Three simple ways to burst a Bartholin cyst at home

By - Afrida Nabiha

Are you looking for how to burst a Bartholin cyst at home? Well, before that, you need to know about the cyst itself, its signs and symptoms, and how to diagnose and treat it. It is suggested to see a physician and seek their advice to understand the severity of the cyst. If a physician suggests that the cyst is minor and can burst easily at home, you can go for it.

But you need to keep in mind some precautions not to cause complications or unwanted infections.

What is a Bartholin cyst?

In a woman’s body, Bartholin glands are located on each side of the vaginal opening. The function of these glands is to secrete fluid that lubricates the vagina. These glands are present in the posterior part of the vagina. They are homologous to the bulbourethral glands present in males. They secrete mucus that works as a natural lubricant of the vagina.

Bartholin cyst is a type of abscess which occurs due to the obstruction of the opening of the Bartholin gland.  Due to this obstruction, the fluid that was supposed to be secreted goes back up into the gland. As there is an accumulation of fluid in the gland, it causes painless swelling. This swelling is the Bartholin cyst.

Related: Is Hard Lump After the Abscess Drained is Cyst?

The treatment entirely depends on the size of the cyst and how much pain it is causing. If the cyst is infected, then you should take other measures. Sometimes just home treatment is enough to burst the cyst. You can quickly learn how to burst a Bartholin cyst at home.  In other cases, physicians can drain the cyst surgically. In case of infections, antibiotics should be prescribed.

Signs and symptoms of Bartholin cyst

The Bartholin cyst is painless as it is merely the accumulation of fluid. If you have a non-infected, small Bartholin cyst, then they might not notice it or fail to diagnose it as it does not cause any signs or symptoms. However, if the cyst is not detected or treated at an early stage, it will grow. Later, you might feel a mass or lump close to your vaginal opening.

Then again, you can easily diagnose a cyst if they are infected. The infection of Bartholin cyst shows signs and symptoms that require immediate medical attention. The signs and symptoms are:

You need to consult a doctor as soon as you notice a painful mass or lump around the opening of your vagina. If the swelling does not improve within two or three days on its own, even after self-care, then it’s time to call the physician immediately to prevent any kind of complication. If the pain is severe, you should make an appointment with the doctor as soon as possible.

How to Burst A Bartholin Cyst at Home

You can easily drain small and painless Bartholin cysts at home. There are a few easy procedures that any individual can follow at home without medical personnel. An individual can quickly learn these procedures by watching popping a Bartholin cyst video.

You need to be very cautious while doing the procedures. It is better to have someone to help you according to your level of closeness to that person. The equipment and products used in this process should be cleaned and sterilized, or there might be infections. The process by which you can burst Bartholin cyst at home is given below.

Sitz bath

In this process, one should fill up a tub with warm water up to a few inches. Then they should sit there soaking in the affected area for a few minutes. You should do this several times a day for three or four days until the cyst is drained. Repetition of this process will cause the cyst to rupture and drain on its own. This process does not cause any pain and swelling.

Homemade mixture

This process includes making a mixture at home using turmeric powder, coconut oil, sea salt, and baking soda. First, the turmeric powder is to be mixed with coconut oil that will produce a paste. This paste is to be applied to the cyst. The paste is to be kept in the affected area for approximately two hours.

Turmeric is an antioxidant, so this will bring all the pus on the surface of the cyst, making the skin layer very thin as it will increase triple in size. If we see the cyst gaining this appearance, we will understand that it is ready to burst. If it becomes excruciating, then one can take painkillers to relieve the pain slightly.

Once the Bartholin cyst becomes ready to burst, the baking soda and salt are mixed in some water. This mixture is to be applied to the cyst by dabbing with a cotton pad. The cotton pad is to be left on the affected area for the abscess to drain. The mixture of baking soda and salt is supposed to burn the skin. This will make the skin very thin, thus leading to the drainage of the abscess.

After this procedure is done, there is very little pain and a negligible amount of swelling. It can be performed easily at home with a minimal amount of pain.

Tea tree oil

Bartholin’s cyst causes pain and irritation. To reduce the pain, one can apply tea tree oil to the affected area. You can put on a few drops of tea tree oil and a little cotton pad to be applied to the cyst. At first, it might tingle a little bit, but slowly it numbs the pain.

