Human Affected by Chickens-Stye (Not for the faint of heart)

[FlockEweFarm]

You guys and my 12 year old son win. He came in and caught me working on it with a needle and he completely freaked out. I am going to go see a doctor today to see if they will lance it for me and give me some antibiotics, it also appears that I have a sinus and ear infection starting to work on me, so my ex-husband thinks it is season and straw related, because I was fine dealing with the chickens until I bought a bale of straw and used it to stuff in the dog houses and nest boxes.

 

[Beekissed]

A stye is usually caused by a staph infection, are usually recurrent and not likely to have been caused by your chickens, other than the irritant of dust being in your eye causing the initial corrosion to your tissues. When they are on the eyelid one can use an antibiotic eye ointment but I've never seen the ointments speed healing in any way. Usually this runs its course and it depends on your immune system how long it takes. It will feel better, and it may speed white blood cells to the area, if you use a warm compress to the area several times a day. Keep it well lubricated with some saline drops, avoid dust and irritants while its active and just wait it out. Avoid touching other areas of the body, or other people, after touching this eye until you have washed your hands well, as staph is contagious.

 

[jessupfamily]

Styes are staph infections. All that needs to happen for it to flare up is a tiny opening in the skin. Rubbing it too much, a piece of dirt scratching the surface, that sort of thing and the staph goes crazy! Membranes are the toughest and most susceptible. At this point you probably need an oral antibiotic (the liquid that comes out should be tested for MRSA to see if it is resistant to certain antibiotics, or it could make it worse). In the future if you have flare ups and feel it coming on, use (and I know some people will cringe) breastmilk. It works better than any eye drops or ointments! You might have to ask someone for a little. We're lucky enough to have it on demand here, but I do get calls for it for others! It also helps ear infections, poison ivy, pink eye, and nasal problems!

Blessings,
Amy J.

 

[EllyMae]

That's what I told him(dh), but when he quit drinking acidic juices, the sty didn't come back.
Another thing my friend told me(she works with an eye surgeon) is once the sty comes to a head and the stuff comes out, it will heal faster. That is what the eye doctor told her. And it is gross, it was like a pimple when my husband squeezed it.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Oh great! Now every time i hear about a stye, I'm going to think about it too!

 

[miss_jayne]

also, people who have rosacea are prone to styes because of the skin temperment. (easy to get the infections)

my mom suffered with that for a long time. an eye doc can remove the stye super quick.

many are infected pores that clear up on their own, but if it is reoccurring, you need to see the doctor.

 

[Boskat]

Ok, this is going to gross out some, but here goes; When I work around my chooks, cleaning the coop, the nest boxes or even gathering the eggs, anything that kicks up the dust and dander from the straw and the poo, I have a tendency to get styes on my eyes.
I thought I had managed to defeat the stye monster this time around by maintaining good standards, keeping my hands away from my face until clean, not rubbing my eyes, and avoiding getting my face down into the dust, but I had noticed that I was feeling cruddy and that my left eye constantly felt like I had a hair in it or something, and tonight I happend to roll my eyelid down and I have a whopper of a stye under my lower eyelid! It is the size of a pencil eraser, and actually is visible as a lump from the outside! I am going to drain it as soon as I get my nerve up here in just a little bit, and that usually takes care of the issue, but what the heck is going on? Does anyone else get these? Is it the straw, the chickens? or something in the Arizona dirt? I have never gotten one so interior in the eyelid before either, usually they are around the base of an eyelash, but this one is actually under the lid! It was great for grossing out the kids, but now that I know its there, It is driving me buggy!
I have been doing my own medical and dental care for years, so I have a good medical kit and know about using sterile technique, so dont stress that part, I was and emt and an er tech for 11 years, and worst case scenario I was also a Forensic Tech.!LOL

