i've got a ganglian on my wrist?

Question

it's been there for years. sometimes its worse than others. when its big i find it embarrasin but i also find it uncomfortable when i flex my wrist. what exactly is a ganglian, will i always have it and is there any treatment for it that won't involve a needle

Answer 1

A Ganglion cyst is a tumor or swelling on top of a Joint or the covering of a tendon and it looks like a sac of liquid. Inside the cyst is a thick, clear, colorless, jellylike material and depending on the size, cysts can feel firm or spongy. One large cyst or many smaller ones can develop and multiple small cysts can give the appearance of more than one cyst. This type of cyst is not harmful. It accounts for about half of all soft tissue tumors of the hand. Ganglion cysts, also known as Bible cysts, are more common in women. Seventy percent of them occur in people between the ages of 20-40. They most commonly occur on the back of the hand, at the wrist joint but can also develop on the palm side of the wrist. Other sites, where they can develop are the base of the fingers on the palm (where they appear as small pea-sized bumps), the fingertip, just below the cuticle (where they are called mucous cysts), the outside of the knee and ankle, on top of the foot etc.

Treatment:
First, it is possible to leave it alone if it isn't causing any discomfort; ganglia are harmless. Once the diagnosis is made and mass isn't cancer or something else which requires immediate attention, you may wish to just watch and wait.

If the ganglion is causing discomfort or mechanical problems, there are two main options for relief:

Aspiration (removal of the cyst contents with a needle) and surgical removal of the cyst itself.

Aspiration involves inserting a needle into the cyst and removing its contents after numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Because it is thought that inflammation contributes to the production and accumulation of the fluid in the cyst, an anti-inflammatory drug (steroid) is often then injected back into the cyst in an attempt to decrease the inflammation and prevent subsequent refilling of the cyst. Recent research found that using another substance (hyaluronidase, an enzyme used in the treatment of certain forms of arthritis to promote resolution of redundant tissue) along with the steroid after aspiration increased the cure rate from 57% (aspiration and steroid alone) to 89% with the combined substances.

If the cyst is disfiguring, causes pain, mechanical problems, nerve complications (motor or sensory loss due to pressure by the ganglion on a nerve), or recurs after a previous aspiration, then surgical excision is warranted. This involves making an incision over the area of the cyst, identifying the entire cyst, and removing it along with a portion of the underlying tendon sheath or joint lining from which it originates. The hand is then splinted for 7 to 10 days. The procedure is usually fairly minor, but can be complicated depending on the location of the cyst and whether it impinges on any vital structures in the hand (nerves, tendons, blood vessels).

It is important to discuss the different treatment options with your physician if you are diagnosed as having a ganglion cyst.

Answer 2

A ganglion is lump of soft tissue, sometimes called a ball of fluid that forms on the membranes that cover joints and tendons. They are usually benign. and most of the time just "watched".Many go away by themselves. If they become a bother they can be aspirated with a needle, or removed surgically. In the "old days" people would wack them with a big book and they would usually just dissipate, being absorbed back into the body. This is not recommended because You can do harm to the joints.

Answer 3

It's spelled ganglion.
I had one for years, I used to get someone to smack it with a big thick book once in a while when it would flare up and hurt.
It would go away for about 4 months or so.
then I went to the doctor and had it chopped out finally
they are usually a one celled tumor (cyst ) in the synovin gland. it blocks the galnd's duct and thats why it swells up.
the swelling presses on the nerves running through the area hence the pain. the synovin gland makes the slippery fliud for hte joints there are several in the wrist one can be removed without too much trouble . although it hurts like hell afterwards for about three weeks while it heals.

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

I think post before mine sums it up.
But just wanted to reasure you that more people than you think get them.
My boyfried has 1 on his wrist that flares up now + again.
Its said if you hit it with a bible it will go away, but i would say see your GP instead.

Answer 6

its called a ganglion cyst. its a small sac that contains some fluid- sometimes gets bigger then smaller but will always be there unless you have surgery to remove it.

Answer 7

It is a cyst. To remove involves cutting it out.

Coach

Answer 8

ita cyst, or lump of grissle, i have them on my fingers, they can be very painful, I rub mine with MOVELAT cream or gel, that helps, as it numbs them,

Answer 9

wack it with a big book