This Week in Mac Sports: 9/15

10 Reasons Your Face Might Be Swollen

You wake up, look in the mirror, and get quite a shock: all of a sudden, your face is swollen. Before you panic, though, know that often, facial swelling is not serious. The first thing you should do (assuming you don't have swelling in your lips or mouth or difficulty breathing—that's when you call 911 first) is try to pinpoint the problem: Did you try a new, extra-salty food you might be having a reaction to? Are your allergies flaring up?

If those factors don't apply, think about other symptoms you might be having. Does your face hurt, and if so, where? Is there redness? "Facial swelling is frequently your body triggering an immune response to help fight an allergy or an infection," says Linda N. Lee, MD, FACS, assistant professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at Harvard Medical School and a member of the division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. Any and all details that connect to the swelling are going to help you, and possibly your doctor, get to the root of the problem.

When Is Facial Swelling a Medical Emergency?

"If it leads to tongue or airway swelling," cautions Dr. Lee. "Any swelling in the lips or anywhere in the mouth can progress to difficulty breathing. If facial swelling is associated with swelling of your eyelids, especially with pain and fever, then this could be a sign of an infection which needs urgent attention." Call 911 if you experience any of these symptoms. Also call if your swelling is sudden or if it makes your face immobile in any way.

Common Reasons for Facial Swelling

Let's take a closer look at some more reasons your face might be swelling up—and find out what to do to help yourself look and feel like yourself again, stat.

1. You're experiencing an allergic reaction

According to the Mayo Clinic, food allergies can cause swelling around or inside your mouth, as well as hives or eczema on your skin. If you have an allergy to a drug you're taking, you can experience swelling plus additional symptoms like wheezing and a rash. The most common medications people experience allergies to include penicillin, antibiotics, sulfa drugs, anticonvulsants, and aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma,and Immunology. Let your doctor know if you think this is the issue, so they can both treat your symptoms ASAP and find you an alternate medication.

2. You changed your shaving routine

"Often patients can have contact dermatitis from shaving creams, sunscreen, lotions, detergents or makeup," says Dr. Lee. Solving this problem can be as simple as figuring out which new product might be aggravating your system, and going back to the stuff you used previously.

3. You've spent too much time outdoors

Basic things that can happen outdoors can lead to facial swelling. "Sun poisoning or extreme sunburns can lead to facial swelling," explains Dr. Lee. Of course, so can injuries that didn't seem all that serious at first. If you sustained an injury to your face–like getting smacked with a ball while jumping into a pickup game–it's logical to expect swelling in the area you got hit.

4. You have an abscessed tooth

A pus-filled pimple on your gum and an extreme toothache, along with swelling in your upper or lower jaw, can indicate an abscessed tooth, according to the Cleveland Clinic. See your dentist right away, because this infection can spread. Treatment can range from draining the abscess to a root canal to having the affected tooth pulled.

5. Fluid is building up under your skin

Angioedema is a skin reaction that's accompanied by swelling and hives, and is often due to allergy or infection–but it should not be taken lightly. Histamine is released under your skin, which causes fluid to build up. "Angioedema is a more serious cause of facial swelling," says Dr. Lee. "There are different types of angioedema—food-related, or idiopathic, meaning without an obvious cause. Angioedema can show itself as swelling around the mouth and cheeks, and can lead to swelling of the tongue or airway, and difficulty breathing." If you experience these severe symptoms, again, call 911 right away.

6. You're dealing with an underlying illness

Autoimmune disorders like lupus, Sjogren's Syndrome, and polymyositis can cause facial swelling. An underactive thyroid may cause your face to get puffy. You could also experience facial swelling during cancer treatment, or if you get a blood transfusion. If you have these kinds of reactions either during a medical procedure or afterward, tell your health care provider right away.

7. There's a problem with your glands

"Salivary glands, such as your submandibular gland or your parotid gland) can become blocked from salivary stones—they're similar to kidney stones," Dr. Lee explains. "Salivary stones can block the flow of natural saliva and create facial swelling and pressure. This is often related to dehydration or too much calcium in your system. If you've recently run a marathon, changed your diet, or if you find facial swelling correlates with eating acidic or spicy foods, a blocked salivary gland can be the root cause." See your doctor for a correct diagnosis.

8. You have a sinus infection

"A severe sinus infection can start with facial pressure and lead to external facial swelling of the cheeks or around the eyes," Dr. Lee says. "If there are nasal symptoms associated with facial pressure, especially with swelling around the eyelids and in the forehead between the eyes, this can be a complication of untreated sinus disease." Most sinus infections clear up within ten days without antibiotics, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

9. You have a cyst

"A very common facial swelling that I see a lot are facial cysts, often related to ingrown beard hairs or clogged sweat glands," Dr. Lee says. "These can appear as swollen areas of the skin which fluctuate in size, and can grow larger over time. They tend to occur in areas of the face with beard or mustache hair, or higher density of sweat glands. Facial cysts can become infected or inflamed, causing redness and pain in the skin around the swelling." A doctor can diagnose and remove a facial cyst.

