I’m 17 years old and have a Bartholin cyst

Don't panic. Yes showers are good. You should be taking a sitz bath (ask your mom) 3-4 times a day with warm salt water. I am in a FB group you can look up Bartholin Cysts support group. Many of have found relief with something called silica spray. You can get it on amazon for like $17. You spray it directly on the cyst and then onto a cotton ball and let it sit there for a little while. These cysts tend to be re-occuring (no always) so you can continue with the spray if you notice it coming back. Keep there area as clean as possible. Where loose clothing and panties til the cysts is gone. Avoid doing anything strenuous just because of the pain. Some people use tea tree oil on a cotton ball as well. Good luck let us know how it goes. 

Is it abscessed? I would just do what you can. Soak in warm to hot water, might give you some relief. Make sure you see an OBGYN. Most family practice doctors don't even know what a Bartholin cyst is, at least that's been my experience over the last 12 years. I just had a word catheter put in last Friday for one that came out of no where last Thursday at 5pm. It was large and abcessed, and I had a high fever. These things are horrible to deal with. I hope all goes well for you.

All advice you've been given is good the sitz baths will just help with relief from the soreness and dabbing with tea tree really takes the sting out but you really need to get a correct diagnosis and if it is definitely bartholins you need to get onto a course of strong antibiotics ASAP. You might just be able to avoid the whole awful catheter business if you do. I had 2 10 day courses back to back last time and it did the trick but they come up quick and you have to catch it early. These are not common but don't be embarrassed, tell your doctor what you know and do all the things you've been advised. Good luck!

Agree with Sue, however antibiotics are only for an abscess. I really swear by the Silica spray for cysts and for prevention. Yesterday in our group, 5 women had them either go away or burst which is just amazing. They make them in tablets too, completely homeopathic. I can't recommend them enough! I even put it on a pimple in my ear and it went away in a few hours. 

I got my first bartholin cyst at 17 as well.. Nooot fun. Second one at 40 though so hopefully you don't have to go through this again for a long time.

I would be sitting in a warm-as-you-can-stand-it bath every few hours... Maybe 6 to 10 times a day. Epsom salts or just salt helped me... If you can get the hot water to flow over it, like using the showerhead, it would help a lot too.

I ordered *silicea 30c* (NOT silica) and that made a world of difference as well. Don't laugh but i cut a small square of onion, scored it with lines to draw the juice out, and used medical tape to hold it in place, and it finally drained after that. Man...not fun at all. Not sure if that's what made it drain but it was within an hour or two and everyone swore by it, that the onion made it drain. It drained for me using they almost immediately why knows? Desperate times and all..