The short explanation
A very painful swelling on one side of the vaginal opening that makes sitting or walking hard is often a Bartholin's abscess. This happens when a small gland near the opening gets blocked and infected, so pus collects and the swelling becomes tender, red and hot. It needs to be seen by a doctor soon, usually the same day. Warm baths or warm compresses can ease the pain and sometimes help a small abscess drain, but an abscess that is very painful often needs a minor procedure to drain the pus. A clinician may also suggest other treatment depending on what they find. Trying to squeeze or prick it at home can spread infection.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- An abscess can come back, and for repeated ones doctors sometimes suggest a procedure to stop that.
- Fever, feeling generally unwell, or redness spreading across the skin suggests the infection is spreading and is more urgent.
- Government hospitals with a gynaecology or surgery department can drain an abscess at low cost.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot confirm that the swelling is a Bartholin's abscess. Only an examination can, and the doctor will decide whether it needs draining.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Is this a Bartholin's abscess, and does it need draining?
- What should I do for pain until it heals?
- What can be done if it keeps coming back?
- Do I need any tests for infection?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Emergency — call 112 now
- Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have a high fever with shivering, feel confused or faint, or redness spreads rapidly.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day for a very painful swelling at the vaginal opening, or if you have fever.
Book an appointment soon
- See a clinician within a few days if a smaller tender swelling is not settling with warm baths.
Raise it at a routine appointment
- You can ask for a woman doctor, and you can bring a friend or relative into the room with you if that helps.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Bartholin's cyst NHS
- Vaginal diseases MedlinePlus (NIH)
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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