Bartholin Cyst

American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: “Chalazion.”

Visual Guide to Cysts

It’s a lump of fluid, air, or something else. Cysts are very common, and most aren’t cancer. You may need tests (like a CT scan, ultrasound, or biopsy) to confirm that it’s a cyst. They do not go away, but often, cysts don’t need treatment. Your doctor can let you know if yours does. You can get cysts in many different parts of your body, and you may not even know that they’re there.

Acne Cyst

2/13

You get acne when oil and dead skin block a pore. This often causes a small growth, or “pimple,” that goes away on its own or with over-the-counter drugs. If it’s more serious or a pimple gets very irritated, you might get a larger squishy growth called a cyst. (Hard growths are called nodules.) Talk to your doctor about treatment including antibiotics and other medications for your cysts.

Baker’s Cyst

3/13

A soft, fluid-filled lump can form at the back of your knee if you injure the joint because of arthritis, inflammation, a torn ligament, or other causes. You might mistake it for a blood clot. Rest with your leg raised up and ice the area for 15 minutes at a time. Anti-inflammatory drugs could also help. In some cases your doctor may suggest surgery or use a needle to drain it or inject steroids to lessen swelling.

Bartholin’s Cyst

4/13

The tiny Bartholin glands are deep under the skin on either side of the vagina opening. Their job seems to be to make fluids for sex. If something blocks a duct in one of these glands, it fills with mucus and gets bigger. It could even get infected and form a sore called an abscess. Tub soaks can help. In serious cases, your doctor might do surgery to create a permanent drain or remove the cyst.

Breast Cyst

5/13

You might notice one or more smooth lumps with clear edges on your breast, but you can’t always feel them. They may hurt in the days just before your period starts or when you have lots of caffeine. They’re very common and more likely right before menopause, or afterward, if you take replacement hormones. You don’t usually need to treat them, but see your doctor about any breast lump because it may be something more serious than a cyst.

Urachal Cyst

6/13

In the womb, a baby’s bladder connects to its belly button through a channel called the urachus in the abdominal wall gut. If it doesn’t close by the time you’re born, a small lump of tissue and fluid (a cyst) can grow there. If it gets infected, you could have belly button pain, fever, and bloody urine. Your doctor may give you antibiotics, drain or remove the cyst, and possibly repair the area with surgery.

Sebaceous Cyst

7/13

Here, something blocks a gland around a hair or irritates the opening (follicle) that holds it, often on your face, ear, head, trunk, or groin. That causes a bump to grow slowly under the skin. It’s usually soft enough to move when you touch it. Usually, it doesn’t hurt, but you might notice a bad smell. Smaller ones usually go away on their own, but your doctor may need to drain or remove larger, swollen, or painful cysts.

Pilonidal Cyst

8/13

A loose hair gets pushed back into the skin. Your body sees it as a threat and builds a pocket around it that holds dead skin and fluid. You might notice irritation at the base of your spine in the crease where your buttocks start. If it gets infected, it can become very painful and may need to be drained or removed. Younger men get it more often, as do people who sit a lot, aren’t active, or are obese.

Ganglion Cyst

9/13

It’s a lump filled with liquid, most often near joints or tendons on your wrist or fingers. Tendon or joint stress might cause it, but it’s not clear. It may hurt and sometimes changes in size or goes away on its own. Anti-inflammatory meds or splints might curb pain. In more serious cases, your doctor may drain it with a needle or remove it completely.

Chalazion

10/13

Oil from the meibomian glands around the eyelids gets too thick or the opening clogs. Either way, it builds up and inflames the gland and forms a lump. The cause is often unclear, but certain skin types get it more. You may have no pain unless it gets fairly large. Really big ones can press on your eye and blur your vision. It usually goes away on its own, and warm compresses can help. Talk to your doctor if it sticks around.

Cysticercosis

11/13

Eggs from a pork tapeworm, a parasite, can pass into your food or drink contaminated with poop. They hatch in your gut and send small round “oncospheres” through your blood to the brain, muscles, liver, and other organs where they form cysts. You doctor will probably only treat them if they’re in your brain where they could cause headaches, seizures, confusion, or other problems. You’d likely take steroids to ease inflammation.

