Why does a child's eyes fester when he has a cold or ARVI?


Causes

The most common cause of pus and mucus from the eyes is a blocked tear duct. A certain number of children are born with a blocked or closed tear duct. The tear stagnates in it, and the release of microbes is disrupted. Purulent inflammation of the lacrimal canal occurs.

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As the child grows up, this problem goes away on its own. Therapeutic measures consist of constantly removing accumulated pus from the eye by wiping it with a clean cotton pad. To eliminate this cause, massage the nasolacrimal duct. If you do this constantly, you can finally solve the problem.

A child may be sensitive to various allergens. In this case, he will more often show symptoms of an acute respiratory viral disease. As a result of the inflammatory process, profuse lacrimation and swelling of the nasal mucosa appear. These phenomena make nasal breathing difficult.

A runny nose makes it difficult for tears to flow out. Together with microbes, they enter the eyes, causing inflammation in them, accompanied by suppuration and redness. Often acute conjunctivitis occurs in parallel with acute respiratory viral infections.

Folk remedies that will remove runny nose and lacrimation

You can remove swelling of the nasal mucosa by rinsing it with the following means:

  1. Saline solution - 1 tsp per 300 ml of water. salt, stir thoroughly.
  2. Soda solution - 1 tsp per 300 ml of water. baking soda, stir until dissolved.

Washing is carried out 2-3 times daily. When the swelling of the mucous membrane decreases, tear production will immediately decrease.

Other folk remedies will also help with tears during a runny nose and with the runny nose itself.

Calendula decoction

1 tbsp. pour 300 ml of boiling water over a spoonful of dried flowers, leave for a quarter of an hour and filter. Used for washing mucous membranes - nasal passages and eyes.

Cornflower flowers for conjunctivitis

1 tbsp. pour a glass of boiling water over a spoonful of dried flowers, cover and leave for 1-2 hours. Strain the liquid and use it to wet tampons, which are then applied to the eyelids for 10-15 minutes twice a day.

Dill water

1 tbsp. a spoonful of dill seeds is poured with boiling water and infused for 1 to 3 hours. The product is used to wash the eyes.

A runny nose and excessive lacrimation are symptoms that can occur simultaneously and primarily indicate intense inflammation of the nasal passages. In this case, it is very important to choose the right treatment. If an adult's eyes are watery, but this is not accompanied by a fever, the cause is most likely an allergic reaction. But if there is an elevated body temperature, watery eyes and a severe runny nose, then these may be signs of a viral infection, which is dangerous for others and therefore requires immediate effective treatment.

Chamomile decoction

1 tbsp. A spoonful of dried flowers is poured into 300 ml of cold water and heated to a boil. After boiling, keep on fire for 3-5 minutes, remove from it and cool. In the strained broth, you can moisten cotton pads and apply them to your eyes to reduce tear production. If you take the decoction internally, it will relieve inflammation and will be an effective remedy for runny nose and sneezing.

Description of symptoms

Viral conjunctivitis is severe. The child's eyes fester, the body temperature rises above 38 degrees. The nose is usually stuffy. The infectious disease causes swelling of the eyelids and redness of the mucous membrane. Due to the constant secretion of pus, it is difficult for a child to open and close his eyes. They begin to be afraid of bright light, which is why they are forced to hide from it.

It feels like sand has been poured into the eye.

In adenoviral conjunctivitis, the conjunctiva is red, with gray-pink follicles found on it. The discharge from the eyes contains a large amount of mucus and pus. After a few days, inflammation of nearby lymph nodes develops. Adenoviral conjunctivitis is seasonal and worsens during an epidemic of influenza and acute respiratory infections.

If pus remains in the palpebral fissure for a long time, maceration develops - active inflammation of the skin around the eyes. Infants suffer such inflammation especially painfully, because they cannot wipe their eyes on their own. As a result of maceration, very severe itching and pain in the eyes appears.

Sometimes parents discover pus in the child's eyes in the morning when he cannot open them. The eyelids appear stuck together.

Other symptoms of inflammation:

  • inflammation of the eyeball;
  • burning, itching;
  • swelling of the eyelids;
  • secretion of a large amount of tear fluid.

Necessary treatment

Once the symptoms presented are discovered, you should not carry out independent treatment. Send your child to the hospital to prescribe effective therapy. This is the only way you can prevent the development of complications.

