A cyst on the labia is a fairly common problem that many women face. With timely diagnosis and correctly carried out therapy, this disease can be cured without significant damage to the health and quality of the woman’s intimate life. On the other hand, the lack of treatment can lead to inflammation and extremely unpleasant complications.
That is why many women are looking for additional information about this disease. What is a cyst on the labia in women? Due to ethical considerations, we will not consider the photo, the appearance of pathological education (if desired, detailed materials can be found on specialized medical resources). Let's talk better about the causes and consequences of the appearance of such neoplasms. How dangerous can a cyst be? What treatments are considered the most effective and safe? Answers to these questions will be useful to many readers.
What is a cyst on the labia
Photos showing the external signs of pathology, to put it mildly, are unpleasant. Bartholin gland is a paired organ, which is located in the thickness of the labia, on the eve of the vagina. The function of these small glands is very important. They produce a translucent liquid rich in proteins, which provides lubrication of the walls of the vagina for normal, painless sexual intercourse.
The ducts of the gland open on the surface of the labia minora. Sometimes, for one reason or another, secretion is difficult to remove, as a result of which it begins to accumulate in the gland cavity. It is in such cases that a cyst on the labia may appear. This is a benign formation, which, nevertheless, is capable of causing a lot of inconvenience to a woman. That is why it is important to know about the main causes and symptoms of the disease in order to seek medical help in time.
Cyst on the labia: causes of education
It is immediately worth noting that the formation of such a neoplasm is a long process. As a rule, a cyst on the labia develops as a result of inflammation of the bartholin gland. The inflammatory process can be caused by different strains of bacteria. It can be both relatively pathogenic streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, and pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, gonococci, etc.
Sometimes there is a hematogenous route of transmission of infection. This happens in patients with severe, chronic diseases. If, for example, the woman’s body has a focus of inflammation (for example, with tonsillitis), then against the background of a decrease in immunity, the infection can be transferred along with blood from the primary focus to more distant organs.
Are there any risk factors?
A cyst on the labia is formed at the end of the inflammatory process. In turn, doctors identify several main risk factors, in the presence of which the probability of tissue infection is much higher:
- promiscuous sex life;
- refusal to use condoms during intercourse;
- non-observance of the rules of intimate hygiene;
- fungal diseases of the genital organs, including protracted candidiasis (thrush);
- weakening of the immune system, including immunodeficiencies, previously infectious diseases (colds), constant stress, physical and emotional exhaustion;
- prolonged sexual intercourse, which is accompanied by irritation and injuries of the vaginal mucosa;
- skin irritation associated with wearing poor-quality or improperly selected clothes, using inappropriate soap and other hygiene products;
- cosmetic procedures, in particular hair removal;
- abortions, spontaneous abortion, diagnostic curettage.
Quite often, in the presence of one or more of the above factors, a cyst on the labia is formed in women. The reasons, as you can see, can be different. In any case, if you find yourself have an uncharacteristic formation in the area of ​​the external genitalia, you should consult a gynecologist.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
What changes in a patient’s body and well-being can a cyst on the labia cause? Symptoms may be different, as they depend on the size of the neoplasm, the presence of an inflammatory process, etc.
Small cysts rarely cause serious inconvenience. A woman may well lead a familiar lifestyle. As the tumor grows, the first symptoms may appear, namely swelling of the labia, discomfort during physical activity and sexual intercourse. Soreness, as a rule, appears either when the cyst is too large, or in the presence of an inflammatory process.
Cyst inflammation and main symptoms
As already mentioned, the cyst itself is not too dangerous, in some cases, doctors do not even prescribe treatment. A completely different picture is observed if infection penetrates into the formation. This can occur as a result of injury, for example, during hygiene procedures, sexual intercourse, etc.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by discomfort. In particular, the region of the Bartholin gland swells, the skin around it turns red, the cyst becomes painful to the touch. In such cases, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Abscess and other possible complications
The consequence of the inflammatory process (in the absence of treatment, of course) can be an abscess. In this case, purulent masses begin to accumulate in the cavity of the cyst. Education significantly increases in size, it becomes incredibly painful. Pain accompanies a woman during walking and physical activity, and even at rest.
Along with this, standard symptoms of intoxication of the body may appear, in particular, a sharp increase in body temperature, chills, body aches, nausea, loss of appetite, weakness and drowsiness.
In the absence of medical care, an abscess rupture is possible, which is accompanied by severe pain. In addition, purulent masses after opening the abscess extend to the internal genital organs, which can lead to the development of vaginitis, cystitis, and inflammatory processes of the ovaries.