10. You have an eyelid infection

A stye can develop on your eyelid when an oil gland gets inflamed due to bacteria, and can cause your entire eyelid to swell. Styes usually resolve in a matter of days, and you can use warm compresses on them to speed up healing.

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Relief For Eye Allergy Symptoms

Medically reviewed by Daniel More, MD

Eye allergies, sometimes called allergic conjunctivitis, typically occur due to an allergic reaction to irritants like pollen, dust, mold, and pet hair.

When you come into contact with allergens, your immune system may overreact, leading to inflammation of the eyelids and conjunctiva (the mucous membrane that lines the eyeball and eyelids). This causes common eye allergy symptoms like watering, itchiness, redness, pain, and swelling.

This article will go over the symptoms of eye allergies, as well as how to find relief and when to see a healthcare provider.

stefanamer / Getty Images

Telltale Eye Allergy Symptoms

Common eye allergy symptoms symptoms include:

These symptoms typically occur in both eyes. If only one of your eyes is irritated, you may have a different condition, such as pink eye (conjunctivitis).

Accompanying Symptoms With Eye Allergies

Allergic conjunctivitis often occurs alongside other allergy symptoms, such as:

What Makes Eye Allergy Symptoms Worse?

Eye allergies are triggered by the body's release of histamines in response to allergens. Common indoor and outdoor allergens include:

Depending on what's causing your symptoms, you may have seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) or perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC). Environmental allergens like pollen cause seasonal allergic conjunctivitis and are typically more severe, especially during hay fever season. Household allergens like pet dander usually cause perennial allergic conjunctivitis and don't tend to be quite as bothersome.

Certain medications can also exacerbate eye allergy symptoms. For example, many people take oral antihistamines to treat allergic reactions, but they can dry out your eyes and worsen eye irritation.

Does Itching Make Eye Allergy Symptoms Worse?

When your eyes are inflamed and irritated, it's important to resist the temptation to scratch them. Rubbing your eyes can make your symptoms worse and lead to complications like a scratched cornea, infections, or cataracts.

Relief for Eye Allergy Symptoms

There are both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments available to help relieve eye allergy symptoms. Examples include:

Artificial tears: You can use OTC artificial tears to rinse allergens and irritants from your eyes and relieve eye irritation. Artificial tears provide immediate relief, but the effects are only temporary.

Decongestant eye drops: Decongestant eye drops relieve allergy-related redness by constricting the blood vessels in the eyes. You should use them for only up to three days at a time, and anyone with glaucoma should avoid them.

Antihistamine eye drops: Your ophthalmologist may prescribe antihistamine eye drops for more severe eye allergies. When used several times daily, they can relieve symptoms like swelling, redness, and itchiness.

Mast cell stabilizer eye drops: Mast cell stabilizer eye drops relieve itching and irritation by blocking the release of histamines.

Corticosteroids: In severe cases, steroid eye drops may be prescribed short-term to treat itching and swelling.

Allergy shots: If your symptoms persist, an allergist may recommend that you undergo immunotherapy, or allergy shots.

Eye Allergies in Children

Like adults, children with eye allergies can be treated with artificial tears. If those don't work to provide relief, take your child to an ophthalmologist. They may recommend antihistamine or mast cell stabilizer eye drops.

Eye Allergy Symptoms Not Improving

The most common reason that your eye allergy symptoms may persist is that you're still coming into contact with the allergen that's causing them. Here are a few ways to avoid the allergens that most often cause eye irritation:

When pollen counts in your area are high, stay inside as much as possible, and close all the doors and windows.

Wear sunglasses outside if you have seasonal allergies.

To avoid dust mites, wash your bedding frequently and use mite-proof mattress covers and pillowcases.

Use a dehumidifier and keep the humidity in your home at 30%–50% to limit your mold exposure.

Avoid dry-dusting any part of your home.

If you're allergic to pet dander, consider replacing your carpets with hard-textured floors. Always wash your hands right away after interacting with your pet.

Your symptoms may also persist if you have a type of eye allergy other than allergic conjunctivitis. Other types of eye allergies, such as atopic keratoconjunctivitis and vernal keratoconjunctivitis, are usually more severe. Some can affect your vision if left untreated.

Visit an ophthalmologist or another healthcare provider right away if you experience:

Severe eye pain, dryness, swelling, burning, or itching

Vision problems

Eye discharge, such as mucus or pus

Foreign body sensation, which is the feeling that something is stuck in your eye

Summary

The most common symptoms of eye allergies include itchy, watery, and red eyes, in addition to blurry vision and eye pain. Eye allergies are caused by both indoor and outdoor allergens like mold, pollen, and pet hair. Typical treatments include artificial tears, prescription eye drops, corticosteroids, and allergy shots.

Eye allergies aren't contagious, and they usually aren't a sign of a serious health condition. However, you should talk to your healthcare provider if your symptoms keep getting worse or aren't going away.

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