Dr Eve | Masturbation and Bartholin Glands | Dear Dr. Eve | learn

I am 32 year old

I have been experiencing lately lack of lubrication both externely on the Clitoris and internally in the vagina during sex. This is not how it used to be before. For the past 13 years I have had enough lubrication

4 days ago, I found a ballon like thing at my right hand side of the vaginal openning that is causing me sever pain. I visited a gynacologist who said that I have a sever tissues irritation and blockage in the bartholin gland. She advised that masturbatation have caused me this irritation and harmed my right gland (swallon) and that it can affect the tissues forever and also can prevent me from giving birth later on. In addition, she said that if I continue to masturbate, we might reach a point that requires removal of the glands.

I am not buying the idea, so please help me. I need to know if there is a relation between masturbating and bartholin gland blockage and tissues inflamation or not? I m now taking antibiotic, vaginal wash and vaginal cream. The Gyno said that the cyst is not that big to go through surgery although it is quite painful.

After healing, will masturbation, partner fingering and clitoris orgasm distroy my tissues or cause the cyst to reoccur and the gland to block again?

I feel that some doctors are still mixing between the myth that women has no right to enjoy sex and any physical harm that is caused with or without self stimulation

please reply to my email because this is causing me real depression.

NB:I started the medication only yesterday and I m holding any sexual activity untill at least the pain is over

Waiting for your reply as soon as possible please

Dr. Eve Answers:

You are a wise woman. Even in the depth of pain and in the presence of the voice of authority, your own voice of reason clicked in. It is when I read such e mails that I feel a panic attack coming on. If this is the kind of information - or rather damaging misinformation- given to the public by some health care providers, is there any wonder girls fall pregnant , have sex too early and become infected. Myths are powerful , have a life of their own and because they sound so sensational, they get far more media coverage than good old fashioned sound scientific sexual knowledge.

Fact: Bartholin gland infections are real common and they have nothing, NOTHING, to do with masturbation. I urge you to go for a second opinion to a gynaecologist who will know precisely how to treat this infection. It is extremely painful and I agree you should avoid anything (including sexual activity) that will further inflame it or cause you pain. It can become problematic if it is not treated immediately.

What a shame that your sexuality was placed in shame by a simple bacterial infection which happens to have found a home in a gland close to your sexual organs. Bartholin Glands (one on each side of your vaginal opening) are responsible for secreting lubrication that enables a smooth entry into your vagina once you are aroused. So in fact it is another reason to masturbate- keeps your Bartholin Glands in good working order. Go on now- get yourself properly treated.

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Comments (4)

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Thank you

I cant thank you enough Dr Eve. I am relieved big big big time.
You are saving lives because of your passion for sexual health.
My Intuition, rational, desire, instinct, and basic knowledge were all telling me that this Gynecologist is wrong. She is another victim of the wrong interpretation of the religious beliefs and cultural conflicts. She forgot the science and the function and the anatomy of the clitoris and the pain that refraing from sexual activities my cause to the lower ab. I was wondering why my fingers will harm my vagina and my husband's will not

. In the age where we need to spread the knowledge everywhere that women reach orgasm through foreplay and clitoris stimulation and this is where the erectile tissues exist for people to have a healthy marriage and happy life, the conflict between what we were brought up to believe and the reality of life will remain the major psychological block to live a happy life. One final fact: No happy life without happy sex and happy sex is legal for both males and females

Pearl , March 21, 2010

Thanks But Cyst Wont Go Away

I am almost 40. My cyst, which had been the size of a pea and caused me no trouble for 12 years became abcessed to the size of a large egg last Dec. I had a Word Catheter put in. EXCRUCIATING.

I am STILL looking for a real solution. If you have a cyst that will not go away is it advisable to masturbate at all? Will the fluid just get "backed up" more and more?

My cyst is currently about the size of a raspberry. It is not abcessed but I can't get it to shrink either. It irritates me constantly and I don't want to have "real" sex with my husband because it hurts.

I have read about changing diets to shrink ovarian cysts. Will the remedies work the same for a bartholin cyst? ANY ADVICE beyond "hot compresses and sitz baths"???

Thank you!

bartholinsufferer , September 02, 2010

horrified

i am suffering for a bartholin cyst and i am really frustrated. i went to go and drain it like 8 months back bt it is back and this time with a partner!!!!! meaning i have got two cyst. i am so scared of going to see a docter fro the second tym round with another cyst! and one thing that drives me up the wall is the faer fro cancer, i am 22years old is this possible? i ahve no pain and they are about the size of a grape and are very soft i can actually feel the liquid.

patricia , October 18, 2010

Thanks

I'm 30, and this is my first occurrence of the B-gland being swollen. I can still sit and move around - it's only painful when I wipe. It's the size of a marble.

I'm not married, and I consider myself a religious person, so my own believes have prevented me from being sexually active...with a human

I'd say for a good 3 or 4 years now I've been using vibrators - not often but I do.

For a few months now I've had a stunt of loss of interest, and I felt that might have been the case of why the gland backed up - I'm not sure.

Anyway, I'm grateful for reading this, because I wasn't sure if masturbation would actually make it worse later on. Thank you.

Grateful , November 06, 2011