Colds are accompanied by many unpleasant symptoms. This includes fever, runny nose, cough and sore throat. But sometimes people have severe eye pain when they have a cold, and it is not only painful to move their eyes, but also to blink. This unpleasant phenomenon may be due to various factors.
Most often, pain in the eyes during colds and flu occurs due to the fact that the body is greatly weakened during illness and blood circulation is somewhat impaired. The eyeballs have an extensive network of blood vessels and nerve endings that are sensitive to any pathological processes in the body. With ARVI, the eyes can hurt for the following reasons:
- Due to toxins entering the bloodstream. When bacteria and viruses enter the body, they actively release waste products that are toxic to humans. If the temperature is elevated, the blood flow increases, and toxic products quickly enter the muscle tissue. This leads to severe pain in the joints and muscles;
- Swelling of the nasal mucosa, so-called sinusitis. This phenomenon almost always accompanies colds and is one of the causes of pain in the eyeballs. If you do not use vasodilator drops, swelling can lead to blockage of the nasal passages. In this case, it is very difficult for the patient to breathe, due to which the pressure increases and pain in the eyes and head occurs.
One of the first signs of a cold is pain in the eyes and headache. The patient has difficulty blinking, turning his head, and leaning forward. If the disease is accompanied by fever, then photophobia, lacrimation and redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes are added.
With the flu, severe intoxication of the body occurs. Symptoms of this phenomenon include severe headache, lacrimation and a feeling of pressure in the eyeballs. Some people experience blurred vision during illness.
Flu is often complicated by conjunctivitis, which is associated with decreased immunity. In this case, suppuration is observed from the eyes; in the morning the patient cannot open the eyelids normally, since the eyelashes are literally glued together with purulent masses.
Another dangerous complication of this disease is eye flu, which affects the corneal layer. This condition usually develops if the flu was left to chance and was not properly treated. With eye flu, severe inflammation of the sclera, burning in the eyes and profuse lacrimation are observed. It is difficult for the patient to make any movements with the eyeballs.
Eye flu usually lasts no more than a week. Only in particularly advanced cases, when the optic nerve is affected, the disease can last up to 3 weeks.
Causes of eye pain due to colds
There are many factors that can cause such pain. The most common is sinusitis. This is an inflammatory process of the sinus appendages. When you have a cold or acute respiratory viral infection, pathogenic microorganisms enter the body, which provoke severe swelling of the nasal mucosa and the production of a large amount of secretions.
As a result, severe blockage of the nasal passages occurs due to swelling of the septum. In this case, the person’s normal air circulation is disrupted, and the pressure in the sinuses increases. This is why your eyes hurt when you have a cold.
Another reason why your eyes hurt when you have a cold can be a simple migraine attack. In this case, the headache spreads to the eye area and causes pain. This problem does not require long-term treatment and goes away after taking antispasmodics.
Any cold or flu is accompanied by pain in the muscles. According to anatomy, the eye moves with the help of three pairs of muscles, so sometimes it becomes painful for a patient to move his eyes when he has a cold.
How to get rid of headaches
Taking medications
Headaches can be relieved by taking antipyretic drugs or combination medications for influenza and ARVI. Commonly used for treatment:
- "TeraFlu";
- "Nurofen Plus";
- "Saridoln";
- "Ibuprofen."
For severe headaches, you should lubricate your temples with Doctor Mom or Zvezdochka balm. If taking medication for several days does not help get rid of the headache, you should go to the hospital.
Bed rest has never harmed a single person with a cold. Having discovered the first signs of illness, you should “lay low”: crawl under the covers and sleep as much as possible. When you have a cold, it is recommended to reduce physical activity to a minimum and also avoid mental overstrain. Headaches can get worse even from usual ways of relaxing at home, such as watching TV or reading books.
While resting, it would not be a bad idea to turn to this method of treatment:
- being in a relaxed position, place your right palm on the solar plexus and your left palm on the back of your head;
- sit like this for about 10 minutes until the pain goes away.
