Sty on the eye

[sheddie]

My daughter keeps getting one sty after another on both eyes, what does anyone know about the cause of these please? X:cool:

[sandybay]

I think they are caused by infections caused by bacteria. My mum used to say that they came when you were 'run down' and that a old remedy was to rub the stye with your mother's wedding ring. Maybe not as daft as it sounds as silver is used as an antibacterial in wound dressings so maybe gold has a similar effect.

When I was still working people were just starting to use 30 degree washes instead of 40 degrees or higher in their washing machines. Some of the doctors I worked for had concerns that washing underwear at 30degrees was not killing off bugs and would lead to an increase in thrush type conditions. It is important to wash pillowcases and towels on a very hot wash if one of the family has conjunctivitis. Maybe it's worth your daughter making sure she uses a hotter wash and doesn't mix undies with towels etc as a precaution as styes are caused by staph germs.

[sheddie]

Thanks Sandy she's coming for the weekend so I will rub my wedding ring on it. A good tip also about the washing machine. X

[baab95]

Thanks for the tips Sandybay. Like Sheddie's daughter I currently have one. I've been using antibiotic eye drops for almost a week and still no sign of it departing. I'll give your methods a try.

[sandybay]

re washing clothes and towels at low temperatures - did a bit of googling last night and it is recommended to add disinfectant to low temperature washes to kill germs on certain items. Although everyone wants to be eco-concious I personally would prefer to to do one hotter wash per week than use disinfectants. While we need to help the planet the individul health of humans, particularly the young and the elderly whose immune systems may be not as strong, is important too. Unfortunately some of the eco-measures we are drummed into using may have unintentional consequences.

also re my mum's folk remedy - probably best to give the wedding ring a good wash under the hot tap first so as not to introduce any more bugs !

[sheddie]

Sandy I tried the wedding ring and it seems to have helped.

[sandybay]

Oh good. Hope she doesn't suffer again soon.

By the way, about low temperature washes I've had a pongy washing machine this week. I contacted Bosch and was told that by using 30degree washes bacteria and old washing powder builds up around the seals etc.
They suggested doing up to 6 [yes 6] empty machine washes at 90 degrees using biological powder to solve the problem and use Milton sterilising solution to wash out the powder tray and round the door. Never had a smelly machine since first had a machine 29 years ago, only since started doing 30 degree washes this year.

Was also told by the manufacturer that unmelted powder and liquid detergent can build up around the drum when doing low energy washes and it eats into the metal, b*******ing up the machine. Another unintentional side effect of being eco aware may be to end up increasing the landfill with washing machines that have broken down with corrosion.