Bartholin's cyst

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:

• discomfort or pain in the area surrounding your vagina (vulva) when you walk, sit down, or have sex
• 1 side of your vaginal lips looking larger or swollen

If the cyst becomes infected, it may turn into an abscess. Symptoms include:

• smelly discharge from the abscess
• feeling unwell, or having a high temperature
• intense pain around the abscess

A Bartholin’s cyst can sometimes be found during routine examinations like cervical screening (smear test).

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• you have a lump in or around your vagina

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

What to do if a Bartholin's cyst bursts

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.

The main symptom of a Bartholin’s cyst is a soft lump on 1 side of the vaginal opening. It can be painful if infected or it becomes an abscess.

When diagnosing a Bartholin’s cyst, a GP will examine you and look for any signs of infection.

Warm baths, holding a warm cloth on the area, and painkillers can help ease symptoms of a Bartholin’s cyst.

If you have an infected Bartholin’s cyst (abscess) antibiotics can help. If antibiotics do not work, you may need to have the abscess drained.