By the way, care should be taken to ensure that the room in which the patient lives is always well ventilated. Also, a person with a cold should not refuse to take a shower for fear of getting too cold: water will wash away toxins that are eliminated through the skin. If the patient does not have a high temperature, a hot bath will relieve the headache. It will help reduce pressure in the blood vessels of the head and temporarily drain blood from the brain.
Eye diseases
In addition to sinusitis and other causes, pain in the eye area can also be caused by infectious diseases, the most common include:
- Barley. If it hurts to move your eye during a cold, this may indicate the beginning of an inflammatory process in the hair follicles or glands located inside the eyelid. This disease is called stye, it is accompanied by severe headache, inflammation of the lymph nodes, and severe swelling of the eyes. As a rule, barley affects only one eye, but if not treated correctly, the inflammation can spread to the second.
- If pathogenic microorganisms (staphylococcus or staphylococcus) enter the patient, the patient may develop not only barley, but also periorbital cellulitis. In this case, the patient experiences severe pain in the eye area; the disease is considered very dangerous and requires mandatory medical treatment.
- If a cold causes pain in the eyes, this may indicate the development of conjunctivitis. This disease is accompanied by the spread of infectious microorganisms into the conjunctiva of the eye. At the same time, in addition to the pain and pain, the patient’s eyes begin to itch and itch very much.
It is conjunctivitis that most often causes pain and discomfort in the eyes during a cold. In mild forms, the disease is easily treatable, but in severe cases it can lead to partial or complete loss of vision.
It is very important to differentiate common conjunctivitis from allergic conjunctivitis. Very often, people develop allergies to flowering plants, animal fur, etc. In this case, all the signs of a cold are present (runny nose, watery eyes, headache, etc.).
However, the treatment of bacterial and allergic conjunctivitis is different, so at the first unpleasant symptoms it is better to consult a doctor who will conduct an examination and establish a clear cause of pain in the eyes.
Another reason why eyeballs hurt when you have a cold is eye flu. This disease appears a few days after the end of treatment. In this case, in addition to the main symptom, the patient experiences redness of the whites of the eyes, severe tearing and itching. Eye flu is easily treatable and goes away within a week.
If a person’s eyes hurt due to a cold without fever, this may be a consequence of a severe runny nose. If treatment is delayed, the disease will develop into sinusitis and may cause other unpleasant symptoms.
Another reason for this condition may be a banal blockage of the nasolacrimal duct due to severe swelling. When a patient has a cold, the nasal sinuses swell, and as a result, the mucus that forms cannot be completely removed from it. Therefore, the liquid begins to look for other exit routes and finds them through the lacrimal canal of the eye.
Pain in the eyeballs during a cold can be caused by viruses or bacteria that spread to various parts of the organ. As a result, a person is diagnosed with diseases such as scleritis, blepharitis, dacryoadenitis, etc. A specialized specialist will be able to establish an accurate diagnosis.
Another factor why eyes hurt during a cold is one of their complications in the form of ocular herpes. This disease is quite dangerous and takes a long time to be treated. Patients who have a herpes rash on the lips are strictly prohibited from rubbing their eyes with their hands or washing their face in the direction from the lips to the eyes. This can spread the virus and cause “fever eyes.”
Prevention
To prevent ARVI, it is necessary to increase immunity. During the season of active spread of the virus, it is better not to go to public places, transport, or clinics. If someone is sick at home, it is necessary to ventilate the room more often and have less contact with the sick person. It is necessary to increase the activity of the immune system throughout the year.
Basic preventive measures:
- hardening, taking vitamins;
- vaccination;
- consumption of medicinal herbs throughout the year (marshmallow root, chamomile flowers, horsetail, walnut leaves, yarrow, rose hips, thyme, rosemary);
- use of immunomodulators.
