Home Remedy for Bartholin Cyst that WORKS!
Posted , 108 users are following.
I'm 24 and starting getting bartholin cysts just over a year ago. It has recurred at least 6 or 7 times, and I have had an Incision and Drainage performed twice, one under local anesthetic and once under general. I can't stress enough, GET THE GENERAL! The needle with the anesthetic was BEYOND painful, and I'm not ashamed to admit I screamed bloody murder when they cut the thing open! Hands down, the most painful experience of my life. With the general, I experienced zero pain and no memory of the procedure.
Yesterday, to my horror I felt the familiar hardened bump start to rise. Today at work, where I sit at a desk all day, the pain went from tolerably uncomfortable to unbearable. After being driven to the ER and speaking with a doctor, I decided to forgo the surgery, or at least postpone it, and give home remedies one last try. In my searches through forums and websites, I saw the same remedy mentioned a few times: Phoebe's Cure. I decided I had nothing to lose, drove to the pharmacy, and picked up the necessary ingredients: a bottle of calamine lotion, a bottle of witch hazel, a bottle of tea tree oil, and a roll of gauze. At this point, it was about 5:00 in the afternoon. I drove home, drew myself a hot bath and added Epson salts, and sat for about 20 minutes. When I got out, I soaked the gauze in a mixture of 6 oz of calamine lotion, 2 teaspoons of witch hazel, and 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil. The recipe actually only asks for 1 teaspoon of the latter two ingredients, but at that point I was almost hysterical with pain so I figured, go big or go home. I soaked the gauze in the mixture, then covered the cyst (likely an abscess at this point) with the gauze, held in place with my underwear. I left this for about 40 minutes, swapped for a hot compress for about 10 minutes, then applied another soaked gauze for about 30 minutes. At this point, I couldn't even help crying from the pain. I took a painkiller, and drew myself another hot bath, this time using table salt instead of Epson salts. I stayed in again for about 20 minutes, then restarted the cycle of changing the soaked gauze every 30 minutes or so. I could feel the cyst growing in size and getting even harder, and I noticed the mixture in the gauze was causing some stinging. At around 9:00, about 3 and a half hours after I drew the first bath, (WARNING, this is gross! Please do not read past this point if you are squeamish!) I was lying on the couch and suddenly felt liquid drip down. I put some mild pressure on the gauze, then went to the bathroom to see what was going on. Full disclosure, I'm also on my period right now, making it extremely difficult for me to tell exactly what was going on. I pulled the gauze away and sure enough there was a large spot of pus about as big as a Canadian Twoonie. I wanted to cry in relief, but didn't let myself believe I was out of the woods yet. I swapped for a new gauze again, left it, checked again, and sure enough, more pus. I put pressure on the spot where it seemed to be originating from with the gauze, and when I pulled it away, more pus. I cried with absolute relief.
I have never, ever found a home remedy that was even remotely effective for this ailment or any other. I am BLOWN AWAY at how effective this was! Let me preface this by saying I'm not a medical professional by any means, but I believe this worked by bringing the pus to the surface of the abscess until it finally burst. The originating spot of the pus was the spot that had become the hardest and probably the most painful point on the abscess over the three and a half hours of changing gauzes.
If you experience painful bartholin cysts or abscesses, PLEASE give this a try! Absolutely worth it!
10 likes, 190 replies
sandra39525 victoria31526
Posted
Hey ladies!
I had my second BC about a year ago (first one drained on it's own, second I had to get lanced). They told me after the procedure that it shouldn't return. Sure enough, after a few months it was back. It's been there a few months now, but not uncomfortable or painful, which is why I think it's not even nearly ready to pop and I'm afraid to try these methods because I think it will just irritate my skin.
On the other hand, it's probably not safe to just have it there and not do anything about it? Anyone have a similar problem? Should I start the treatments even if it's not painful and uncomfortable?
Thank you so much for this thread and sharing your experiences!
anna7887 sandra39525
Posted
i posted this thread around a year ago and I still have BC without it dissapearing at all.. My doctor (who is pretty good doctor) told me that if it doesn't cause any irritation or a problem its not necessary to drain it because there is absolutely nothing you should worry about - it is not cancerous. a year after I went back for a different checkup and he also saw my BC and told me the same. so as long as its causing no discomfort for you, you can feel free to leave it, as far as I know
marith00264055 sandra39525
Posted
At this point I also leave my bartholin alone if it doesn't hurt, I do the treatments when it grows size of a clementine and with tea tree oil it reduces to a little ball (I know it has liquid inside but i was never able to have it completely empty).
