help!!! ganglion cyst (?)

[Divine Oubliette]

last week my wrist was a bit stiff and then by saturday I noticed a little bump on the dorsal side of my wrist. It has grown and become more painfull with each massage I have done since then and I'm getting really freaked. My businees is finally picking up with referrals...
Does anyone has experience with this going away on it's own? I've read that they can come and go. I'm wondering how long it takes...
I think it might be pressing on a nerve because it hurts if I bend the wrist. If I keep it straight it is ok.
Any ideas anyone?

 

[Monique]

nobody else ever experienced something like that???????????/
i'm freaked out that i can't work

 

[trohmaniacs]

Yikes! First, have you been to the doctor? I've never had this type of cyst, but I have had some that could be drained, and that gave instant relief. The doctor said it could possibly refill, but in over 10 years, it hasn't. I had another type of cyst that had to be removed, which also did the trick.

I hate going to the doctor, but for something like this, it could really be worth it. And honestly, just getting the fluid out of the cyst was INSTANT relief! It was a bit tender from the puncture (anesthesized, so the procedure didn't hurt, and was only about 2 minutes long), but that tenderness was a huge relief compared to the pain beforehand!

 

[S050683]

I have one on the left wrist. Sometimes it bothers me, sometimes not. At first it was really bad and I had to figure out how to use my wrists so I wasn't extending them very much.

I've had it for two years... still waiting for it to go away. :?

 

[mommyof1]

i went to the doc today. he is a do. he wants me to go to a hand specialist because of my work. he thinks that it probably would be a ganglion cyst but it might have become tendinitis with it because of the swelling and it got a bit red and warm right before i went to see him. when i came back i iced it for 40 min and took 2 motrin and it feels better.
he actually said that my wrist looked like it was broken so we took x-rays but they came ou ok.
i just hope i will be fine by the end of the week to start back...this is so freaky

 

[joeyharrington2002]

I'm glad you went to the doctor! I'm sorry you are having this problem! About a year ago I had to have surgery on my thumb, and that was terrifying! I had a metal pin implanted in my thumb 25 years earlier, and was allergic to it. My reaction had become constant, with much pain, plus the skin was constantly broken open with severe hives - got to the point it was oozing and bleeding. I couldn't work!! The doctor was afraid the surgery would be so invasive that it could shatter my thumb, but it was to the point where we had to do it, or I'd never work again anyway! The results have been amazing, though, and I'm doing great.

There is a happy ending ahead for you, too!

 

[eddiez_1967]

My sister had a ganglion cyst about 12 years ago. She went to the local orthopedist because he is a close personal friend. Long story short.... Dr. T examined the wrist, did x-rays, etc. then called her into his personal office for the "new" about her wrist. Told her the diagnosis was a ganglion cyst and asked her to lay her hand and wrist flat on his desk. She complied. Dr. T then rearranged the hand and wrist to "just the right configuration" as she put it, and asked her to close her eyes for a moment. She complied out of trust for a friend. WHAM!!!! He brought a heavy medical text down on her wrist. After she got through being shocked at his behavior, she asked why he did that..... his answer "look at your cyst not" All gone and never has returned. May not work for all ganglion cysts, but, it sure fixed that one.

 

[systemofadownfan]

thank you all for your encouraging.
i feel a bit better today. the swelling is 50% better and so is the pain. i can do certain moves that i couldn't last night and that is good!
i will continue with the antiinflamatory and the icing all day today.

it is amazing to hear that a doctor would do the book trick! the doc i saw yesterday was actually concerned because of that fact that my livelyhood depends on the proper functioning of my hands. he was sweet to tell me that he went to massage school and thought "it is too hard".
today i feel more confident i will recover and be able to work again.

 

[SIR]

My sister had a ganglion cyst about 12 years ago. She went to the local orthopedist because he is a close personal friend. Long story short.... Dr. T examined the wrist, did x-rays, etc. then called her into his personal office for the "new" about her wrist. Told her the diagnosis was a ganglion cyst and asked her to lay her hand and wrist flat on his desk. She complied. Dr. T then rearranged the hand and wrist to "just the right configuration" as she put it, and asked her to close her eyes for a moment. She complied out of trust for a friend. WHAM!!!! He brought a heavy medical text down on her wrist. After she got through being shocked at his behavior, she asked why he did that..... his answer "look at your cyst not" All gone and never has returned. May not work for all ganglion cysts, but, it sure fixed that one.

t043 That is the funniest story I've ever heard! If that was my doctor friend, I wouldn't have know whether to hug him or to slap him! Maybe both!

