Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning
• What you need

Even if it is caused by trauma, swollen lips are more likely to become infected during a time it hasn't healed. Keep your lips clean and reduce swelling with cold compresses and warm compresses. In the event of an unknown cause of swollen lips or suspicion of an allergy or infection, seek immediate medical attention.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Handling a serious case

1. 

   Act quickly when you have an allergy. Some cases of swollen lips are caused by an allergic reaction, a condition that can be fatal. Get medical attention right away if this has never happened, if your lips are very swollen, are affecting your breathing, or if your throat is swollen. If you have had a similar allergic reaction in the past and know that these symptoms are mild, you can take an antihistamine and always have an inhaler or an epinephrine injection pen.
   • If an allergy is caused by an insect bite, get medical attention immediately.
   • If you do not know the cause of the swelling, you should be cautious and treat it as if this is an allergic reaction. Many allergies never find a cause.
   • "Mild" cases can still last for many days. You should see your doctor if the swelling persists after several days.

2. 

   
   
   Treat mouth infections. If the swollen lips are also accompanied by blistering, ulcers, swollen glands or flu-like symptoms, you may have an oral infection, most commonly a herpes simplex virus infection. You need to see a doctor to diagnose and prescribe an antiviral or antibiotic. In the meantime, avoid touching your lips, kissing, having oral sex, and sharing food or towels with others.

3. 

   
   
   Make an appointment with your doctor in case of unexplained swelling of the lips. If you don't know why your lips are swollen, you need to see a doctor to find out the cause. This is especially important if the swelling doesn't get better within a few days. Here are some of the possibilities:
   • Severe swelling during pregnancy can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. This is a serious condition, so you need to see a doctor right away.
   • Antidepressants, hormone therapy, and blood pressure can also cause swelling.
   • Heart failure, kidney failure and liver failure often lead to swelling of many organs, not just the lips.

4. 

   
   
   Check for swelling and pain every day. If the swelling does not go away after 2-3 days, you should seek medical attention. If the pain suddenly intensifies, you should also see your doctor. advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Home remedies

1. 

   Cleans swollen lips. Swollen and ulcerated lips are often injured. Wash your lips with water and a gentle sponge, several times a day or every time you get dirty. Do not wipe or pinch your lips.
   • In the case of swollen lips after an injury, especially from a fall, you need to disinfect with an antiseptic solution.
   • If your lips are swollen from piercing, follow the piercer's advice and don't remove the lip piercings if you don't need them. Remember to wash your hands before doing this.
   • Do not use alcohol to wash your lips, alcohol can make the condition worse.

2. 

   Use a cold compress on the day of the injury. Wrap the ice in a towel or use an ice pack from the freezer to gently apply pressure to the swollen lips. This will help reduce swelling when the injury is first. After the first few hours, cold therapy usually no longer works to reduce swelling, but only helps relieve pain.
   • If ice isn't available, place the spoon in the freezer for 5-10 minutes and hold it against your lips. Another way to use cold compresses is to suck ice cream.

3. 

   Switch to a warm compress. Once the initial swelling has subsided, the warm temperature can help your lips heal. Heat the water to a still-accessible temperature. Dip a towel in the water, squeeze out the water, and hold it against your lips for 10 minutes. You can apply the compress once an hour, several times a day, or until the swelling is gone.

4. 

   Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of pain and swelling medications. The most common over-the-counter drugs are acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

5. 

   Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to maintain moisture in your lips and avoid cracking or further swelling.

6. 

   Protect lips with lip balm or wax. These products moisturize the lips, preventing chapped and dry lips.
   • There are many recipes for lip balm.You can try a combination of 2 parts coconut oil, 2 parts olive oil, 2 parts grated beeswax and a few drops of essential oil for flavor.
   • If you're in a hurry, just dab some coconut oil or aloe vera gel on your lips.
   • Avoid lip balms that contain camphor (camphor), menthol (mint), or phenol. Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline cream) sparingly, as this product can cause health problems if used in large quantities and does not add much moisture.

7. 

   Let lips come in contact with the air and don't put pressure on lips to avoid re-injury. Pressure can further damage and hurt your lips. Try not to touch the bruised area and expose your lips to air.
   • If you have pain when you eat, the recovery process will take much longer. Replace some foods with smoothies and protein drinks and drink with straws.

8. 

   Healthy eating. Stay away from salty, high-sodium foods because they often cause extra swelling. In general, a healthy diet full of vitamins and protein can help you recover.
   • Avoid foods high in acids that are often painful.
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Part 3 of 3: Cure broken or cracked lips

1. 

   Check for teeth and lips after injury. If your mouth is bumped, you need to check the wound. If your teeth become loose, you should see the dentist immediately. They can sew the wound to prevent scarring or give you a tetanus shot.

2. 

   Disinfect with salt water. Dissolve 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of salt in 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Soak a cotton swab or towel in salt water and gently dab it on the cut. It may feel a bit sore at first, but the salt water will help reduce the risk of infection.
   • If the salt water is too bad, you can rinse the wound with tap water and use a cotton swab to apply bacitracin ointment (like Neosporin) to your lips.

3. 

   Apply cold and hot compresses. As described above, an ice pack or bag wrapped in a towel can help reduce swelling when you are first injured. Once the initial swelling has subsided, you can switch to a warm wet washcloth to stimulate blood circulation and heal. Apply cold and hot compresses to lips for 10 minutes, then rest for 1 hour before applying the next wave. advertisement

Advice

• This therapy is effective for most swelling, whether it's caused by a piercing or a wound / cut.
• Antibiotic ointment will help prevent infection on the cut and cure infection. However, antibiotic ointments do not cure viral infections (such as herpes), cause skin irritation in some people, and can be harmful if swallowed. You should consult your doctor before use.
• Try to keep your mouth clean, especially for open wounds in your mouth (of course, this should be done even if you don't have swollen lips). Brushing also helps reduce the risk of infection by killing bacteria. Mouthwash is also good, although it is painful on the open wound.

Warning

• If after 2 weeks your lips are still swollen, seek medical attention. Maybe you have an infection or have a serious illness.
• Due to the risk of swallowing, over-the-counter ointments and herbal remedies are often dangerous when applied to the lips. There is no solid evidence that tea tree oil or cannabis oil is effective; Tea tree oil is particularly dangerous when swallowed.

What you need

• Water or cold pack
• Towels
• Lip balm
• Salt
• Country