Treatment for an adult

When watery eyes and a runny nose strike an adult, it is advisable to prescribe him the following medications:

  1. Tetracycline ointment . It has a bacterial effect. It is very effective to use ointment in the presence of infections and microorganisms. It is used when the symptoms presented are caused by conjunctivitis. Apply a small amount of tetracycline ointment to the eyelid. It is necessary to carry out such manipulations 2-3 times. It is extremely rare, but side effects from such therapy do occur. They lead to the development of increased sensitivity to UV radiation, allergies and fungal diseases.
  2. Hydrocortisone . Helps relieve swelling, inflammation, itching and allergies. This effect of therapy allows the ointment to be used for ophthalmia and conjunctivitis. Hydrocortisone helps to quickly eliminate lacrimation resulting from chemical and thermal burns of the visual organ. Treatment should be carried out by a doctor. The composition should be used 2 times a day. The ointment should not be used by patients under 18 years of age or by women during pregnancy.
  3. Erythromycin ointment . When applied, it is possible to achieve deep penetration into the cornea and tear fluid. Has an antibacterial effect. The medication can slow down the synthesis of proteins of microorganisms. As a result, the development of the infectious process is blocked. Erythromycyte is an effective remedy for eliminating lacrimation caused by blepharitis, conjunctivitis, and keratitis. It is necessary to apply the ointment after thoroughly cleaning the visual organ of all secretions. Apply ointment to the skin of the eyelid. It is possible to reduce lacrimation after just a few applications. And after 2 days you can forget about redness and itching.


The medication is non-toxic, so it can be used even to treat small patients.
In addition to the ointments presented, adults can be prescribed drops with a moisturizing effect in gel form:

  • Systane;
  • Oftagel;
  • Vidisik.

In adults, watery eyes may be the result of eye strain. It can be triggered by prolonged reading, sitting at the computer, or watching TV. Then you can eliminate tearfulness with regular rest or compresses.

It is necessary to use alternative treatment only after consultation with a doctor. In some cases, it is allowed to combine folk recipes with traditional methods of therapy. Thus, it is possible to get a positive result very quickly.

How to treat a child

How to treat a child? Before you begin treating your child, it is necessary to understand the reason that caused watery eyes and a runny nose. Before you see a doctor and he prescribes antibacterial or hormonal drops, you can use the following treatment:

  1. Rinse the eye organs with strong tea, a decoction of chamomile, calendula or sage. Such procedures are effective for purulent inflammatory processes. Soak a cotton pad in the prepared product and rinse your eyes from the outer corner to the inner. Such manipulations must be done 4-6 times a day. Be sure to make sure that between washings the baby does not touch his eyes with his hands.
  2. In the allergic form of conjunctivitis, it is necessary to flush the gas with saline. Antihistamine drops such as Diazolin and Allregodil are also used.
  3. In case of purulent conjunctivitis, the affected eyes must be washed frequently. Before visiting the clinic, you can use safe medications such as Levomecithin drops or Tetracycline ointment in the process. It is used to treat the eyelid of the affected eye.

Treatment of a baby if the eye is watery and there is a runny nose

How to treat an infant if his eyes are also watery (or one eye is watery)? If the presented signs were found in infants, then immediately contacting a doctor is the key to success. He will be able to prescribe effective therapy taking into account all the features of the disease. At home, you should wash the affected eyes with chamomile decoction, constantly massage and drip Albucil drops.

When the treatment provided does not produce the desired effect, it is necessary to go back to the clinic for re-diagnosis and prescribing a specific method of therapy.

Anti-infection drops are available in a wide range. But it can be very difficult to put them in the eyes of a baby. In this case, ointments are prescribed. They may also prescribe a solution of furacelin. To determine the appropriate treatment method, you should consult your doctor.

Massage

Before starting a massage, you must maintain hygiene and wash your hands. When lacrimation is a sign of dacryocystitis, then this is the most effective and correct method of therapy. The effect of the massage is aimed at preventing purulent and yellowish discharge from the baby’s eyes.


It is very important to follow the exact direction.

The massage involves performing gentle vibrating movements that allow pressure on the tear duct of the visual organ. You need to move from the outer corner to the bottom. If purulent contents are released from the eyes, then it is worth removing it with a cotton swab. If you regularly perform the presented manipulations, then recovery will soon come, and the child will feel much better.