Mimilicious40 victoria31526
Posted
BC is so tricky. But for me the Phoebes method worked in an hour of applying it. But I also wish i can find permanent solution. it s not completely gone inside.A lot of pus will start builiding up come out but in a week or two i start feeling theres substance isnde again and will put the drawing salve, not whole phoebes method now a drawing salve alone works just to drain pus because it is never that big golf size painful cyst but something soft. As a result my right inside labia where BC is always not same size as the other one. I am currently not sexual active most of the times so it doesnt come again bcoz ive woken it because of sex, it just comes back every 2 weeks or 3 weeks out of the blue. From April I ve started using silica tablets as someone advised. I drink apple cider vinegar and also molasses tea but it seems BC remains inside and will keep coming back. I have a visible small scar hard tissue where the out comes out. I guess it s bcoz every week or 2 something comes out so the tissue scar will always be there. Besides surgery i wish there was something to make it go away for good because some claimed they did surgery but it still came back.
isabella66420 victoria31526
Posted
Have been suffering since MONDAY, its SATURDAY NOW. On monday it was only a small singular 1 (pimple looking thing) i soaked in a bath and it popped naturally. next 3 days no pain. On thurday night i noticed im feeling squimish again. Friday morning i have a full breakout!!! MULTIPLE yellow spots on one side. I CAN BARELY EVEN WALK! I Have a whole bottle of azithromycin, so i take that friday night. (4 pills 1000 mg), saturday morning i come to realization it will take the meds a few days to kill the bacteria inside the cyst. I read this article and due to not being able to freaking walk! i just ordered witch hazel spray and tea tree oil AND A electric heating pad! I AM SICK OF THIS AND ALMOST AT WITS END! I FEEL SO DISGUSTING and RAW. it hurts taking showers, im on my period and its so draining. im literally traumatized by this. i had to lay down for 2 days with this. CANT EVEN GO TO WORK!in so much pain. im doing the gauze with tea tree oil and witch hazel and putting my heating pad on top of it. it is definetly reducing the size of this. this morning it was the size of a grape and now its reducing in size. its been 1 hour with this and now its the size of a small pea. I WILL NOT GIVE UP on this regimine, if i have to do this all night i will!!!! I just took 500 mg of azithromicine as well just now to aid to kill the bacteria. LETTING A DOCTOR DRAIN THIS SEEMS BARBARIC. im glad i found this article cause i was at wits end!!! THE EPSON SALT BATH BUR ED SO BAD I ALMOST BLACKED OUT. NOTHING SHOULD BURN THAT MUCH THERE! STAYING FAITHFUL ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW!
kayla1712 victoria31526
Posted
I've had multiple bartholins cysts on my right side. At one point when i was 18 I had my right side swell up, i went to the ER and had it drained. They put a cathedor in and was sent home to heal for about 4-7 days. As soon as I healed all the way and felt no more pain or bumps, the very next day it came back on my right side. Did the same thing all over again with the ER, incision and drainage, recovery. As soon as i recovered from that cyst, my left side swelled up!! I didn't want another ER trip, not 3 in 3 weeks!! So i tried the Phoebes cure.. did a sitz bath for 30 minutes, put the treatment on a cotton ball and left it there switching the cotton ball about every 20-30 minutes. My left side swelled up faster than my right side ever had. it got so big to wear it looked like my vagina was falling out of me!? I was in the worst pain I ever had been with a cyst. I tried for hours doing sitz baths using a warm rag and doing the phoebes cure. I even took the 800 mg ibuprophen i had left over from my ER trips while i was doing all of this. i was in excruciating pain. I called my gynecologist she said to come in the next day so she could look at it. I went in and she was surprised to see how big it was. The car ride there I was crying, I would burst out in tears on the table while she looked at it and touched it. She sent me to the hospital to have marsupulization done. I was put under and they did the surgery. Of course as soon as i recovered from that one, my right side swelled up once again. Not as big as my left had, but i went in and marsupulization done on my right side as well. That was supposed to be an almost permanent prevention of any more!! It wasn't. My gynecologist said shes dealt with many cysts but never has she seen a case like me. None of my cysts were infected, not even my left side one, even though it totally looked infected. Anyways, I still gets cysts today, I'm 19 now. I've been back to the ER for incision and drainage again, I've drained cysts by myself at home. My biggest point of this is the Phoebes cure did NOT work for me. It put me in the most miserable pain I have ever been in. And yes i tried for hours, almost all day like all these other women have, it was not popping with the Phoebes cure for me. It dried my skin out badly. ATM I have another cyst on my right side. I've had it for about a month, its not painful, only during sex it is, just uncomfortable throughout my day. Its been growing in size but not in pain. i would really like to drain it myself so i can just feel normal again. I'm doing a sitz bath right now and I'm going to try just witch hazel(alcohol free) on a cotton ball after my bath. I think the calamine lotion is what dried my out badly the first time. Hopefully this works.
marith00264055 kayla1712
Posted
Wow, It is really sad that you have went trough those procedures several times. I also have the same problem as yours, none of the methods on internet worked for me. But I can recommend that you try tea tree oil so your cyst doesn't become painful. I've been avoiding the ER by using tea tree oil, I know my cyst doesn't dissapear but at least it doesn't hurt and meanwhile I try to search some cures online from time to time. If you ever find a solution please let us all know.