Spermatocele

12/13

This cyst forms inside the epididymis, a coiled tube inside a man’s scrotum that connects to their testicles and helps move sperm. It seems to happen when sperm build up at the end of the tube. It’s not cancerous and doesn’t usually hurt, but your doctor should check to be sure. It usually goes away on its own. About a third of all men will get a spermatocele in their lifetime.

Dermoid Cyst

13/13

It happens before you’re born if the layers of your skin don’t grow together properly, usually on the head, neck, or face. That causes a pocket that traps skin, hair follicles, sweat glands, blood, fat, nails, teeth, and other structures. It might not be noticeable until fluid builds up and makes it bigger, sometimes years after birth. Then it looks like a small lump with skin on top that’s easy to move. Your doctor will likely remove the cyst with surgery.

Show Sources

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

1) jarabee123 / Thinkstock

2) Dr P. Marazzi / Science Source

3) Dr P. Marazzi / Science Source

4) CNRI / Science Source

5) ZEPHYR / Science Source

6) (Both) BSIP / Science Source

7) Girand / Science Source

8) Stocktrek Images / Science Source

9) Barry Slaven / Medical Images

10) ISM / BARRAQUER, Barcelona

11) Steve Gschmeissner / Science Source (inset), Living Art Enterprises / Science Source (background)

12) PIXOLOGICSTUDIO / Science Source

13) SPL / Science Source

American Academy of Dermatology: “Different kinds of pimples,” “What can clear severe acne?”

American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: “Chalazion.”

American Pediatric Surgical Association: “Urachal Cysts.”

American Society for Surgery of The Hand: “Ganglion Cysts.”

Cleveland Clinic: “Spermatocele,” “Sebaceous Cysts,” “Breast Cysts,” “What is a Baker’s cyst?”

Johns Hopkins Medicine: “Sebaceous Cysts.”

Mayo Clinic: “Pilonidal cyst.”

Merck Manual: “Tapeworm Infection,” “Bartholin Gland Cysts.”

Michigan Medicine Kellogg Eye Center: “Chalazion and Stye.”

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences: “Urachal cyst.”

St. Louis Children’s Hospital: “Dermoid Cyst in Children.”

Bartholin Cyst

A Bartholin cyst develops when a blockage occurs in a Bartholin gland in the vagina. This blockage causes a lump that can cause irritation and pain during walking, sitting or sex. Bartholin cysts can resolve on their own over time. If it becomes infected, it may need treated by a healthcare provider.

Overview

A Bartholin cyst developing on the Bartholin gland on the labia.

What is a Bartholin cyst?

A Bartholin cyst (or vulvar cyst) is a type of vaginal cyst that forms on either side of the labia (vaginal lips) near the opening of the vagina. It’s named after the Bartholin glands, which are two small glands that produce the fluid (mucus) that help lubricate the vagina. The labia and Bartholin’s glands are part of the vulva in the female reproductive system.

A Bartholin cyst occurs when a blockage happens at the openings of one of these glands, causing the mucus to build up and form a lump. It typically only occurs on one of the two Bartholin glands. Some Bartholin cysts are small and don’t cause any pain. If the cyst becomes infected with bacteria, an abscess can form. When infected, Bartholin cysts can be painful and may require medical treatment.

What does a Bartholin cyst look like?

Bartholin cysts will look like round bumps under the skin on the lips of your vagina (labia). They’re often painless. Some may become red, tender and swollen if an infection occurs. Other Bartholin cysts may look like they are filled with pus or fluid. Bartholin cysts can be as small as a pea or grow as large as a golf ball. The cyst may make one side of your labia appear larger or look lopsided.

Who gets Bartholin cysts?

Bartholin cysts will occur in about 2% of all women at some time in their life. They are more common in women of reproductive age. The chance of developing a Bartholin cyst decreases after menopause.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes a Bartholin cyst?

Healthcare providers do not know why some women are predisposed to getting Bartholin cysts. Some causes of Bartholin cysts are:

• Injury, irritation or extra growth of skin in the vulvar area of the vagina.
• Chlamydia, gonorrhea or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Bacterial infections such as Escherichia (E. coli).

What are the symptoms of a Bartholin cyst?

Many Bartholin cysts are small and do not cause symptoms other than minor irritation. If a Bartholin cyst forms an abscess (infection), symptoms may include:

• Discomfort and pain during sex, walking, sitting, or when inserting a tampon or wiping after using the restroom.
• Swelling and tenderness in the area.
• Fever or chills.
• Redness.
• Drainage from the cyst.
• Change in size (the cyst gets larger).

