Bartholinitis: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

In the fatty tissue of the labia is located a pair of glands, the task of which is to maintain the optimum moisture of the vagina. It's called Bartoline. The secret, produced by the Bartholin gland, facilitates slipping during sexual intercourse, helps to stretch the muscles during childbirth. The organ has a small duct, which ends on the surface of small lips (genital). Sometimes through this hole in the gland enter the pathogens of infection: gonococci, Trichomonas, chlamydia. As a result, inflammation of the Bartholin gland occurs (photo). Sometimes the infection can penetrate not by sex, but by another route, for example, from a sick tooth, a sore throat, affected by an intestinal disease. In this case, the cause of inflammation can be streptococci, staphylococci, bacteria. They cause nonspecific bartholinitis.

Symptoms of acute form

When pathogens enter the Bartholin gland duct, inflammation and often festering, which can be acute or chronic, begin. In acute, there is always an abscess: true or false. If a false abscess is formed (it is also called blockage of the excretory duct or canal), the following manifestations will occur:

• The skin over the gland swells, becomes bright red;
• There is a burning sensation, pain, which is amplified by movement or sitting;
• With pus pressure on the affected area is allocated pus;
• If bartholinitis is not treated at this stage, the symptoms intensify: the pus ceases to secrete and accumulates in the duct;
• Accumulated pus forms a large painful bump in the region of the labia;
• The temperature rises;
• The chronic phase of the disease occurs.

If the pathogens do not enter the duct, but into the gland itself, a true abscess appears. Bartholinitis, whose symptoms are more vivid in this case, is much more severe.

• The parenchyma melts.
• Greatly swollen and large and small lips. In the large area, there is a sharp, violent, throbbing pain.
• The temperature rises sharply to 39 ° and above.
• Enlarged inguinal lymph nodes.

Sometimes, the abscesses open themselves spontaneously, but the autopsy does not mean that the bartholinitis is over. Symptoms become less painful, but do not disappear at all. Often at this stage the disease passes into a chronic stage.

Chronic bartholinitis. Symptoms

They are the same as in acute form, but perhaps less pronounced. In the chronic phase, the illness then becomes aggravated, then it calms down on its own. If it is not treated, purulent formations can provoke the development of a cyst or cause a general infection of the blood. And this is the greatest danger that the disease carries. Diagnosis should be carried out at its first signs. Examination and treatment is prescribed by a gynecologist.

Bartholinitis. Diagnosis and treatment

• Bacteriological examination of vaginal secretions and pus from the lips.
• PCR-diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases.
• Smear.

Usually, doctors prescribe treatment with antibiotics, Miramistin, which removes inflammation of ointments. However, in advanced cases, surgical intervention is necessary.