A hard
knot under the
skin, often plainly visible as a distortion in the skin (mine looked and felt like a protruding
bone). Inside, the cyst is filled with a clear, jelly-like
fluid. The origins of
ganglion cysts are currently impossible to isolate; some are probably
spontaneous while others may result from
trauma. They most commonly occur between the bones of the
wrist (on the top) and at the base of the
finger. Most are
benign, cause no
pain, and will spontaneously disappear. Others, especially those in the wrist, are very painful and can cause permanent damage by forcing apart the bones or pressing against the nerves (accelerating or causing
carpal tunnel syndrome). Initial treatment is usually
aspiration--using a large
needle to draw out the fluid in hopes that the cyst will shrink and disappear. However, many
recur after this, and
surgery may be needed to cut out the
cyst and its
stalk. This is a fairly delicate surgery and requires either a
nerve block along with a
sedative, or
general anesthetic. Recovery period for wrist surgery is six to eight weeks. Unfortunately, 30%
recur after the initial surgery.
PS The recovery period is way off. Two years later, mine still hurts with some frequency. Phooey.