jennifer11585 victoria31526
Posted
I wanted to follow up and share that I may have found what has been causing my bc. I suspect it was my diva cup. I think it was causing the gland to clog. I realized this back in March after having two back to back and realizing the both showed up at the end of my period. I stopped using the diva cup in April and haven't had a bc since (hoping it stays that way). I'm not sure if any of you ladies use a feminine cup but it may be worth looking into if you do.
marith00264055 jennifer11585
Posted
I have BC but i don't use cup, my guess is that maybe it is because I have some overweight? or maybe because due to my work I have to stay sat during the whole day. That is my guess because I've heard that some pregnat women experience it too.
breanna1031 victoria31526
Posted
Hello Victoria, this might be a dumb question but what color is the pus once it burst? Do it suppose to bleed when it burst?
isabella66420 victoria31526
Posted
UPDATE: after a week i finally was able to go to work. I REALIZED that TEA TREE OIL AND WITCH HAZEL GOT IT TO POP! dilute a gauze pad witH WATER FIRST or thus will burn like hell. Then pour witch hazel and afew drops lf tea tree. SQUEEZE on gauze to distribute. DO this for 30 minutes then REMOVE! THEN PUT a fresh gauze strip WITH NOTHING ON IT BUT NEOSPORIN!!! I REALIZED THE NEOSPORIN WITH THE PAIN RELIEF MEDICINE WAS COOLING!!! IT BASICALLY HELPED REPAIR ALL THE RIPPED RAW SKIN!!!!! HE GAUZE PAD IS WHAT MADE MY PANTS NOT RUB IN BETWEEN!!! AND I REALIZED I COULD WALK!! So neosporin, witch hazel and tee tree oil!!!! and a box of gauze pads and this WILL POP!!! EACH DAY i realized it was gettind EASIER to cope!!! DO NOT GET SURGERY!!! I was at wits end!!!!! IT HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO DRAIN! a balloon will eventually pop!!!
marith00264055 isabella66420
Posted
Hello Isabella. Did you tried tea tree oil and witch hazel only before without Neosporin? And did it work too?
isabella66420 marith00264055
Posted
STEP 1 : drench the gauze pad with water, squeeze excess.
STEP 2: pour or spray witch hazel then add 6 drops tea tree oil to gauze. SQUEEZE excess.
STEP 3: apply it to the cyst, Press firmly on the cars against the cyst so h can get all the ingredients soak into it.
STEP 4: Grab A fresh pair of underwear that can hold the gauze in place. (a thong is actually the best cause it really holds it in place so its nit moving around and you will notice that because of the gauze you CAN ACTUALLY WALK and pretty much have no pain.)
STEP 5: 30 mins - 1 hour keep it on. If you keep it on for 3 hours it will start to burn. DO THIS 3x a day at 5 hour intervals
STEP 6: Take the gauze That is soaked with Teatree and witch hazel and water off the cyst.
STEP 7: Get a new gauze pad, AND ONLY USE NEOSPORIN. You can put it directly on the cyst a good layer or on the gauze pad itself and apply.
this is what you will keep on during those 5 hours till its time for tea tree ans witch hazel.
** NIGHTIME WHILE YOU SLEEP ONLY USE NEOSPORIN** You’ll start to notice skin that is repairing and it will start scabbing over the next few days. when you start noticing that the skin is really healing then start taking a Q-tip adding witch hazel and Teatree oil to that Q-tip and apply it literally to the pus part of the cyst only. you won’t to soak it on a gauze anymore. Just apply a dry clean gauze to the cyst after that qtip step.
THEN REPEAT THE NEOSPORIN STEP throughout the day and KEEP neosporin on the gauze as you sleep. THIS IS WHAT I THINK TRULY HELPED MY CYST REPAIR AND IT BAS ANTIBIOTICS IN THE NEOSPORIN. So I think that’s what made all those impurities come out. I WENT TO A GRAPE SIZES CYST TO A pea in 3 days on this regimine. in a week i was HEALED. KEEP GAUZE IN YOUR UNDERWEAR CAUSE THIS IS WHAT MADE MY WALKING PAIN GO FROM a scale of 10 to 1.
GOOD luck everyone. i pray thats my first and LAST time with that!
breanna1031 isabella66420
Posted
Hello Isabella, when yours popped was it still swollen? What can I do to get the swelling to go down?
lc97355 victoria31526
Posted
My bartholin cyst became abscessed about two months ago, i had it drained, they inserted a word catheter and it seemed to be healing after two weeks. The catheter fell out after three weeks. Two days after the catheter fell out i began to feel the cyst harden again and sure enough the cyst was back! I tried the sit baths again, antibiotics, prid salve, nothing was working i could feel the cyst becoming abscessed again and it was painful to walk. I was getting ready to go on vacation and i read about the tea tree and Phoebe's Cure, basically i used a gauze and soaked it with tea tree oil and calamine then left it on the abscesses for the whole day. After like five hours the abscesses completely tore open and there was instant relief, i felt much better after.After a week the cyst was gone and it has been healing slowly. I recommend applying prid after the cyst opens. Thank you ladies for sharing definitely wish i would have tried phoebe's cure before going to the E.R, hope this helps 😃