Bartholin's gland cysts usually go away on their own.Sizesmall and painless. However, sometimes this disorder can lead to more severe conditions, namely if a Bartholin's cyst becomes infected and causes pain, making it difficult for the sufferer to walk.
The Bartholin's glands are a pair of small organs under the folds of the vaginal lips, called the labia, in the female pubic area. These glands are responsible for secreting fluids to moisturize and lubricate the outside of the vagina. This fluid comes out of the Bartholin's canal which is at the mouth of the vagina. Disturbances in the production of vaginal fluids can cause vaginal dryness.
Beware of Causes of Bartholin's Gland Disorders
There are times when the Bartholin's duct becomes blocked, resulting in a buildup of fluid in the gland. This condition is called a Bartholin's gland cyst. Meanwhile, Bartholin's gland abscess occurs when this gland or duct becomes infected.
Bartholin's gland abscess is generally caused by a bacterial infection, swelling, thick mucus, or complications from a sexually transmitted disease. Bacterial infections can be caused by bacteria E. coli or bacteria that cause sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. After sexual intercourse, the size of a Bartholin's cyst can enlarge because the glands produce more fluid during the process of intercourse.
Symptoms of Bartholin's Gland Cyst
An uninfected Bartholin's gland cyst can be a painless lump, but will cause the vaginal area to look swollen or reddish, and cause discomfort during sex, sitting, or walking.
An infected Bartholin's gland cyst has the following symptoms:
- Pain that gets worse with routine activities.
- Fluid discharge from the lump.
- Body fever or chills.
- Swelling in the vulvar area.
In general, these cysts or abscesses only occur on one side of the vaginal opening.
If not treated immediately, the infection can spread to other parts of the body, for example to the blood vessels and cause septicemia. Therefore, immediately consult a doctor, if:
- There is a painful lump in the mouth of the vagina, especially if it does not go away in 2-3 days even though it has been treated.
- A lump appears in the vagina, and you are over 40 years old. Although rare, a lump in the vagina at this age range can be a symptom of cancer. In this case, the doctor will perform a biopsy to determine whether the lump is malignant or not.
- There is unbearable pain.
Treatment of Bartholin's Gland Disorders
The following treatment measures can be recommended to patients with disorders of the Bartholin's Gland:
- Soak the vagina to the pelvis and buttocks in warm water, several times a day for 3-4 days, to help shed infected cysts.
- Taking antibiotics from a doctor, to treat cysts that are infected with bacteria or to treat sexually transmitted infections.
- Marsupialization, which is a procedure in which the doctor cuts a Bartholin's gland cyst and then sutures each side of the cyst incision to the surrounding area to remove the blocked fluid. After the fluid and blood is out, the doctor will provide a special pad and catheter to prevent the recurrence of the Bartholin's gland cyst.
- Surgery to drain fluid from very large or infected cysts.
In some very rare cases, your doctor may need to surgically remove the Bartholin's gland. Usually this procedure is done when other treatments have not worked.
Although Bartholin's gland disorders cannot always be prevented, the risk of this disorder can be reduced by maintaining the cleanliness of the female organs, using condoms during sexual intercourse, and practicing safe sex. In addition, try to consume enough fluids and avoid holding urine for too long.