Probing

When drops, ointments and massage do not have the desired effect, the doctor decides to carry out probing. After a thorough examination of the child, he will wait some more time to confirm the diagnosis. When all his suspicions are justified, he schedules an operation. The entire process is carried out under local anesthesia. During the operation, probing will be performed, which consists of using a wire probe. As a rule, such an operation ends successfully and the baby will forget about his illness forever.

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Causes of pus from the eyes

There are the following reasons for the appearance of large amounts of pus from the eyes:

  • viral pathology of the eye, most often conjunctivitis;
  • dacryocystitis - inflammation of the lacrimal canal;
  • bacteria – cocci, herpes viruses, measles;
  • getting allergens into the eye - dust, wool, pollen;
  • sore throat or sinusitis;
  • an infection that entered the child’s body from the mother or from poorly sterilized materials;
  • foreign body;
  • high intraocular pressure.

The eyes may also produce large amounts of pus as a result of a decrease in the body's overall immune defenses. In this case, the eyes become vulnerable to even minor infections.

The most dangerous is considered to be internal inflammation of the mucous membrane. It threatens complete loss of vision.

The appearance of a large amount of pus is dangerous for the organ of vision. It can cause such diseases.

  • Blepharitis is an inflammation of the inner mucous surface of the eyelids. The disease is difficult to treat and quickly becomes chronic.
  • Keratitis is an inflammatory disease of the cornea. The disease can become chronic and can lead to vision loss.
  • Entropion is an inward turning of the edges of the eyelids and eyelashes. The eyes become vulnerable to viruses and bacteria.
  • Hypopyon is the accumulation of pus in the eyes. The disease is most often treated surgically.
  • Xerophthalmia (dry eye) occurs as a result of damage to the lacrimal gland. Poorly hydrated eyes often become inflamed.

Treatment of colds with suppuration of the eyes

Eye treatment begins with diagnosing the disease. Usually a routine medical examination is sufficient for this. With rapid progression of the disease, it is necessary to undergo tests to determine the bacterial microflora. They will help you find out the type of pathogen in your eyes. Additional diagnostic measures:

  • ophthalmoscopy (examination of the fundus of the eye);
  • ultrasound examination of the eyes;
  • measurement of visual acuity.

The essence of treatment is to keep the organ of vision clean. To do this, wash the eyes. Ointments with antibacterial substances - antibiotics - should be used only as prescribed by a doctor. These drugs allow the disease to occur in a milder form, while a smaller amount of purulent contents is formed. During this treatment, the child tolerates the disease more easily and is less bothered by itching and irritation.

Purulent discharge must be constantly removed. You need to moisten a cotton pad with cool boiled water. Eyes can be treated with a solution of furatsilin or potassium permanganate during the day. As a rule, conjunctivitis does not cause dangerous consequences, the disease goes away within a week.

Sometimes a baby may have a cough, runny nose, and purulent eyes at the same time. This is how an acute respiratory viral infection manifests itself. There is no need to use eye drops: the tear ducts will clear on their own as rhinitis subsides. It is advisable to use vasoconstrictor drugs for the nose: they will quickly relieve the symptoms of rhinitis. It is not recommended to use them for more than 5 days.

When the lacrimal canal becomes infected, conservative treatment methods are used. Surgery is indicated only for chronic forms of narrowing of the lacrimal canal.

A cold that causes suppuration of a child's eyes is treated with inhalations. A nebulizer is better suited for this, in which the appropriate drugs are placed.

What to do, how to treat a runny nose and lacrimation?

Treatment is a two-stage process: it is necessary to remove both the symptoms (nasal congestion and watery eyes) and the root cause of this condition. It is preferable that treatment be carried out under the supervision of an ENT doctor, since he will be able not only to make an accurate diagnosis, but also to evaluate the success of treatment: each body has an individual reaction to the same drug, therefore, with the same diagnosis, one medicine is effective for some people, for others - different.

How to relieve symptoms?

This is the first thing you need to do to make yourself feel better. It should be remembered that without treating the root cause, the condition can only be temporarily improved, so you should not limit yourself to just relieving symptoms.

First of all, when the eyes are watery from a runny nose, it is important to relieve swelling of the nasal tissues - they are the ones who narrow the nasolacrimal duct and prevent secretions from leaving in the traditional way. To achieve this task, vasoconstrictor drugs such as “Nazivin”, “Otrivin”, “Naphthyzin”, “Rinotays” are used. It is preferable for children to choose the drug in the form of drops, for adults - in the form of a spray.

