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Something felt below: Bartholins cyst why it should not be ignored and Oriental medicine treatments

The experience of a lump suddenly being felt in the vulva area brings embarrassment and anxiety to many women. At first, it is easy to dismiss it as a small pimple or boil, but as it grows, it can cause extreme pain beyond discomfort when walking or even sitting. Especially if this lump recurs frequently, it significantly interferes with daily life and can remarkably reduce the quality of life as a woman. Among those who visit Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic with these symptoms, many are already diagnosed with a Bartholin's cyst and have tried various treatments, yet suffer from constant recurrence.

💡 [Key Answer] The 3 most common causes when a lump is felt below, Bartholin's cyst: ① Bartholin's gland duct blockage / ② Bacterial infection (E. coli, Staphylococcus, etc.) / ③ Decreased immunity and chronic inflammation Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic prevents recurrence and restores a healthy vulvar environment through fundamental constitution improvement.

When a lump is felt in the vulva, it is easy to mistake it for a pimple or a simple boil. However, if the lump occurs due to a problem with the Bartholin's glands located on both sides of the vaginal opening, it is highly likely to be a 'Bartholin's cyst'. Bartholin's glands play an important role in keeping the vaginal opening moist by secreting lubricant during sexual intercourse. If the duct of this gland is blocked, the secretion cannot go out and stays inside, swelling up like a water cyst, which is exactly a Bartholin's cyst. If the cyst becomes infected, it can develop into a 'Bartholin's gland abscess' as pus fills up, accompanied by extreme pain and fever. It occurs relatively commonly in women in their 20s and 30s who have no experience of childbirth, and it is known that about 2% of all women experience it at least once in their lifetime.

A Bartholin's cyst is a tricky disease that recurs frequently once it occurs. Even after receiving surgical treatment to remove pus or a procedure to incise the cyst, in many cases, secretions fill up again or inflammation occurs over time, leading to recurrence. Indeed, various treatments are being tried, but there is a systematic review result stating that it is difficult to clearly conclude which method is most effective.

A systematic review published in PubMed in 2010 evaluated the effectiveness and recurrence rates of treatment for Bartholin's duct cysts and abscesses. This study analyzed 24 studies (5 randomized controlled trials, 2 cohort studies, 17 case series) published from 1982 to May 2008, and reported that recurrence rates across various interventions for a total of 451 patients varied from 2% to 20%. In particular, incision and drainage alone showed a high recurrence rate, and according to a study published by a Turkish research team in the 'Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research' in 2021, recurrence was confirmed in 39.6% of patients who received only incision and drainage in a study of 155 patients with Bartholin's abscess (p<0.05). On the other hand, the application of silver nitrate showed a remarkably low recurrence rate of 9.1%. Also, in the case of Word catheterization, according to a report by an Austrian research team published in the 'European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology' in 2015, recurrence occurred in 1 out of 30 patients (3.8%). These research results suggest that Bartholin's cyst treatment needs deep thought about recurrence prevention beyond just resolving symptoms.

Even though Western medical treatments are effective, if you are having difficulty due to frequent recurrence, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic focuses on the fundamental problems of the body. At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, a Bartholin's cyst clinic in Songdo, we move beyond the inflammation revealed on the outside to comprehensively understand and treat the decrease in internal immunity, the chronic inflammatory state, and circulation problems around the reproductive organs.

At Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, to cut off the frequent recurrence of Bartholin's cysts, we conduct 'constitution improvement' treatment that goes beyond temporarily suppressing symptoms to create a body that does not turn back on. In Korean medicine, a state where chronic inflammation is repeated is explained as 'damp-heat (濕熱)' and 'blood stasis (瘀血)'. Damp-heat refers to a state where unnecessary moisture and heat in the body clump together and cause inflammation, and blood stasis refers to a state where blood circulation is stagnant, waste products accumulate, and inflammation is intensified. These damp-heat and blood stasis factors hinder circulation in the lower abdomen and weaken the immunity of the vulva area, becoming key factors that incite the occurrence and recurrence of Bartholin's cysts.

Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch provides treatments tailored to the patient's constitution and symptoms as follows:

• Individualized Custom Herbal Medicine: Removes damp-heat and blood stasis in the body, promotes circulation in the pelvic cavity and reproductive organs, and calms inflammation. Simultaneously, it strengthens immunity to increase resistance to external harmful bacteria and helps prevent recurrence.
• Acupuncture and Pharmacopuncture Treatment: Communicates the blocked Bartholin's gland duct, alleviates pain at the inflammatory site, and helps fast recovery by improving blood circulation in the surrounding tissues.
• Cupping and Moxibustion Treatment: Smooths the circulation of the lower abdomen and perineum, removes coldness, and boosts the body's recovery power.

These Korean medical treatments aim to restore the balance of the whole body and change it into a healthy constitution, beyond simply removing the Bartholin's cyst. Considering the characteristics of women's diseases where immunity is lowered and chronic inflammation continues, the constitution improvement treatment of Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic, a Songdo women's disease clinic, can be an important solution to break the vicious cycle of Bartholin's cyst recurrence. If you have frequently suffered from other women's diseases such as vaginitis, menstrual pain, or leukorrhea, a more fundamental approach is needed.

If 3 or more of the following items apply, you need to suspect a Bartholin's cyst or Bartholin's gland abscess and consider active Korean medical treatment.

• A lump or bump is felt on one side of the vulva.
• The size of the lump gradually increases and pain becomes severe.
• The lump area is uncomfortable and painful when sitting or walking.
• Pain is felt in the lump area during sexual intercourse.
• The skin around the lump becomes red and there is a sense of heat.
• Fever or general discomfort is accompanied.
• Treated for a Bartholin's cyst in the past but it recurred.
• Usually suffer from other women's diseases such as vaginitis and leukorrhea frequently.

Judgment:

• 3 or more apply: Suspected Bartholin's cyst! Consider complex Korean medical treatment through autonomic nerve and constitution improvement.
• 5 or more apply: We recommend receiving diagnosis and treatment from professional medical staff through an immediate visit.

Q. Can a Bartholin's cyst heal on its own? A. Small cysts sometimes improve naturally if there are no or minimal symptoms. However, if the size increases or causes pain, especially if it becomes infected and becomes an abscess, it is difficult to heal on its own and can be a cause of severe pain and recurrence if left unattended, so appropriate treatment is necessary.

Q. When is Bartholin's cyst Korean medical treatment effective? A. Korean medical treatment can be effective when Bartholin's cysts recur frequently, when you feel burdened by surgical treatment, or when you want to improve fundamental causes such as decreased immunity or chronic inflammation together. Korean medicine focuses on restoring the overall balance of the body to prevent recurrence.

Q. Are there lifestyle habits to prevent Bartholin's cyst recurrence? A. Yes, it is important to usually manage clean vulva, avoid tight-fitting bottom clothes, manage stress, and increase immunity with a balanced diet. These lifestyle improvements are a great help in reducing recurrence and increasing the effectiveness of Korean medical treatment.

Q. How do you distinguish between a Bartholin's cyst and a pimple? A. Pimples generally occur close to the surface, are small in size, and disappear quickly once inflammation subsides. On the other hand, Bartholin's cysts occur inside the vaginal opening, can grow in size, pain becomes severe when touched, and have a tendency to recur. A professional medical examination is necessary for accurate distinction.

A Bartholin's cyst is not a problem that is solved by enduring. You no longer have to ignore the signals the body has been sending for a long time. If approached in the right direction, the body responds faster than thought. Bring the symptoms you are experiencing right now as they are. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together.

Where life blooms. For herbal medicine, it's Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your symptoms similar to mine through the Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic website AI consultation first!

This post is health information organized together by the Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the consultation room. Medical Supervision | Women and Pregnancy Treatment Standard Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch Doctor Oh Hyunmin (Bartholin's Cyst Column)