Conjunctivitis refers to inflammation of the clear lining of the eye and inside of the eyelids. It can be caused by a virus, bacterium, fungus, injury or allergies. When caused by a virus or bacteria, conjunctivitis is incredibly contagious. This is not necessarily due to the condition itself, rather the tendency for people to touch their eyes periodically throughout the day and then come into contact with other people.
Pink eye almost always looks worse than it is. The eye can become swollen, red, itchy and in some cases, the swelling and discharge can become so profuse that the affected eye or eyes is literally sealed shut until it begins to heal. Normally, conjunctivitis is left to run its course as a viral cause is difficult to treat and one onset from allergies is virtually untreatable aside from symptom management. However, there are many herbs that can help provide some relief to pink eye sufferers both in terms of relieving the symptoms of the condition as well as helping to improve eye health so that it can more rapidly heal itself. Many of these herbs can be used in a tea for conjunctivitis, which can be taken internally or used as eyewash in some cases.
Eyebright is one such herb, and its role in eye health dates all the way back to the ancient Greeks, though little of its medicinal benefits have been proven. Eyebright is known for promoting overall eye health and was used in traditional medicine for a wide variety of eye and vision related ailments. It can be taken internally as a tea for conjunctivitis, or the cooled resulting brew can be applied directly to the closed eye and alternated with a cold compress for soothing relief. Bilberry is another herb that is thought to contribute to eye health and used medicinally to increase blood flow to the eyes and help to prevent eye related disease and infections. Maintaining and supporting eye health is very important to counteracting illness and disease and it allows the visual organ to fight back against gnarly nasties that can cause pinkeye, herbs like bilberry can be used in a tea for conjunctivitis for these overall eye health benefits.
Interestingly enough, one of the very best choices in a tea for conjunctivitis may simply be good old plain green tea. This natural antiviral boasts a tremendous amount of antioxidants which can help prevent cell damage caused from free radicals. Green tea also helps to boost circulation which can keep healthy, oxygen rich blood flowing freely to the eyes and help to provide further healing benefits. Green tea can also serve as a base for many herbal tea recipes, and other herbs can be added in like ginger and ginkgo for both additional medicinal properties and enhanced flavor. Ginkgo also helps to support circulation to the eye and ginger provides germ killing benefits as well as many other. These circulation boosters also lend themselves to increased energy and their use should be in moderation and combined with decaffeinated green tea with ginger and ginkgo instead of the fully loaded varieties.
Tea for conjunctivitis can be used not only internally but as a topical application on the infected area of an eye to clean pus from bacteria or inflammation. The best candidates for topical tea use are regular black or green tea in a lukewarm condition as well as another remedy from Far East – coriander. Coriander tea for pink eye condition needs to be done from fresh coriander leaves, and you guessed right that is old good cilantro leaves. Again clean your eyes with lukewarm coriander leaf tea solution at least three times daily during early infection and one time after pus is gone until complete recovery. Coriander contains powerful antioxidants that fight inflammation and possess strong antiviral and antibacterial properties as well.
Pink eye unfortunately is often just left to run its course with sufferers stuck avoiding contact with friends and coworkers in the meantime. Herbal tea recipes can provide numerous benefits during the healing process including strengthening the eye’s defenses, killing viruses and bacteria and boosting healthy blood flow to the eye. A tea for conjunctivitis can be brewed to help support the body’s immune system when it needs it the most, and tea provides other benefits as well such as relaxation and a soothing method of administration.
However, it is incredibly important that if you are considering a tea for conjunctivitis that you speak with a health care provider first. Some herbal remedies can interact poorly with some medications and can negatively affect certain health conditions. Ensure that herbal remedies are safe for you to use before proceeding, taking an important step on the road to healthy and natural healing.