What diagnostic methods are there?
In fact, the process of diagnosing this pathology is relatively simple. A cyst on the labia in women can be detected during a routine gynecological examination. Larger formations are visible to the naked eye, while smaller ones can be felt during palpation.
Naturally, after the discovery of "nodules", patients are prescribed additional studies. Sometimes, for example, a cyst on the labia is studied using ultrasound equipment. In some cases, samples are taken of the contents of the neoplasm for laboratory research. Also, a woman is recommended to take tests for sexually transmitted infections, and also take a swab from the vagina to detect pathogenic microflora.
Drug treatment: how effective is it?
Today, many patients are interested in questions about what constitutes a cyst on the labia and its treatment. The treatment regimen is determined by the doctor. In the presence of tiny neoplasms, special treatment may not be necessary at all - often the cysts resolve on their own. Nevertheless, a woman must undergo gynecological examinations regularly so that the doctor can monitor the dynamics of the development of pathology.
Drug therapy depends on the condition of the patient’s body, the cause of the disease and the presence of concomitant pathologies. For example, with inflammation, antibacterial (or antifungal) therapy is mandatory. A decrease in the activity of the immune system requires a correction of the diet, as well as taking vitamin complexes. Sometimes hormone therapy is needed.
When is surgery necessary?
In fact, surgery is usually the only way to get rid of a cyst. The task of modern surgery is not only the removal of the cyst, but also the restoration of the normal functioning of the Bartholin gland.
Quite often, the doctor simply dissects the wall of the cyst, completely removes its contents, and then thoroughly rinses the bag with an antiseptic solution. A more radical procedure is complete excision of the cyst and surrounding tissues along with the gland. By the way, this procedure is the only one, one hundred percent guaranteeing the absence of relapses in the future.
What is the potential for surgical removal of the cyst?
The two methods described above give pretty good results. Nevertheless, they cannot be considered the “gold standard”, since such procedures can lead to some not too pleasant consequences. For example, when the contents of the cyst are removed, its walls remain, they can often grow together, which leads to repeated blockage and the formation of a new cyst.
Complete removal of tissues will naturally provide a lasting result. On the other hand, the removal of Bartholin glands is fraught with other complications. In particular, the quality of a woman’s intimate life will deteriorate, because a normal vaginal lubricant will not stand out during sexual contact, which is fraught with discomfort and pain. After such procedures, women always have to use artificial lubricating fluid.
Insertion of a Word Catheter as an Alternative to Complete Excision
Naturally, surgical operations are far from the only methods to get rid of such a problem as a cyst on the labia. Treatment may be longer, but really effective.
The introduction of the so-called Word-catheter is considered a new effective technique. First, the doctor opens the cystic cavity, removes its contents, and then thoroughly rinses the bag with an antiseptic solution. After that, a catheter with a small rubber end, which is slightly inflated, is inserted into the cavity. Thus, a small ball appears inside the cavity, around which the epithelial membrane subsequently forms. So a new channel is formed to remove the secretion of the gland.
Naturally, the procedure takes much longer. The catheter insertion itself takes no more than 10-15 minutes, but it is left inside the gland for several weeks. As a rule, discomfort and some pain are present only in the first few days, after which the woman feels quite comfortable. Naturally, the patient must carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene and temporarily abandon sexual activity.
A few weeks later, the catheter is removed. The risk of fusion of the walls of the new channel is minimal. It is this treatment that can get rid of such an unpleasant problem as a cyst on the labia. Complications after the procedure include catheter prolapse (either due to improperly performed manipulations or due to the patient’s carelessness), as well as infection of the gland (again, most often due to non-compliance with hygiene requirements). However, such situations are recorded in no more than 10% of cases.
Marsupilization of the cyst
A cyst on the labia can be eliminated in a different way. Marsupilization of the neoplasm is a relatively new medical technique that allows you to maintain the function of the gland.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia and, as a rule, takes about 30-40 minutes. First, the doctor makes a small incision on the wall of the gland, opens the capsule of the cyst, then carefully removes its contents and rinses it with antibacterial solutions. Next, the gland wall is carefully sutured to the labia majora. Thus, there is no need to form a new duct, but the gland continues to function, producing the secret necessary for normal sexual activity.
Of course, therapy does not end there. After the procedure, it is very important to monitor the wound, observe personal hygiene rules, treat tissues with antiseptic solutions, and take antibiotics to prevent infectious diseases. As practice shows, with the right approach, it is possible to maintain the function of the gland without any complications.