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Goldenseal and Castor Oil for Painful Bartholin Cyst

Donna (Edmonds, Wa) on 06/24/2016
5 out of 5 stars

I apply a salve of powdered goldenseal from a capsule or two and castor oil to a swollen bartholin cyst. You can also use evening primrose oil as it is also anti-inflammatory or olive oil. You put it on some toilet tissue which has been folded over or some of those square or rounded cotton squares. I just use toilet paper now. It should be a little runny but not so it will run off of the tissue, meaning you do not want a dry salve, nor a runny one. Something in between. The oil carries it into the skin underneath. Apply it to the swollen gland and then put on a pair of old panties that you don't care about to hold it in place, since goldenseal stains. Then I apply a heated rice bag as the heat hurries the process along, but I have done this also without the heat when I have been away from home.

Overnight this will kill the infection and relieve your pain. I would always use two capsules on one that is inflamed and hurting. It has hurt on occasion, but not swollen and when I can feel it, I apply it at night.

A low grade infection can give one insomnia, which it does for me if I don't treat it when my gland is telling me that it isn't happy. After you kill the infection, it will eventually drain.

Replied by Kendra from Pa, PA on 07/13/2025

Used this method on swollen lymph nodes from a tricky dental infection; soothes the pain so I can fall asleep & in the morning; I can stretch, yawn, & touch my neck without pain! So glad to know this method is tried & true!