Q. My mother has a remedy for styes that I am not sure you know. We have used it in our family for over 60 years.
To get rid of a stye, swallow one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg two days in a row. The stye will dry up.
When I was a kid, I would have several styes on each eye. I would wake up in the morning and my eyes would be practically welded shut after the drainage from the styes dried overnight.
I can remember that yucky yellow ointment the doctor gave me. It didn’t work very well at all, but the nutmeg took care of the problem.
A. Styes (or sties) occur when the oil glands at the base of eyelashes become infected. These red bumps are very tender and usually resolve within a week to 10 days without treatment.
Warm Compresses Several Times a Day
The usual treatment involves clean warm compresses, though antibiotic ointments are sometimes prescribed.
Nutmeg
Nutmeg is a new one on us. Too much nutmeg could be toxic, so people should be cautious not to exceed the quarter teaspoon you mentioned.
Side effects may include palpitations, dry mouth, confusion, hallucinations and paranoia.
Other Remedies
Other home remedies for sties include rubbing a gold ring on cloth until the friction makes it warm, then applying the warm metal to the sore spot on the lid.
One reader reported that eating cabbage, cooked or in coleslaw, is helpful for preventing sties.
