Should i hit ganglion cyst

Doctors often decide to "watch and wait" to see if a cyst goes away or doesn't get worse, especially if it's not painful. If repetitive movements make the cyst bigger or more painful, the doctor may recommend rest and wearing a splint or brace. Anti-inflammatory medicines can help ease minor pain or discomfort.

Note: You might have heard a ganglion cyst called a "Bible cyst" or "Bible bump. Doctors don't recommend this treatment, but occasionally a cyst will rupture if a child falls on it.

If this happens, the area will be red, swollen, and sore for a few days. Just like a ruptured water balloon, the cyst may not come back. If a cyst is bothersome, painful, or long-lasting, a doctor might "aspirate" or drain it with a long needle. In this quick and effective office procedure, a doctor will:. Even with aspiration, a ganglion cyst may come back.

It doesn't remove the cyst or its connection to the source of the fluid. It takes the fluid out of the "water balloon," which is still connected to the "faucet.

In some cases, a doctor might recommend a minor surgery to remove a ganglion cyst. The surgical procedure — called a ganglion excision, or ganglionectomy — removes the ganglion cyst along with the stalk.

When should you call for help? Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Care Instructions A ganglion is a small sac, or cyst, filled with a clear fluid that is like jelly. How can you care for yourself at home? Wear a wrist or finger splint as directed by your doctor. It will keep your wrist or hand from moving and help reduce the fluid in the cyst. This may be all you need for the ganglion to shrink and go away. Do not smash a ganglion with a book or other heavy object. You may break a bone or otherwise injure your wrist by trying this folk remedy, and the ganglion may return anyway.

Do not try to drain the fluid by poking the ganglion with a pin or any other sharp object. If a cyst forms on the hand or wrist, the person may lose grip strength.

Doctors do not know what causes ganglion cysts. They may form when synovial fluid leaks from a joint. A ganglion cyst tends to be attached to an underlying joint capsule or tendon sheath. They usually develop where a joint or tendon naturally bulges out of place.

Age and sex : Ganglion cysts can affect anyone at any time, but they most commonly occur in females aged 15—40 years. Overuse : People who use certain joints vigorously may be more likely to develop ganglion cysts. Female gymnasts, for instance, may be particularly prone to developing these cysts. Trauma : They may form following a single incident or reoccurring small injuries.

A doctor usually shines a light through the cyst to see whether its contents are transparent or opaque. In a ganglion cyst, the liquid will be clear and thick. Imaging scans, such as an X-ray, ultrasound , or MRI , can help a doctor determine the cause of the nodule and rule out other issues.

A ganglion cyst usually does not need treatment, as long as it causes no discomfort or pain. Up to half may disappear without intervention, but some take several years to resolve completely. A doctor will recommend some form of treatment if the cyst is pressing on a nerve and causing pain. Adapting footwear : If the cyst is on a foot or ankle, shoes should not rub or irritate it.

It may help to wear soft or open shoes, insert padding, or lace the shoes in a different way. They contain a thick jelly-like liquid called synovial fluid.

Usually this fluid lubricates the joints and tendons, but sometimes it escapes and builds up outside the joint. Curiously, the fluid taken from the cysts is thicker and contains slightly different chemicals from synovial fluid. This substance collects within a shell, but hammering the bump just disperses the fluid temporarily.

No one knows exactly why the fluid leaks out of joints in the first place, but there are some plausible theories. The first is that repeated flexing of the joint allows synovial fluid to leak out, which then builds up in a sack, forming a cyst. This could explain anecdotal reports that weightlifters are particularly prone to developing ganglia. Or could injury cause this? The problem is that you would expect those with evidence of an injury to be more prone to recurrence after surgery, but in fact there appears to be no difference.