Under no circumstances is it possible
- Warm the swollen surface with all sorts of lotions; such actions will only make the swelling even worse. The same recommendation applies to warming ointments.
- Use decorative cosmetics to mask the damage, since these products contain many substances that can cause even greater harm to the damaged surface.
- Eat a meal, especially hot and cold dishes, as well as various solid foods.
- It goes without saying that you should forget about alcohol and smoking during the entire recovery period of the damaged area.
- You should not constantly touch a swollen lip. Firstly, it increases skin irritation, and secondly, it creates favorable conditions for the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms. If there is bleeding, then you can’t stop it with anything, use only sterile materials for this.
It is also advisable to protect the swollen area from direct sunlight and any mechanical influences, including kisses.
To treat edema, use traditional medical and folk remedies. But remember one thing - if you can’t eliminate the swelling on your own, then you need to contact a specialist at a medical facility. This will protect you from the serious consequences of such an event, seemingly insignificant at first glance.
When lips swell - why is it dangerous?
Typically, lips swell in the morning, immediately after sleep, or in certain situations, such as after eating. The causes of lip swelling can be different:
- Inflammation
. In most cases, swelling is due to ongoing inflammation. If the lip tissue is affected, for example, by a poison that gets under the skin after an insect bite or an allergen, the body launches a series of immune processes. First of all, there is an increase in blood flow and an improvement in capillary permeability, which helps the cells and substances necessary to maintain immunity and recovery processes quickly reach the affected area. - Allergy
. Swelling of the lips can be caused by food allergies, allergies to medications (penicillin, codeine), insect bites, cosmetics, latex, and oral hygiene products. - Herpes
. Swollen lips can also be a sign of herpes simplex. - Pathologies of internal organs
. Sometimes swelling can be a consequence of heart failure and kidney disease.
What to do first
Apply ice or something cold. The effect of low temperature on the surface of the swelling leads to its reduction and relieves pain. But this recommendation only applies if the fabric itself is in good condition. If there is an open wound with bleeding, then only qualified medical care is needed, which involves anesthesia and suturing.
When using ice for a compress, it should be wrapped in gauze or thin cloth. It is not advisable to use it in its pure form, so as not to cause frostbite.
Relief does not come immediately; long-term use of the method is necessary. The compress is kept for 10-15 minutes every 3 hours. The effect occurs within several days of the procedure.
Pharmacy products to eliminate lip swelling
The most famous and reliable remedy is Badyaga gel. It can be used throughout the day in unlimited quantities. To do this, just apply it to the damaged surface and rub until completely dry. In case of severe acute pain in the damaged area, simply apply a layer of gel to the swelling and wait for it to be absorbed. It helps the regeneration process, relieves swelling, relieves discomfort and protects the skin from drying out and tightening.
Rescuer ointment is also a fairly popular remedy. The principle of operation is the same as that of Badyagi, but the Rescuer is also an antiseptic. In addition, this ointment moisturizes the skin, improves its appearance and relieves pain.
Hydrogen peroxide is also used to disinfect the damaged area. It also relieves swelling and kills pathogens. It is applied to a cotton pad, which is applied to the swollen lip. This action must be performed every two hours. This method is especially effective when lip swelling is associated not with mechanical damage, but with infectious diseases. Its only disadvantage is that hydrogen peroxide dries the skin, which leads to microcracks.
Some people use lead water to make lotions from it. It also relieves swelling well and eliminates pain. It must be cooled before use.
In addition to the listed remedies, doctors recommend using ointments: heparin, troxevasin, lyoton, ketonal and nurofen-gel. These drugs are familiar to absolutely every person and are sold in pharmacies without a prescription.
Important. If you notice purulent discharge or scar formation at the site of injury, you should immediately consult a doctor. The same thing should be done if the hematoma caused by the blow does not resolve for a long time and fluid begins to accumulate at its location. Surgery is required to eliminate these symptoms Otherwise, this can lead to, at a minimum, dysfunction of the oral cavity, and at maximum, pose a threat to life.
What measures to take when your lip is swollen?
The most correct advice is to consult a specialist. No matter how superficial and insignificant such a problem as a suddenly swollen lip may seem, its origin can be very dangerous to health - this is the spread of infection in the body and frequent relapses, suppuration and ulceration of the damaged area, the attachment and spread of infectious flora, which only aggravates the course of the pathology .
If your lip is swollen due to a bruise
The most obvious and completely removable cause of lip swelling. It usually happens in a short time after injury and may be accompanied by damage to the integrity of the skin and mucous membranes. If timely treatment of the defect is not undertaken, it can be aggravated by inflammation, infectious damage, and suppuration.
