How to reduce swelling in the labia minora

[bikergrrl]

Recently I got into an accident while cycling and was hurt in the crotch. Despite the injury and the pain, I still continued cycling. However when I got home I realized that the left side of the labia minora was swollen, deep purplish and felt very sore. For the few days I had some difficulties sitting down. I've applied heat pad briefly and tried to massage away the bruise and the swelling. It's been four days and the swelling hasn't subsided and I'm still conscious of the soreness down there. The color of the bruise however has changed to reddish pink. No bleeding just swelling.

I haven't seen any doctor as I'm embarrassed to bring it up. How long will the swelling take to subside?

[bikergrrl]

I've been searching all over for information, and came across some interesting things. There is the accessory scrotum which is uncannily similar to the "ball" or disc-like lesion in my groin sustained from cycling, and is known as Perineal Nodular Induration, there are some research papers on this online but otherwise there is very little information and the trauma from cycling in which there is a feeling or a lump or foreign body in the private parts is also known as Pedendal Nerve Entrapment, just like I felt bony protrusion beneath the skin around the labia region. The ice therapy would be more helpful when the injury is fresh, and it doesn't work as well after 5 days from the time of the incidence of the trauma.  

[bikergrrl]

Thanks for the reply. After reading up on anything to do with bumps in the female nether region. I realized that I've mistaken the area, it ought to be LABIA MAJORA. I've made the following observations, hopefully to give close enough description of my problem:

- The upper left portion of my labia majora has two bumps, one of which is like a swelling except it is non-mobile and hard and felt tender only when a reasonable pressure (pressing) is applied. It felt like a protrusion.

- To the left of this "pointed" (which is smooth over) bump is something that felt like a lump, which is about 1.5- to 2-cm and is elipsal, even ball-like. I felt like I was walking around with one ball, except it isn't hanging but situated between the first lump and it is slightly mobile but somewhat attached to the other lump. This one seemed to developed from a tiny pea-like lump to the current size. Just like the other bump this one is hard. Possibly aggravated when I tried to massage down.

- The two bumps are not surface objects but under folds of the skin. Both are around the level of the clitoria.

- After the biking accident, it was too painful massage the "bruise", but the day after I applied heat pack for a few minutes. The pain subsided within days. It was only these couple of days I've been applying heat pack to the affected area to bring down the swelling. It usually felt better, though there is no remarkable signs of subsiding. Only today I decided to try using a cold pack, and instead of bring down the swelling, it made it numb and hard. So I switched back to applying the heat pack.

- I can sit, stand and walk without problem as the bruise has almost healed and other cycling-related injuries including a bad sunburnt has healed considerably. I wonder if this isn't exactly a result of the trauma to the crotch, but could be due to nearly 10h sitting during cycling, and the bicycle seat wasn't well arranged and the beak (the narrower part) was slightly inclined above the butt (the wider part where the cheeks of the buttocks rest on), making the ride during the rally extremely uncomfortale.

Since the bumps don't hurt unless pressure is applied, I'm waiting for one more week, or until my period clears. And while waiting will apply heat hopefully to bring down the swelling considerably, or at least I hope the problem will go away on its own. It's definitely not a result of sexual relations, 'cos I've never had one before.

This is fairly new and somewhat scary to me. I really hope it's nothing serious.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
The labia is well supplied by blood vessels and hence if you apply heat, the blood vessels will dilate and cause further swelling. Apply a cold pack (crushed ice tied into muslin or cotton cloth), for 5 mins 4-5 times a day. Take oral anti-inflammatory drugs with it. Please do not massage the area. If after 24-48 hours of this treatment, the swelling does not subside or becomes further enlarged or you develop excruciating pain, consult a doctor immediately.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!