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Swollen Lips Treatment

Swollen lips are one of those mysterious occurrences. One minute you are just fine and the next minute, out of the blue, your lips have swollen to the size of Texas. Allergies can cause this to happen. The first order of business is to reduce the swelling because it feels awful and looks bad.

  1. Cold or Hot Treatments

    • Apply an ice pack to your lips several times a day. If this has not helped within 24 hours, use a hot pack, which should help distribute the blood accumulated in the area and reduce the swelling.

    Poltice

    • Create a dough out of rose water, a strand of saffron and regular flour. Knead it well and then apply it to your swollen lips. This should reduce the swelling drastically. If there are any open sores on your lips, this should also help heal the sores.

    Fuller's Earth

    • Mix water with Fuller's Earth, a mineral substance, and then add a teaspoon of turmeric powder. Apply it to the swollen area, let it dry and then simply remove by brushing if off of your lips. Fuller's Earth is reportedly very good at reducing inflammation, and it has cooling properties that will feel good on your swollen lips. Fuller's Earth is made up of water, magnesia, alumina, silica, iron oxides and lime and is considered a sedimentary clay. Fuller's Earth can be purchased from HRP Industries (see Resources) as well as elsewhere.

    Antihistamines

    • Swollen lips may be caused by angioedema, according to the National Institute of Health. Angioedema is comparable to hives but the swelling occurs under the surface of the skin rather than on the skin. This can occur because of an allergic reaction. To treat this, take an antihistamine or an anti-inflammatory medicine. Epinephrine also works as does Tagamet (Cimetidine). Ask your physician what the best course of action is.

    Tea Bags

    • Drop a tea bag into some warm water and let it remain in the water for a few minutes. Allow the tea bag to cool down. Put it on your lips. This should help reduce swelling. It might also help if you put some medicated lip balm on your swollen lips to discourage your lips from drying out.

    Cheilitis Granulomatosa

    • According to the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, one cause of lip swelling is cheilitis granulomatosa. This is an inflammatory disorder that is rare and affects young adults. Treatments for this condition include corticosteroids, possible surgical intervention or prescription drugs (cyclosporine, erythromycin, thalidomide, sulfasalazine, azathiorpine and infliximab). If you think you have this condition, consult your physician for advice on how to treat it.

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