What to do if there is a hard lump on the vulva

The growth of hard lumps in the vulva is a problem that many people will encounter, especially for women. A hard lump on a woman's vulva may be a Bartholin gland cyst. Bartholin gland cysts are harmful to women because they may spread to other parts of the body, threatening women's health. Below, we will introduce you to the relevant knowledge about Bartholin gland cyst in detail!

1. Causes of Bartholin's gland cyst

In our lives, some women often suffer from Bartholin gland cysts. What causes Bartholin's gland cyst?

(1) Congenital stenosis of the Bartholin's gland duct or thick secretions, which results in poor discharge of Bartholin's gland fluid, can also lead to cyst formation.

(2) After the inflammation of acute Bartholinitis subsides, if the gland duct is still blocked and secretions cannot be discharged, the pus is absorbed and the fluid gradually becomes clear, leading to the formation of Bartholin's gland cyst.

(3) If a woman suffers from chronic inflammation, it may cause the Bartholin's gland duct to be blocked, resulting in poor secretion discharge and cystic expansion of the gland, ultimately leading to the formation of a cyst.

(4) During childbirth, lacerations on the outer side of the vagina and perineum may form scars, or incorrect episiotomy may damage the Bartholin's gland ducts, causing blockage of the Bartholin's gland openings and retention of secretions, which may also lead to the formation of Bartholin's gland cysts.

2. The harm of Bartholin's gland cyst

1. The Bartholin glands are located at the back of the vulva majora on both sides, and the gland duct opens on the inner side of the vulva minora close to the uterus of unmarried women. Due to the characteristics of the anatomical location, when the vulva is contaminated by sexual intercourse, childbirth or other situations, pathogens can easily penetrate and cause inflammation.

2. If a woman is infected with a Bartholin gland cyst and does not receive timely treatment, the cyst may spread posteriorly and become a perirectal abscess, and sometimes even rupture in the rectum.

During palpation, a small, hard nodule can be felt with slight tenderness. Pus may sometimes flow out of the fistula when squeezed. Sometimes the fistula closes or narrows on its own, and pus may accumulate to form an abscess again. It may also recur and not heal for a long time. Therefore, women should go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible if they are infected with Bartholin's gland cyst.

3. The cystic mass is located at the lower back of the vulva majora and protrudes toward the outside of the vulva majora. The disease is usually unilateral but can also be bilateral. There may be no symptoms for a long time and it is often discovered during a gynecological examination.

The cyst grows slowly and is usually no larger than an egg. Small cysts are oval or fusiform. Larger cysts can cause swelling of the vulva and discomfort during sexual intercourse between couples.

Treatment of Bartholin's gland cyst

1. Surgical treatment

For benign tumors, surgery is easier to cure, does not require radiation or chemotherapy, and has a low chance of recurrence. But when the disease is discovered, patients need active treatment. It is a common method for treating Bartholin's gland cyst. The remaining benign tumors that cannot be completely removed by surgery can be investigated and searched according to the situation, or they can be treated immediately with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

2. Radiation therapy

At present, many patients with Bartholin's gland cysts choose radiation therapy as an adjuvant, as they are usually difficult to cure after surgery. Radiation therapy mainly uses the fact that tumor cells are relatively sensitive to radiation and are easily damaged by radiation to kill tumor cells. Usually, the treatment takes about four to eight weeks. The size and dose of the irradiation plan will be selected based on the different tumor pathological diagnosis, degree of decomposition and the results of visual medical examinations.

3. Chemical treatment

Nowadays, chemotherapy technology for cancer has made great progress. However, due to the special structure of brain blood, the chemotherapy of brain tumors is still subject to many constraints. Any chemotherapy drug can only pass through the vascular endothelial cells through the lipid solubility of the drug, and then enter the tumor cells to exert its effect. This method affects the speed and efficiency of the drug's effect. This is also a common method for treating Bartholin's gland cysts.