Swelling of labia minora

[lilatin1]

I have been having problems with my left labia minors swelling. Most of the time it swells when I am sexually aroused or after intercourse.  I have noticed that i do not get as lubricated as i use to and i believed the two to be linked somehow.  I went to my gyn and she thought it was an abcess.  She said she would drain it and give me antibiotics.  The fluid that was drained was clear, egg white substance.  She left the room and went and got another doctor.  Both of them stood in front of me and told me they had never seen anything like it and that it was highley unusual.  I was sent home with the instructions to come back if it swelled again and they would exam and schedule me for surgery.  I returned within a week because it was swollen 3x the size of a normal labia. The swelling is very soft to the touch and the only discomfort is when i walk or sit.  When she attempted to drain the area this last time she said she noticed a sac around the fluid and began to remove it.  Again i was told that this is something that you would read in a medical journal someday and that she had no idea what it was.  I am deeply concerned and wouldl ike to know if anyone knows of what this could be.  My labia is still swollen and extremly bruised from all the tugging and pulling when she removed the sac. The clear fluid is still seeping from the small incision on my labia.  I have read some information on Hydrocele of the Canal Nuck.  Could this be my issue?

[Angela166]

A related discussion, Labia Swelling was started.

[pisces13]

OMG Elaine! Thanks. I think I have the same thing, too. I am not pregnant but I have weird pregnancy-like symptoms which include abdominal pain, labia swelling, nausea, heartburn, constipation, also with a hard bulge on the left side of my pelvic area which the doctor says may be a hernia. I am scheduled for an ultrasound to help better diagnose this. The bulge, however, isn't tender. Is this normal for a hernia? Also, since I'm constipated, but but stool isn't hard, is this because the hernia is blocking my colon or something?

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
I wonder if you have an inguinal hernia.  Women can get hernias just like men, and when they do, the hernia contents can travel down into the labia.  This can happen on one side, or both.  If it is a hernia, it needs to be corrected from up above, near the groin and a general surgeon is the right man for the job.  Similarly with the hydroceole of the canal of Nuck--they formed by the same process--a weakness in the abdominal wall. (I think you are VERY CLEVER for having figured that out!)
An ultrasound might be very helpful.  Sometimes a woman can actually herniate her ovary or fallopian tube into her labia! An ultrasound or MRI might be able to tell you what is in that sac.  I would NOT ignore it however.  ESPECIALLY since it is draining fluid--if it continues to drain fluid you might form a fistula, and there is also the possibility of infection.

If you were my patient, I would send you to a major medical center (Mayo clinic, etc) where there are lots of subspecialists and consultants, so you could get a proper diagnosis and repair.  I don't think it will go away on its own--sorry!

Good luck!
Dr B