Ganglion (Wrist Cyst)

Ganglion Cyst

Ganglion cyst is usually seen as a soft mass associated with the joint. It is seen to develop in strained joints and tendons.

It is usually round or oval shaped and located close to joints or tendons. It mostly occurs in the wrist. However, it can also develop in the ankle, foot joints and tendons.

What is a ganglion cyst (wrist)?

A ganglion cyst is a common benign soft tissue tumor. Ganglion cysts arise due to damage to the joint where they form.

After the joint capsule here is damaged, the connective tissue here herniates, and the space formed is filled with a gelatinous fluid. This is a fluid like joint fluid.

It is most common in wrist joints. Less frequently, it is also seen in the ankle and foot bones.

What are the symptoms of a ganglion cyst?

Symptoms of a ganglion cyst include soft swelling and pain in the wrist or joints. It is usually seen on the wrist and the outer part of the hand.

It can vary in size from millimetric to 1-2 cm in size and can also be oval or round shaped. It usually occurs after joint damage. It grows as you use the joint a lot. Because as the joint moves, the fluid in the cyst increases with joint pressure.

Painful Ganglion Cyst

As the amount of fluid in the ganglion cyst (wrist cyst) increases, it compresses the surrounding tissues and pain occurs. Especially in the wrist, nerve endings are dense around the joints, so the pain will increase as the ganglion cysts in this area grow.

Is a ganglion cyst dangerous?

Is ganglion cyst dangerous? This is a frequently asked question. No, it is not dangerous. It does not turn into cancer. It only causes pain as it grows.

What causes ganglion cysts?

Ganglion cysts usually develop after trauma, following strain on the joint or tendon in that area.

Is a ganglion cyst a tumor?

Swellings in the body are called tumors in Latin. A ganglion cyst is also a benign tumor, but it is not cancer.

Who has ganglion cysts?

Ganglion cysts can be seen in people who use their hands intensively, in those who strain their wrists or damage their tendons. The main problem here is that the joint or tendon is damaged. For this reason, it is possible for two people doing the same job to have one and not the other.

How is a ganglion cyst detected?

The quickest and easiest way to determine whether a soft tissue lesion is a ganglion cyst is by ultrasound. Ultrasound is an easily accessible, comfortable and fast method to see what the lesion is and what it is associated with. Treatments can also be performed more easily and safely with ultrasound guidance.

It may also be possible to identify a soft tissue lesion as a ganglion cyst with MRI.

Why does a ganglion cyst grow?

Joint pressure increases with movements that strain the joint, which causes the fluid inside the cyst to increase. When the fluid increases, the cyst grows.

Can a ganglion cyst spread?

Ganglion cyst is not a contagious or infectious disease. It develops secondary to the destruction of a damaged joint or tendon.

How is a ganglion cyst treated?

Sometimes it disappears spontaneously, sometimes the fluid in the joint is drained and it disappears, sometimes it disappears by draining the fluid in the joint and injecting steroids.

If the ganglion cyst is small, it is usually not touched and it is possible for it to disappear spontaneously. However, if it causes pain, grows and compresses the surrounding nerves, it needs to be drained.

Since it is a gelatinous fluid, draining it under ultrasound guidance gives better results both in order to perform a complete drainage and in order not to damage the surrounding arteries and veins. There may be recurrence. It may need to be drained several times. Sometimes surgery can be performed. However, recurrence may occur even after surgery."

Ganglion Cyst Treatment Prices

Ganglion cyst treatment prices may vary depending on the location of the mass, the size of the mass, the difficulty of the procedure. A decision is made at the end of the examination.

What is ganglion cyst ice treatment?

Ganglion cyst ice treatment is to shrink the mass by applying ice to that area. There may be some regression, but if the cyst is large, it is not expected to completely disappear.

What is ganglion cyst coin treatment?

Ganglion cyst coin treatment is an old method. It may be of some benefit as it helps to reduce the intra-articular pressure of those who use that joint intensively and immobilize that joint, but it does not work in large cysts.

Ganglion Cyst Surgery

Surgical removal of the cyst is another method that can be tried if immobilization of the joint, drainage, etc. has not worked. However, it is not a frequently preferred method due to the large number of nerve pathways in this area and the compression etc. that may be caused by the scar tissue formed during wound healing. There may also be recurrence after surgery.