Help! There's something coming out of my vagina!
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had patients coming into my clinic, freaking out over something that’s coming out of their vagina. “I think I have pelvic organ prolapse,” they’ll say, referring to a serious condition that can occur when your pelvic muscles weaken, and one of your pelvic organs can literally begin to fall out of your vagina.
More often than not, however, that sensation that you’ve got something coming out of your vagina is something much more benign: A cyst that’s formed as the result of a blockage in one of your Bartholin’s glands.
What are my Bartholin’s glands, you might ask? You’ll find them on each side of your vaginal opening, and their job is to secrete fluids that lubricate your vagina. Which makes them a super important part of your anatomy! Occasionally, the opening of one of those glands can become blocked, and it will swell up and create a cyst. It sounds scary, but it’s usually painless, and all you might feel is a bit of pressure down there. You might, however, notice what looks like something coming out of your vagina which is scary. Hence the freak outs in my office.
If it is your Bartholin’s glands, however, there’s really nothing to worry over, although it’s always a good idea to have it checked out by a professional like me to make sure it isn’t something more serious, and to make sure it doesn’t get infected. (A sign that it is infected? You’ll see puss coming out of the cyst, or you’ll find penetrative sex - or even walking / sitting - painful.)
These cysts will often resolve themselves on their own, but in some cases you might need a minor surgical intervention to release the puss if it’s not clearing up. One of my favourite at-home-remedies for dealing with this is soaking the cyst, by sitting in a few inches of warm water (easiest in the bath) a couple of times a day for 3 or 4 days. You can also hold a warm compress to the area. Painkillers can also help.
And, of course, if at any point it becomes unbearable, talk to a doctor immediately.