Causes of Bartholin cyst

Bartholin cyst occurs due to the obstruction of the opening of Bartholin’s gland. Infections or injuries may obstruct the opening of the Bartholin gland. Various types of bacteria may cause infection, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Chlamydia, gonorrhea, etc.

Sexually transmitted diseases usually transmit these infection-causing bacterias. These bacterias affect the genitalia, directly blocking the opening of the Bartholin’s gland and thus preventing the secretion of the fluid. Ultimately, the fluid goes back into the Bartholin’s gland, resulting in a cyst or abscess.

Then again, injury near the genital area may cause a cyst. For example, if someone burns their genitalia while warm water, the Bartholin’s gland may not secrete the mucus. As a result, the cyst may be formed due to the accumulation of fluid.

Complications of Bartholin cyst

There is a possibility of recurrence of Bartholin’s cyst even after it is treated. For this reason, a person who has suffered from this can again face the same problem. If a person learns how to burst a Bartholin cyst at home, then they can easily get rid of it every time it occurs.

They should try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and take preventive measures. Self-care can massively help an individual to prevent the occurrence of such disease.

Prevention

There are no specific methods that can prevent the cause of Bartholin’s cyst. But an individual can take preventive measures. The precautions that an individual can adopt are given below:

Protected intercourse

We know that the bacterias are transmitted through sexually transmitted diseases. So, one should try to maintain this. Every individual should use protection such as condoms before engaging in sexual intercourse. This will prevent the transmission of the bacteria from one person to another. Adaptation of proper protection before engaging in intercourse can help to prevent such diseases.

Good hygiene habits

Maintaining a good hygiene habit can help a person to stay away from such inconvenience. One should maintain a healthy lifestyle such as a healthy diet, regular physical activity, drinking a sufficient amount of water daily, maintaining proper cleanliness, wearing clean clothes, etc.

These practices will help an individual to stay safe from any kind of infection. Maintaining a proper lifestyle will bring profound positive changes in a person’s life and thus lead to a healthy life and body.

Maintaining proper cleanliness

Maintain cleanliness in your daily life. One should keep their body clean, wear clean clothes, eat clean boiled food and drink pure water. This has a hugely positive effect on a person’s life even though they sometimes fail to realize it. It is known to us that diseases are caused due to germs and foreign particles.

If a person keeps themselves clean, their body will stay free from germs and any foreign particles capable of causing disease. As a result, staying clean will keep you free from infections that may lead to severe conditions.

Diagnosis

If the Bartholin’s cyst is painless and small, you cannot notice it as there is no change in the body. This results in delayed diagnosis of the cyst. But if the cyst is painful, then you can detect it quickly. When you feel pain or uneasiness, consult the doctor as soon as possible and get a check-up.

The physician might ask about your medical history. A pelvic examination can confirm the presence or absence of the Bartholin cyst. A sample of secretions from the vagina or cervix is to be taken to test any sexually transmitted infection.  Furthermore, a biopsy may be done to check if there is any presence of cancerous cells.

FAQ 

Is bursting a Bartholin’s cyst at home painful?

Usually, small and uninfected Bartholin’s cyst bursts at home. These are less painful in general. So, bursting them will cause slight pain, which is bearable. If a person does not want to bear the pain, they can take painkillers to reduce it.

Can burst a Bartholin’s cyst at home cause infection?

It is very unlikely to cause infection as bursting a Bartholin’s cyst at home is a very commonly done procedure. A person should be cautious and should use clean and sterilized equipment. One should wash their hands properly and sterilize the equipment thoroughly before performing this procedure. If all the steps are followed carefully, then the infection will not occur.

Conclusion

A person should not hesitate to perform this procedure at home. It is usual to feel tense to achieve such a procedure without the help of medical personnel, but one should keep in mind that it is a straightforward procedure. Before performing this procedure, one should attain sufficient knowledge about how to burst a Bartholin cyst at home.

If a person maintains proper hygiene and follows all the steps serially, they can easily burst a Bartholin’s cyst and pain relief. This will help them to get rid of the painful cyst and pain relief.