteria that cause conjunctivitis.
- It is advisable to attend the ophthalmologist to accurately treat conjunctivitis.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.