 

[kss0098]

Dr. T examined the wrist, did x-rays, etc. then called her into his personal office for the "new" about her wrist. Told her the diagnosis was a ganglion cyst and asked her to lay her hand and wrist flat on his desk. She complied. Dr. T then rearranged the hand and wrist to "just the right configuration" as she put it, and asked her to close her eyes for a moment. She complied out of trust for a friend. WHAM!!!! He brought a heavy medical text down on her wrist.

You know....this kinda sounds like an adjustment. How about going to a chiropractor that you trust and having them adjust your wrist?? I've had it done a few times....it feels a little strange but it always gives me relief afterwards.

Just a thought..........
Angie

 

[darkangel_zheinah]

WHAM!!!! He brought a heavy medical text down on her wrist. After she got through being shocked at his behavior, she asked why he did that..... his answer "look at your cyst not" All gone and never has returned. May not work for all ganglion cysts, but, it sure fixed that one.

Hmmm...guess that's why they are often called BIBLE cysts.....people used to wham them with a Bible to get rid of them......and lol, guess some people still do.
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.
I scrub on at least five/6 ganglions a month..sometimes more. Many times there is also tenosynovitis. Pretty short and straightforward surgery.
You can have it drained but it most likely come back.
You can have it surgically removed.....10 minute procedure with little to no risk and ROM returns.
You can still do conservative therapies as long as they work.

Robyn

 

[ion]

Thank you all.
My hand is back to it's normal size and the range of motion is almost ok. I still feel a little "pinch" and a bit of a bruised feeling when doing certain movements.
I'm feeling the inclination to postpone the hand doctor, simply because I don't have insurance and when I called they told me "bring $200 and we can make a payment plan after that".... I'm afraid they will just tell me to wait and see if it goes away by itself or if it gets worse with movement. So I think I will wait and work a little and see what happens.
It kind of feels like the cyst - which now is the size of a dime, maybe a bit bigger - is on top or squeezing the ulnar nerve and/or a blood vessel. Until yesterday I had burning into my ring and little fingers.
Anyhow, I'm better and not freaked out anymore.
thank you all for the support

 

[Aristotle]

glad you are feeling better!
I had a ganglion cyst on my right wrist many years ago. An orthopedist injected it with something called "Kenalog" (this is going a looong way back...I am not sure of the name or the spelling) and the cyst slowly "shrunk" and has never returned.

Again, glad you are feeling better!!

 

[Johannes]

I looked up and that is a syntetic cortisone type thing. I've been wondering if puting cortisone cream would not have the same effect?....
Anyhow it seems I'm improving. I worked yesterday and it didn't get worse, on the contrary, the cyst is even smaller.
I've been just icing it and doing Jin shin Jyutsu for it and so far it is working so I will keep postponing the doctor's visit.

 

[mamma.austin]

Yes Kenalog is a steroid. It can be used topically...let's say for a rash or injection. when injected it will shrink what it is injected into.
Used it last week for turbinates in the nose....and another week for in a TMJ case.(for inflammation)
No, a topical cortisone preperation will not help your ganglion.

Robyn

 

[Sammzie]

Thanks for the information.The cyst is very small now and is not bothering me anymore. ROM is back, with just a slight tightness. I will continue to play the waiting game while I treat it with Jin Shin Jyutsu.

 

[originalbadguy2000]

I have a therapist friend who had been having problems with her hand for a little over 8 months. I had referred her to an orthopedic I absolutely love. Long story short, he suggested no surgery unless the problem worsened or she was having difficulties working with it. He's a hand specialist, trauma specialist and also does sports medicine. Along with this he is VERY conservative unless otherwise needed.

She waited a few more months and finally decided it was time. The surgery went well and they found out that part of the reason she was having so many problems was because a small foreign body had embedded itself in the cyst somewhere along the way.

She's doing well and is very happy she had the removal of the cyst.

 

[darl]

since having the problem I learned Stewart Taws/Micheal Young's stretches and add that to my "hand care" routine.

I have not had a sign of the little bump since!

 

[seamstress]

I'll have to check that book out. I also have one that comes and goes. I think it is a reaction to stress on the joint. I have to be very careful not to overextend.