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Bartholin's cysts usually affect women aged between 20 and 50 years. They can affect anyone with a vagina.
The main symptom of a Bartholin’s cyst is a soft lump on 1 side near the opening of your vagina. It can be small and painless and may not cause any symptoms.
A Bartholin’s cyst can range in size, from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball. Other symptoms can include:
If the cyst becomes infected, it may turn into an abscess. Symptoms include:
A Bartholin’s cyst can sometimes be found during routine examinations like cervical screening (smear test).
A Bartholin's cyst inside the opening of the vagina.
You have a lump in or around your vagina and:
These could be signs of an infected Bartholin’s cyst (abscess).
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
The GP will look at the lump to check if it’s a Bartholin’s cyst.
Let them know if you'd like someone else to be in the room with you (a chaperone) – this could be someone you know, a nurse or a trained member of staff.
If the GP is not sure what’s causing the lump, they may refer you for further tests.
If you've been diagnosed with a Bartholin's cyst it will often go away by itself without treatment. But there are things you can do to help relieve discomfort or pain.
sit in a bath with warm water a few times a day, for 3 to 4 days
dip a cloth or cotton wool in warm water and hold it gently on the cyst
take ibuprofen or paracetamol to help with pain
do not try to squeeze or drain the fluid from a Bartholin’s cyst yourself, as this can cause infection
If a Bartholin’s cyst bursts on its own, this is OK and should ease the pain. Keep the area clean and dry to help stop infection.
If you have an infected Bartholin's cyst, you’ll be offered antibiotics.
If antibiotics do not work, or the cyst keeps coming back, you may need a surgical procedure to drain it.
Draining a Bartholin's cyst may be done under local anaesthetic where you'll be awake during the procedure, or with a general anaesthetic where you'll be asleep.
The procedure involves making a cut in the cyst. The doctor may leave a small opening so fluid can drain out, or insert a small, thin tube (catheter) into the cyst. You’ll usually have the catheter in for around 4 weeks before it is removed.
During the procedure, the doctor may take some fluid from the lump to test for infection.
A Bartholin’s cyst happens when small glands in the vagina become blocked. It's often not known why the glands become blocked.
If a Bartholin’s cyst becomes infected, this can cause an abscess. A Bartholin’s abscess may be caused by infections, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhoea or chlamydia.