Is a Bartholin cyst contagious?

Most Bartholin cysts do not become infected and can’t spread during skin-to-skin contact. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could be a cause of Bartholin cysts. These are contagious.

Are Bartholin cysts caused by an infection?

Bartholin cysts can be caused by E. coli and other bacterial infections or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like gonorrhea and chlamydia. These bacteria can clog the Bartholin gland and lead to a cyst.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is a Bartholin cyst diagnosed?

To diagnose a Bartholin cyst, a healthcare provider will do a physical exam. They will look at the size of the cyst and look for signs of infection. If the cyst produces discharge, your healthcare provider may test the fluid for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or other bacterial infections.

Are there any other tests done to diagnose Bartholin cysts?

In women older than age 40, healthcare providers may perform a test called a biopsy to rule out cancer of the vulva. During this test, your healthcare provider will remove a small sample of tissue from the cyst and look at it under a microscope.

A Bartholin gland cyst may need to be surgically removed if your healthcare provider feels it may be cancerous. It’s rare for cancer to develop in the Bartholin gland, however, it’s more common if you are over the age of 60.

Management and Treatment

What are the treatments for a Bartholin cyst?

Treatment for Bartholin cysts depends on the symptoms. If a cyst is small, painless and doesn’t appear infected, it may not need treatment.

If symptoms persist or the cyst grows, then you may be developing an abscess (infection). In severe cases, abscesses may need surgically drained.

Treatment options may include:

• Sitz baths: Sit in a bathtub with 3 to 4 inches of warm water a few times a day for several days. This can provide comfort and promote healing. It could also help the infected cyst to burst and drain on its own.
• Over-the-counter pain medications: Take as directed for pain relief and discomfort.
• Antibiotics: If your cyst becomes infected or tests show you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics.
• Surgical draining: If your cyst is large and infected, surgery may be done to drain the fluid. A small tube called a catheter will be inserted into the cyst. The catheter is usually left in place for several weeks to allow for complete drainage.
• Marsupialization: The cyst is surgically opened and drained. Then, the surgeon will stitch the edges of the cyst wall to form a permanent open pocket or “pouch” for continuous drainage. This is often helpful for recurrent Bartholin cysts.
• Removal of the Bartholin’s gland: In extremely rare cases where treatment is not working, your healthcare provider may surgically remove the Bartholin glands.

Treatment for a Bartholin cyst should be directed by your healthcare provider. Even if it’s a treatment option that can be done at home, it’s best to talk to your provider first. Do not try to drain or squeeze a cyst as this could cause infection and make your symptoms worse.

How do I manage the symptoms of a Bartholin cyst?

To manage the symptoms of a Bartholin cyst, at-home remedies like soaking in a warm bath several times a day (a sitz bath) and taking over-the-counter pain relievers can help with discomfort. Bartholin cysts have a good chance of resolving on their own without medical treatment. If the cyst becomes painful or infected, contact your healthcare provider.

Do Bartholin cysts go away on their own?

It is common for Bartholin cysts to resolve on their own. Most healthcare providers will recommend sitz baths to manage symptoms. If a cyst drains or bursts on its own, this is OK. Keep the area clean and dry to minimize the spread of infection. Do not squeeze or drain a Bartholin cyst yourself as this can cause infection. Contact your healthcare provider if the cyst becomes painful, infected or lasts several weeks without signs of improvement.

How long does a Bartholin cyst last?

The length of time you can expect to have a Bartholin cyst varies depending on its size and if becomes infected. Typically, cysts resolve completely within a few weeks. Once the cyst has been examined, your healthcare provider will be able to estimate how long your symptoms will last.

What comes out of a Bartholin cyst when it opens?

A Bartholin cyst could be filled with pus, mucus, bacteria, blood or other fluid. This discharge can be thick and range in color from light yellow to brown or red. Infected Bartholin cysts could have an unpleasant odor when it ruptures. It is important to keep the area clean and practice good hygiene in the affected area.

Should I pop a Bartholin cyst?

You should never squeeze, pop or insert sharp objects like needles into a cyst to force it to open. This can cause injury and spread infection. It is normal for a Bartholin cyst to drain on its own after several days of treatment (like after sitz baths or with antibiotics).