What is that hard little bump on your wrist? You may have noticed it before, but it doesn’t hurt, so you ignore it and get on with your life.
A few months later you notice it seems a little bigger. It may have begun to cause you hand pain or wrist pain from time to time.
That unexplained little bump is most likely a ganglion cyst-link, a very common hand and wrist condition that can develop in individuals of any age, gender, or occupation. They also occur in a 3 to 1 female to male ratio.
A ganglion cyst is a usually visible, fluid-enclosed bump that appears around a joint or tendon sheath, usually in the hand and wrist area (although they do occur other places such as the foot).
Though the appearance of a mysterious bump can be worrisome, keep in mind that most ganglion cysts are benign (non-cancerous). Many individuals diagnosed with this form of cyst experience no pain and do not require treatment or surgery.
Unfortunately, there are others who do experience pain as a result of their cyst, especially with wrist range of motion. If your painful hands begin to interfere with your day-to-day life, you should consider the treatment options available to you at Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas.
Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas have on their staff the top hand and wrist specialists and surgeons in Houston. Our experts have ample
experience in removing ganglion cysts, either by way of surgery or other non-invasive, no stitch techniques.
These non-surgical treatments include the following:
-Resting the wrist with a splint
-Resting the wrist without a splint
-Aspiration (drawing fluid out of the cyst)
Keep in mind that it is likely for a ganglion cyst to return after aspiration since the sac that has formed around the joint or tendon is not actually removed. The sac will eventually heal itself and fill back up with fluid.
The best way to prevent a ganglion cyst from re-forming is surgical excision. This outpatient procedure typically takes 20-30 minutes. The “root” of the cyst is completely removed by a hand and wrist surgeon. There is only a 10-15% recurrence rate with surgical excision.
The hand and wrist specialists at Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas are also skilled in performing endoscopic/arthroscopic excision of ganglion cysts. This leaves a smaller scar; the recurrence rate is not significantly different.
No matter how you choose to treat a ganglion cyst, make sure to consult a professional, experienced hand specialist. You can trust Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas to do just that. From diagnosis to treatment and follow-up, the doctors at HSST will see you through the entire process. Pain-free hands and wrists are not a luxury, they are a necessity!
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