Your diet should include onions, garlic, foods with vitamin C, ginseng, Chinese lemongrass, Rhodiola rosea, mumiyo, and propolis. All these remedies have a general tonic effect and help normalize the immune system. At the first symptoms of the disease, you need to rub your eyes less and start treatment as soon as possible.
Conjunctivitis is viral in nature. They are transmitted from one person to another if personal hygiene rules are not observed. Therefore, it is advisable, if possible, to isolate the patient or ask him to cover his mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with a handkerchief or disposable tissues.
Timely vaccination also helps, which is carried out no later than 2-3 weeks before the expected epidemic. Influenza vaccines are also recommended for children, especially those at high risk of illness and possible complications.
During illness, you need to wash your hands more often and ventilate the room. This will reduce the chances of introducing pathogenic microorganisms into the eye cavity.
Useful video
Eye redness:
Basic treatment methods
What to do if your eyes hurt due to a cold? First of all, you need to contact a therapist who will conduct an external examination and prescribe the necessary tests (blood, urine, etc.). Based on the results of a comprehensive examination, the doctor will determine the exact cause that caused such unpleasant sensations and select an effective treatment regimen.
If it is painful for a patient to roll his eyes when he has a cold, he may be prescribed vasoconstrictor drugs (Rinza et al.). They contain paracetamol, which not only helps relieve pain, but also has an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effect. Thus, a person not only relieves unpleasant symptoms, but also treats a cold.
For severe runny nose, which causes pain in the eyes, use nasal drops or sprays. The most popular are Naphthyzin, Nazol, etc. It is very important to blow your nose often so that snot does not get into the tear duct and cause pain and stinging in the eyes.
For conjunctivitis, sinusitis or other diseases caused by bacterial microflora, antibiotics are used. These remedies are prescribed in the form of drops, ointments or tablets. The dosage and duration of administration are selected by the doctor individually for each patient, depending on the severity of his disease.
If pain in the eyes is caused by a migraine attack, then you need to take an antispasmodic drug and provide the patient with complete rest. If you have increased photosensitivity, it is better to limit the exposure to light rays, otherwise the pain may only intensify.
Useful video
In this video, a neurologist explains the possible causes of eye pain:
Eye pain that worsens during movement is a good reason to pay attention to your health and, if possible, give your eyes a break from working at the computer. Don't self-medicate and don't expect the problem to resolve itself - your vision may be at stake
Don't self-medicate and don't expect the problem to solve itself - your vision may be at stake.
Author of the article
Ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist), 17 years of experience, Candidate of Medical Sciences
Traditional methods of treatment
Today traditional medicine remains very popular. If a patient with a cold has pain in the eyes when moving or at rest, the following treatment methods are recommended:
- washing the eyes with decoctions of medicinal plants (calendula, chamomile, etc.). They help relieve pain and swelling, and also have an anti-inflammatory effect;
- compresses based on a decoction of medicinal herbs. To do this, use a decoction of wild rosemary, St. John's wort, calendula, eucalyptus and other plants. A cotton pad should be moistened in the solution and applied to the eyes for 10-15 minutes;
- washing with a solution of strong tea (very often used for barley).
It is important to note that all manipulations must be carried out with solutions at room temperature and observing all septic rules (hand washing, using sterile cotton pads, etc.). Self-medication does not always bring positive results; it often leads to the development of serious complications. Therefore, at the first unpleasant symptoms, it is better to immediately consult a doctor.
Diagnostic features
After examination and medical history, if the symptoms are explained by a cold, the therapist will prescribe treatment. If diseases of a different nature are detected, a referral to an ophthalmologist is issued.
To confirm the diagnosis, the therapist may prescribe laboratory tests, as well as x-rays, CT or MRI. The ophthalmologist additionally conducts an examination and measures eye pressure.
Based on all the information collected, doctors give the patient recommendations on what to do to relieve pain in the head and eyes.
