Ganglion Cysts Treatment in Northern Indiana

What is a Ganglion Cyst?

Ganglion cysts are bumps that usually show up near tendons or joints in the wrists or hands. They can also happen in the feet and ankles. Most ganglion cysts are round or oval and filled with a fluid that feels like jelly, however, they are not cancer.

Ganglion cysts can be as small as a pea. They can grow or shrink, and if a ganglion cyst presses on a nerve, it can hurt. They can sometimes make it hard to move a joint as well.

Ganglion Cyst Symptoms

Ganglion cysts often have these symptoms:

• Location - Ganglion cysts usually form near the tendons or joints of the hands or wrists. The ankles and feet are the next most common places, but these cysts also form around other joints
• Size and shape - Ganglion cysts are either oval or round. Some of them are too small to touch, and they can change in size, often getting bigger over time as the joint moves
• Pain - Most of the time, ganglion cysts don't hurt, but if a cyst presses on a nerve or other structure, it can cause pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness

What Causes Ganglion Cysts?

It is not yet known what causes a ganglion cyst, most of the people who get them are between 15 and 40 years old, and women are more likely to get them than men. Gymnasts often get these cysts because they repeatedly put stress on their wrists.

Ganglion cysts, also called mucous cysts, are lumps that form at the end joint on the nail side of a finger. They are usually caused by arthritis in the finger joint and are more common in women between the ages of 40 and 70.

Treatment for Ganglion Cysts

Most ganglion cysts don't hurt and don't need to be treated. Your doctor might tell you to keep an eye on the cyst in case it changes. If the cyst hurts or makes it hard to move the joint, you may need to:

• Keep the joint still - A ganglion cyst can grow due to movement. So, a brace or splint that holds the joint still might help. As the cyst gets smaller, it may let up on the nerves, making the pain go away, but wearing a brace or splint for a long time can weaken the muscles around it
• Drain the cyst - Draining the fluid from the cyst with a needle might help, but the cyst could return
• Surgery - Hand or wrist surgery could be a choice if nothing else works. During surgery, the cyst and the stalk that connects it to the joint or tendon are taken out. Rarely, surgery can hurt nerves, blood vessels, or tendons that are close by, and the cyst can come back, even after surgery

Ganglion Cysts Care in Michiana

If you are struggling with ganglion cysts, our specialists here at Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center (OSMC) are here to help. To find out more, call OSMC at (574) 319-9386 or make an appointment right now. We hope to see you at one of our convenient locations. We serve patients from Michiana, which is Northern Indiana, and the Southwest Michigan area.