Reducing inflammation will improve mucus flow and make breathing easier. But you can use vasoconstrictor drugs for no longer than 4 days: with longer use they can become addictive, and as a result it will be much more difficult to stop using the drug. As a last resort, if after the specified time without vasoconstrictor drugs the symptoms continue to actively manifest themselves, the medicine is replaced with a similar one, but with a different active substance.

Treatment for ARVI

If the cause of a runny nose and watery eyes is a viral infection, the first thing you should do is limit your contact with family members, since this disease is contagious and spreads through secretions (including sneezing).

ARVI is accompanied by fever and sometimes pain in the throat and head. The symptoms immediately appear very intensely, so you should not hesitate with treatment.

When your eyes water from a runny nose, in addition to the use of vasoconstrictor medications, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

  • take antiviral drugs (Coldrex, Theraflu, Antigrippin);
  • take antipyretics (“Nurofen”, “Ibuprofen”, “Ibuklin”, “Tylenol”);
  • gargle with furatsilin solution, use drugs such as Givalex, Orasept;
  • drink water in an amount of at least 1.5 liters per day;
  • strengthen the immune system with vitamin complexes;
  • carry out wet cleaning of the room;
  • ventilate the premises.

If ARVI is accompanied by a secondary virus or bacterial infection, it is necessary to supplement the arsenal of medications with antibiotics, and after completing their course - with bifidobacteria to restore the intestinal microflora, which is negatively affected by antibiotics.

Treatment for conjunctivitis

There are two types of inflammation of the eye mucosa - conjunctivitis: unilateral or bilateral. The first type is more common - in this case, only one tear duct is clogged, so tear production occurs, accordingly, only from one eye. At the same time, nasal congestion (a runny nose in this case is bacterial) and normal body temperature remain.

Treatment of conjunctivitis in children is carried out exclusively under the supervision of a doctor, while adults can limit themselves to the use of antiviral, antibacterial drops of local action - “Ophthalmoferon”, “Torbex”, “Okomistin”. Don’t forget about vasoconstrictor medications to reduce nasal swelling.

Allergy treatment

If the cause of your snot and watery eyes is an allergy, you should avoid contact with the allergen. This symptomatology is caused by a reaction to external stimuli, such as:

  • animal hair;
  • plant pollen;
  • certain ingredients in food;
  • aromas.

Deterioration in health is manifested by sneezing and tearing without fever. In this case, sneezing occurs in attacks - several episodes at a time. The secretion released from the nasal passages is liquid. Congestion may not make breathing difficult, but it still causes discomfort. Swelling and redness in the eye area appears on the face.

Simultaneously with identifying the allergen, in order to stop contacting with it, it is necessary to take antihistamines (Lorano, Zodak, Fenistil) - they reduce the production of histamine, suppress the allergic reaction and restore good health.

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Those who have an allergy and are aware of it, before potential contact with an allergen, should take preventive measures to strengthen the immune system, as well as anti-allergy medications - it is easier to prevent the development of a reaction than to eliminate it. For example, if a reaction occurs to animal fur, and you need to go to a house where these animals are. Or if a reaction to a flowering plant is possible, the body should be prepared before the flowering season. Wearing glasses or contacts is recommended to protect your eyes from lint and pollen. This will not protect you from an allergic reaction completely, but it will definitely reduce its intensity.

Prevention

To prevent pathology, it is important to follow measures that prevent the development of acute respiratory viral disease:

  • You need to dress for the season. Parents need to ensure that the child does not become hypothermic.
  • You should drink more liquids - compotes, fruit drinks, juices, herbal teas with honey.
  • It is useful to consume bee products (honey, bee bread, royal jelly).
  • It is useful to take vitamins A and B.
  • You need to include more fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet.
  • You should do wet cleaning at home every day.
  • You need to avoid stressful situations and normalize your sleep.

The mother caring for the baby must take all precautions to avoid infection. Before and after procedures, you should wash your hands thoroughly with soap. It is advisable to wear a mask on your face: it will protect the respiratory system from airborne infections.

Useful video

More information about festering eyes can be found in these videos:

Pus from the eyes is the cause of many inflammatory eye diseases. It can accompany high temperature, cough, runny nose. Washing, lotions, and putting drops in the eyes will help alleviate the baby’s condition. The use of medications is possible only as prescribed by a doctor, because self-medication is harmful.

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