Compresses must be applied to the injury site. Warm or hot. You can start with any choice, and if the first is ineffective, give preference to the second. A cold compress slows down blood flow to the injured area. For this, it is enough to wrap a few ice cubes in a cloth and apply it not so much to the lip and tumor itself, but to the skin nearby. A piece of cloth soaked in hot water can be an alternative, and again, not on the lip, but on the skin next to it, for 15-20 minutes.
If a wound has formed on the lip after a bruise, it is recommended to treat it with hydrogen peroxide and an agent that stops bleeding and promotes healing. It is recommended to use the antiseptics Miramistin or Chlorhexidine, healing ointments Actovegin and Solcoseryl. A “homemade” alternative to pharmaceuticals can be lanolin, olive or sea buckthorn oil.
However, please note that the skin on the lips is very thin and delicate, and deep wounds are difficult to heal. If the lip is so broken that the contour of the lips is lost, their shape changes significantly, rush to the doctor, otherwise healing may occur soon (at best), but the lips will lose their attractive appearance.
If your lip is swollen due to an infectious disease
The lip may become swollen due to a viral or bacterial infection. Moreover, the infection can be localized either directly in the oral cavity or on the lip (stomatitis, herpes), or throughout the body (ARVI).
In this case, antiseptic drugs will demonstrate effectiveness, the use of which is not recommended to delay. They quickly stop the infection and prevent it from spreading and getting worse. When purchasing a drug, it is important to familiarize yourself with the indications for its use and contraindications, which may result in side effects.
Popular antiseptics for the treatment of infectious diseases of the oral cavity are drugs such as Orasept, Chlorophyllipt, Bioparox. They have bactericidal, antiseptic, and analgesic effects. It is sprays and liquids that are easier to use on a swollen lip, rather than tablet or gel-like medications. It is advisable to moisten a cotton pad in the medicine and apply it to the damaged area of the lip.
If the lip is swollen due to inflammatory processes
The inflammatory process in a swollen lip is usually accompanied by the formation of a certain substance inside - it can be a clear liquid, pus, or any other discharge that is concentrated inside or released outside. This is usually accompanied by bad breath, pain, and often visible damage to the mucosa.
This poses a greater health hazard than it may seem. Since unprofessional removal of secretions is fraught with infection, and measures aimed at resolving the tumor do not always eliminate the true cause of inflammation, and subsequently it can appear again either in the area of the lips or in another area of the face.
It is important to establish the cause of the inflammatory process. Typically it is any of the following:
- swipe,
- cut or rupture of soft tissues,
- presence of an open wound,
- squeezing pimples.
In the first hours of the development of inflammation, it is necessary to respond with measures available to any average person - this is treating the damaged area with hydrogen peroxide. Another quick response measure could be treating the swelling with iodine solution (it is recommended to dilute it 1:1 with plain water). If you are already experiencing excessive dryness of the mucous membrane (and iodine dries out the treated area), it is enough to drink ordinary still water in small portions, the saturation of which will also moisturize the mucous membrane.
If you feel that you are not getting better, the pain and swelling are not decreasing, you should urgently contact a medical facility. Failure to contact a specialist in a timely manner can lead to the accumulation of pus in the lip, which requires surgical removal.
If your lip is swollen due to herpes
When your lip is swollen, you can suspect herpes only if it is a disease characteristic of the body. The formation of herpetic blisters on the lips is usually caused by swelling and soreness of the lips. Within 24 hours, such a swelling forms into a characteristic blister containing a translucent liquid inside.
Under no circumstances should you press or burst the resulting bubble, and the use of specific agents is most effective when starting at the tumor stage, which allows you to speed up the healing process. Popular antiherpetic drugs include Zovirax, Herpevir, Acyclovir. In their formula they contain components that exclusively destroy the manifestations of the herpes virus and have an analgesic and healing effect. They need to be applied regularly and systematically, not only until the main symptoms subside, but also until the blisters completely disappear and for another 1-2 days after that.
If the drugs of this group are powerless and within a few days the symptoms do not subside, but also worsen, the cause is probably not herpes, and therefore it is necessary to seek help from a specialist and not delay treatment that is adequate to the specific case.
If the lip is swollen due to purulent processes in the oral cavity
A swollen lip can be a symptom of stomatitis, gingivitis, periostitis (commonly called gumboil). This type of origin of swelling is perhaps the most dangerous, since purulent processes are certainly accompanied by inflammation, hyperthermia, deterioration in general health and is fraught with the spread of not only the infection, but also the pus containing it deep into the body.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa, jaw, periosteum can be caused by any traumatic lesion of the mucous membrane, improper treatment of dental diseases (including wearing braces, dentures, etc.), insufficient antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity during them or poor hygiene in general. Hypothermia, weakened immune system and stress are of secondary importance. If the reason for the appearance of a tumor lies precisely in diseases of the oral cavity, this does not mean that the danger is local in nature, inflammation can either occur from within the body or spread further, for example, through the bloodstream, which means that swelling on the lip can be eliminated without professional help, and the cause that caused it is unlikely to succeed. It is wise to consult your dentist for specific recommendations.
