Bartholin gland

Medical experts say that there are five main signs of an inflammatory reaction: swelling, pain, fever, redness and impaired function of the organ in which inflammation has occurred.

There are cases when all of the above signs appear on the labia. This is unpleasant and very painful. Typically, such signs indicate the presence of a disease, such as bartholinitis - a common problem of gynecology in women.

A bit of anatomy for a start. Bartholin glands are located on the labia majora in the posterior part of them. The size of this organ is about 8-10 millimeters. The function of the gland is to moisten the entrance to the vagina during sexual arousal. When infected, Bartholin gland can become inflamed. As a rule, the infection is caused by staphylococci, enterococci, gonococci and sticks of blue-green pus.

Such microorganisms enter the gland in two ways: through the blood and during the process of contact. The hematogenous pathway through the blood occurs when there is a chronic infection in the body: pyelonephritis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, caries and others. Contact infection occurs because of promiscuous sexual relationships, non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, as well as from an infected partner.

The infection gets in favorable conditions, the bacteria multiply, and their life products simultaneously with the dead cells begin to form pus. As a result, bartholin gland swells, blushes and it hurts. Due to the fact that the excretory duct of the organ is very narrow, pus does not go outside and accumulates inside, sometimes increasing the gland up to a size of 5 centimeters in diameter.

So, the clinical picture of inflammation of such an organ as Bartholin gland consists in a strong edema, redness of the labia majora, a feeling of discomfort in the process of walking, there may be a rise in temperature. There is a spontaneous dissection of purulent formation, and the symptoms go away, but this does not indicate a recovery - this improvement is often temporary. Bartholin gland still contains bacteria that can be activated at any moment and cause an acute clinical picture.

When an abscess of the Bartholin gland occurs, a survey is performed. It is aimed at identifying the causative agent, as well as the degree of its sensitivity to antibiotics. Based on the data obtained, the best antibacterial preparation or two antibiotics of different groups are selected. Also during the treatment of a patient it is recommended to take warm baths with diluted antiseptic solutions, for example, chlorhexidine or potassium. In addition, ointment compresses and applications with ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky are prescribed. Physioprocedures, such as laser irradiation, magnetotherapy and others are very effective. If Bartholin gland is very inflamed, if a serious abscess occurs, a surgical operation is performed, during which the tissue is dissected. In some neglected cases, with frequently recurring infections, an operation on the marsupialization of the gland can be performed. Thus, an artificial hole is created through which the liquid will flow off on its own. This procedure is considered the most sparing. All serious treatment is carried out exclusively in a hospital.

After the treatment, the iron may remain slightly enlarged, this indicates that there is a possibility of forming a cyst. This education is small and does not cause any special discomfort. But it is better to remove the cyst - this will prevent the occurrence of relapses of the disease. The cause of infertility, this disease can not become, but with untimely treatment there is the possibility of a permanent source of infection.