Barthholinitis Research Paper
Bartholinitis
By: Scott Tubbs
13 October 2013
The Bartholin glands (vestibular glands) are two pea sized compound racemose glands, located slightly posterior (behind) and to the left and right of the opening of the vagina. They secrete mucus to lubricate the vagina and are homologous to bulbourethral glands in males. However, while Bartholin 's glands are located in the superficial (near the surface) perineal pouch in females, bulbourethral glands are located in the subaqueous (deep) perineal pouch in males. “A bartholin cyst is a fluid-filled sac caused by blockage of a duct from the Bartholin gland. If bacterial infection occurs, an abscess may form” (Belle 2). Bartholinitis is inflammation of one …show more content…
or both of the two Bartholin 's glands, which are located one on either side of the opening of the vagina, behind the labia (lips). The inflammation is sometimes due to germs picked up during sex, but in many cases the inflammation is not sexually transmitted. Each Bartholin 's gland is about the size of a small pea. Most people are quite unaware that they exist, since they are very unostentatious (unobtrusive). “Each of them has a duct (short tube) (about one inch or 2.5cm long), which carries the glandular secretions to the exterior (surface), just in front of the hymen and just behind the inner lip of the genitalia (vulva)”( Gillespie 1). Until about 40 years ago, most doctors thought that the function of the Bartholin 's glands was to produce all the fluid that a woman needs for lubrication during sex. “The work of the US researchers Masters and Johnson showed that this wasn 't true and that most female lubrication actually comes from higher up inside the vagina.”(Halliwell 5). However, it is believed that the two Bartholin 's glands do produce a small amount of liquid in response to sexual excitement, and that the function of this fluid is to provide a little lubrication for the labia (lips of the vagina). Because they are so near the exterior (surface), the Bartholin 's glands can be vitiated (infected) by germs that find their way up the little duct and into the glandular tissue.
Also, Bartholinitis may be caused by the gonococcus (gonorrhea). For that reason, if you have Bartholinitis it is sensible to have a test for gonorrhea. A test for chlamydial (venereal disease) should also be done. If you 're unlucky enough to get an attack of Bartholinitis, the symptoms commonly consist of pain and soreness in the region of one of the labia minora (inner lips), swelling in the same areas, and possibly a slight discharge from the same region. You could also get a little feverish. Because this is a rather specialized area of medicine, your best move is probably to go to a sexual health or genitourinary medicine clinic for diagnosis and treatment. The doctors there are used to seeing bartholinitis and know exactly how to treat it. They will take swabs and send them to the lab for bacteriological analysis. And they will give you a suitable sulfonamide (antibiotic) to get rid of the germs. Occasionally, a specialist may allow the patient to continue to have protected sex, depending on the severity of the disease; however, generally they will advise you not to have sex until the infection has been completely
cured.
References:
1. Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd Ed.). Halliwell. pp. 1-6.
2. Belle K; Reynolds C; Weinstein R (Oct 1997). "Bartholin 's gland hyperplasia in a postmenopausal woman". Obstetrics & Gynecology 90 (4 part 2): 695–7.
3. C. Gillespie (ed.): Dictionary of Scientific Biography, New York 1970. See the article on Thomas Bartholin.
By: Scott Tubbs
13 October 2013
The Bartholin glands (vestibular glands) are two pea sized compound racemose glands, located slightly posterior (behind) and to the left and right of the opening of the vagina. They secrete mucus to lubricate the vagina and are homologous to bulbourethral glands in males. However, while Bartholin 's glands are located in the superficial (near the surface) perineal pouch in females, bulbourethral glands are located in the subaqueous (deep) perineal pouch in males. “A bartholin cyst is a fluid-filled sac caused by blockage of a duct from the Bartholin gland. If bacterial infection occurs, an abscess may form” (Belle 2). Bartholinitis is inflammation of one …show more content…
or both of the two Bartholin 's glands, which are located one on either side of the opening of the vagina, behind the labia (lips). The inflammation is sometimes due to germs picked up during sex, but in many cases the inflammation is not sexually transmitted. Each Bartholin 's gland is about the size of a small pea. Most people are quite unaware that they exist, since they are very unostentatious (unobtrusive). “Each of them has a duct (short tube) (about one inch or 2.5cm long), which carries the glandular secretions to the exterior (surface), just in front of the hymen and just behind the inner lip of the genitalia (vulva)”( Gillespie 1). Until about 40 years ago, most doctors thought that the function of the Bartholin 's glands was to produce all the fluid that a woman needs for lubrication during sex. “The work of the US researchers Masters and Johnson showed that this wasn 't true and that most female lubrication actually comes from higher up inside the vagina.”(Halliwell 5). However, it is believed that the two Bartholin 's glands do produce a small amount of liquid in response to sexual excitement, and that the function of this fluid is to provide a little lubrication for the labia (lips of the vagina). Because they are so near the exterior (surface), the Bartholin 's glands can be vitiated (infected) by germs that find their way up the little duct and into the glandular tissue.
Also, Bartholinitis may be caused by the gonococcus (gonorrhea). For that reason, if you have Bartholinitis it is sensible to have a test for gonorrhea. A test for chlamydial (venereal disease) should also be done. If you 're unlucky enough to get an attack of Bartholinitis, the symptoms commonly consist of pain and soreness in the region of one of the labia minora (inner lips), swelling in the same areas, and possibly a slight discharge from the same region. You could also get a little feverish. Because this is a rather specialized area of medicine, your best move is probably to go to a sexual health or genitourinary medicine clinic for diagnosis and treatment. The doctors there are used to seeing bartholinitis and know exactly how to treat it. They will take swabs and send them to the lab for bacteriological analysis. And they will give you a suitable sulfonamide (antibiotic) to get rid of the germs. Occasionally, a specialist may allow the patient to continue to have protected sex, depending on the severity of the disease; however, generally they will advise you not to have sex until the infection has been completely
cured.
References:
1. Manual of Obstetrics. (3rd Ed.). Halliwell. pp. 1-6.
2. Belle K; Reynolds C; Weinstein R (Oct 1997). "Bartholin 's gland hyperplasia in a postmenopausal woman". Obstetrics & Gynecology 90 (4 part 2): 695–7.
3. C. Gillespie (ed.): Dictionary of Scientific Biography, New York 1970. See the article on Thomas Bartholin.