If your lip is swollen due to allergies
To come to this conclusion, it is necessary to analyze the list of recently consumed food products, cosmetics, household chemicals; perhaps the flowering season begins or an allergy develops to dust or animal dander.
It is typical that the lip is unlikely to become swollen due to inhalation of an allergen (which reduces the likelihood of dust and fur being involved in the swelling); the local action of the allergen is more likely, which means the use of cosmetics and food products, when the lips are easily exposed.
If the lip is truly swollen due to an allergic reaction, then the swelling will also be accompanied by slight numbness, redness, dryness and flaking of the lips.
If your lip is swollen due to external factors
These usually include frostbite or, conversely, overheating and chapping. Damage of this kind is characterized by excessive dryness of the lips, redness and peeling of their surface and, naturally, in the recent past the victim should recall the presence of a certain negative impact. Such an effect does not entail any particular danger, however, it would be useful to treat the lips with a moisturizing cream or cosmetic balm, or special restorative lip masks, which can be prepared at home.
If your lip is swollen due to piercing, tattooing, or plastic surgery
Performing piercings, tattoos in the lip area, or changing their shape through plastic surgery exposes a person to an increased risk of developing swelling and other unpleasant symptoms in the lip area. Swelling can develop either immediately after manipulation or after some time.
It is recommended to carefully examine the punctures or tattoos; it is better to entrust this to a cosmetologist or the person who did them. Thus, the likelihood of developing an inflammatory or purulent process in this area is excluded or confirmed. When piercing, it is very important to check the inside of the piercing and be sure that there are no foreign bodies in it. The jewelry itself can also fit into an extended puncture and cause discomfort and pain to the lip.
Persons with piercings, tattoos, or lip surgery still have the possibility of being exposed to the main risks listed above of the formation of a swelling on the lip.
If your child's lip is swollen
This situation is complicated primarily by the fact that the baby cannot always explain his feelings, describe the events of the last days that could lead to a tumor, especially when it comes to an infant.
During breastfeeding, babies may experience pain on the lips, and parents may notice swelling here due to improper feeding. Incorrect latching of the baby to the breast can cause the formation of calluses in the mouth, and therefore the baby’s discomfort during feeding should be a reason to reconsider the tactics.
It is necessary to take into account that children develop stomatitis more often than adults, and therefore the oral cavity must be examined and, having taken the first measures to treat stomatitis, still contact a pediatric dentist.
Children are more susceptible to allergic reactions than adults, their body is more sensitive to external irritants, children are more susceptible to respiratory viral and bacterial infectious attacks, and therefore, excluding self-medication, it is necessary to contact a specialist for specialized help.
Another reason for a swollen lip in a baby is a simple bruise. It must be dealt with in the same way as in an adult, with the exception of the use of certain pharmaceutical drugs that are not recommended for children.
Traditional methods of treating lip swelling
The first remedy is cabbage leaf. It is applied to the injured area 2 times a day.
A mixture of honey and aloe helps eliminate swelling and has bactericidal properties. Aloe leaves are crushed, added to honey and mixed until smooth. Those who are allergic to honey can only use aloe vera.
A mixture of castor oil, honey and wormwood is also effective. Wormwood is also finely crushed and added to honey along with castor oil. Stir until smooth and apply to the swollen lip for 15 minutes twice a day.
As a compress, you can use a decoction of wild rosemary flowers. To do this, take 1 teaspoon of the plant and pour a glass of boiling water, keep it on low heat for 15 minutes, then cool it to room temperature and make lotions twice a day. Before use, the decoction must be filtered.
You can make lotions from potato starch. To do this, it is mixed with water until a paste-like mass is formed and applied to the swelling 2 times a day.
A popular compress is tea bags used to brew tea. They are cooled to room temperature and kept on the injured area for 5 minutes.
Another available method is to use baking soda. It is diluted in water until a creamy consistency is formed and lotions are applied for 20 minutes once a day. However, this method is not recommended for use in the presence of open lip injuries.
The fastest way to eliminate swelling is a celandine compress. Its use allows you to get rid of an unpleasant symptom in just a few times. But, this method requires extreme caution, since the plant is poisonous to the human body and, if used incorrectly, can cause serious burns to the skin.