Hello! I know this is a REALLY OLD post, but it may be able to help someone in the present or future. I’m a paramedic. I have worked in a lab tech for 12 yrs and most importantly I’m went to college for Biology/Zoology. Not only that, my mother was an RN who worked in an eye specialist office. So, I’m a bit like yourself! Oddly, even w my medical knowledge, I find myself going wondering what’s going on and researching myself. Anyway, I’ll get to the point. I get stays all the time cleaning out my chicken coop. It has nothing to do with the type of bird you’re raising rather the dust and debris flying in the air. No matter how hard we try it’s going to get more eyes. It’s usually caused by the staphylococcus bacteria. I get stays all the time cleaning out my chicken coop. It has nothing to do with the type of bird you’re raising rather the dust and debris flying in the air. No matter how hard we try it’s going to get in our eyes. Sty’s are usually caused by the staphylococcus bacteria. Staphylococcus is considered normal epidermal flora (*we all have it on our skin and it usually causes no harm) It exists on the lower eyelid as well. When we clean a chicken coop, or anything w dust and debris, it gets into the air, goes right into our eyes, clogging our ducts & pores. This causes the staphylococcus bacteria to get trapped, which causes the sty. Of course not rubbing your eyes and keeping your hands away from your eyes is recommended, but sometimes just the dust itself is enough to trap the bacterium in the eye and cause an infection. It doesn’t even have to be working with birds or collecting eggs. I’m from Kansas and I now live in New Mexico. Kansas was the worst because it’s always in a drought. During wheat harvest, KS is 107°F, and 45 mph winds with 60 mph gusts on any given day.(I imagine it’s much like Arizona) Just driving past a freshly plowed field on a windy day is enough to cause a sty. Coop cleaners are just more prone to getting sty’s because we’re exposed to the environment for it daily. If you wanted to step it up, I suppose taking a hot shower to dilate pores immediately after cleaning, then flushing your eyes w normal eye saline to remove any micro debris would cut down your chances. Even just flushing your eyes if you don’t have time to shower.

 

[Muzical2u]

Ok, this is going to gross out some, but here goes; When I work around my chooks, cleaning the coop, the nest boxes or even gathering the eggs, anything that kicks up the dust and dander from the straw and the poo, I have a tendency to get styes on my eyes.
I thought I had managed to defeat the stye monster this time around by maintaining good standards, keeping my hands away from my face until clean, not rubbing my eyes, and avoiding getting my face down into the dust, but I had noticed that I was feeling cruddy and that my left eye constantly felt like I had a hair in it or something, and tonight I happend to roll my eyelid down and I have a whopper of a stye under my lower eyelid! It is the size of a pencil eraser, and actually is visible as a lump from the outside! I am going to drain it as soon as I get my nerve up here in just a little bit, and that usually takes care of the issue, but what the heck is going on? Does anyone else get these? Is it the straw, the chickens? or something in the Arizona dirt? I have never gotten one so interior in the eyelid before either, usually they are around the base of an eyelash, but this one is actually under the lid! It was great for grossing out the kids, but now that I know its there, It is driving me buggy!
I have been doing my own medical and dental care for years, so I have a good medical kit and know about using sterile technique, so dont stress that part, I was and emt and an er tech for 11 years, and worst case scenario I was also a Forensic Tech.!LOL

I am on my 3rd stye now and they’re in both eyes this time. All I can find out is the pharmacist and several other chicken farmers told me to wear gloves and a mask. I’d have to wear goggles to protect my eyes. These things hurt! And my eyes are swollen also. In the mornings, I can’t open my eye(s) without a warm washcloth. It’s the dust, dander and pine shaving allergies for me. This has been going on for 3 months, the same age as my chicks!

 

[FunClucks]

I am on my 3rd stye now and they’re in both eyes this time. All I can find out is the pharmacist and several other chicken farmers told me to wear gloves and a mask. I’d have to wear goggles to protect my eyes. These things hurt! And my eyes are swollen also. In the mornings, I can’t open my eye(s) without a warm washcloth. It’s the dust, dander and pine shaving allergies for me. This has been going on for 3 months, the same age as my chicks!

Not to be unkind, but if you have such bad allergies, maybe you should reconsider keeping chickens.

Have you tried systemic allergy medication (Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claratin, etc) or allergy injections? If you talk with an allergy doctor, they might be able to help you minimize your symptoms. A pulmonologist or general practitioner is a good place to start.