Dorsal wrist ganglion cyst

[Tam-I-Am]

Has anybody else had a ganglion cyst in their wrist? I've had them on and off since I was a little kid, but when I was pregnant it came back and stayed - I've been to the GP, surgeon, wrist physiotherapist, on anti-inflamatories, had pain killers, had it aspirated, and even got my DH to wack it with a phone book a couple of weeks ago - all these solutions have worked short-term - But the BLOODY THING JUST KEEPS COMING BACK.

Just wondering if anyone else has this condition, and if so, how have you gotten rid of it - if you managed to!!

[Mamaduke]

When I saw your post I thought, I bet that's what my mum had.
She got rid of it quite by accident...my son Jesse knocked her wrist one day as he was climbing to sit on her lap and voila...gone!
My grandmother has one and is having her's removed by the doctor...not sure what's involved though.
I've just found this link that might help you...
http://www.handuniversity.com/topics.asp?Topic_ID=37
Good luck!

[Jamily]

My friend in Paris had one....she had it surgically removed and its never been back. I will ask her for details if you like, but think that was pretty well the end of the story. She was told though that there was a risk of it returning, even after surgery.

[melfunction]

I had one surgically removed 7 yrs ago. The pain in my wrist afterwards was enough for me to wish I had never had it done.

[Goosie22]

I have had them removed surgically also from both wrists (15years ago), they came back when I was pregnant the second time and had to be removed again. I agree it really was painful, but they were reducing the range of movement in my wrists as they were about 10cm long and 2cm high. I tried aspiration and steriod injections first also but like you they came straight back. They really are a PITA:thumbsdown: or wrist really.

[melfunction]

I should also mention that I had an arm block. Don't get one!!!!!!! I was lying there wide awake while the surgeon was digging around in my wrist and I didn't especially enjoy when he had to grind down the bone. Smell was putrid and the noise, well, it was like an electric sander :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[claireandbailey]

my mum had one and one day she knocked it at work and its gone. she used to get pretty bad pain with it and the DR said he couldnt do anything about it.

[nicoleE]

probably about 10 years ago i had one surgically removed from my wrist. As you know an old wives tale is to hit it with a bible (or just any large hardcovered book) which technically can work as it busts it, but most times it just leaves you with a sorer wrist for a while! lol (i did try it!).

You can also have it drained (via a needle) but there is more of a chance it will return.

I had mine removed and the pain is gone. I had to have a second surgery probably about 2 years after the originall one (at a guess) as the first one left too much scar tissue which was making it ache allot, apparently that was because they went in and cut around (i have about an inch scar on my wrist). I think these days they do it via an arthriscope (excuse my spelling!) basically they do it 'key hole' which does not have allot of problems with scarring. They used this to go back in and cut out the old scar tissue. I cannot flex my wrist as much as my other wrist, however because of the gangleon i couldnt before surgery anyway. the only thing it affects is that i have to do pushups on my knuckles at the gym! lol

However if i write (on paper) more than a paragraph or two it aches. And from time to time (not often, perhaps once a year on average) it will stat aching for days... i tried creams etc and then i tried acupuncture, they did it on my back arm and wrist and it helped allot, infact it took it away and to be honest the spontaneous aches have not returned since (if they ever do i will be straight back there!)

I would recommend trying surgery however insist on an arthrascopic one to reduce scar tissue.

I hope that helped.

[littlepickle]

I had a gangion removed from my wrist surgically about 10 years ago. It was done under general anaesthetic and they had t cut into tendons and gawd knows what else to get rid of it. Because of the stitches in my tendon, I ended up with my arm in laster so that I didnt pull the stitches out by bending my wrist. It was soo painfull. Now the stupid ganglion is back!!! Well sor of ... I have a dint inthe top of my hand where the origional ganglion as removed and a new ganglion has formed slightly higher up. I am not going to have it removed though as I lost quite a range of movement in my wrist when I had the first removed and I dont want that to be any worse. Like someone else said, I also have to do push ups on my knuckles in the gym, and I dont really have much srength in that hand if I have to push on my wrist. The new keyhole surgery does sound like a much better option

ps. I tried banging my hand with a hard book and only resulted in hurting my hand and making the ganglion even sorer

[Pippi Longstocking]

I have had one on and off since I was a child. Dad used to whack it with a book which didn't do much 'cept bruise my hand.
I was supposed to have surgery to remove it but I am a wuss when it comes to general anaesthetics - I hate them. I didn't actually realise you could have it done whilst awake.
Mine is pretty bad at the moment but it tends to come and go so I have just learned to live with it. The only major problem I have is that I can't wear a watch - mine is on my left hand and I feel like a d!ck wearing a watch on my right wrist.

[mythreelittlemonkeys]

I have one on the inside of each wrist - ever since i remember - I also got one in my neck whilst travelling but it seems to have gone...I have recently got another one on my right forearm...I never been too worried and when asked GP they are just like so? does it cause any pain and I'm like no not really and that end of it...my mum had one surgically removed as it began to affect her wrist movement but op caused quite a few probs too...I reckon I will just keep them until they cause me pain or loss of wrist movement :D they kinda parta me now!
PS I always been too much of a woos to try the book thing!!

[cookie]

Has anybody else had a ganglion cyst in their wrist? I've had them on and off since I was a little kid, but when I was pregnant it came back and stayed - I've been to the GP, surgeon, wrist physiotherapist, on anti-inflamatories, had pain killers, had it aspirated, and even got my DH to wack it with a phone book a couple of weeks ago - all these solutions have worked short-term - But the BLOODY THING JUST KEEPS COMING BACK.

Just wondering if anyone else has this condition, and if so, how have you gotten rid of it - if you managed to!!
Hi, YES I have been a victim of the ganglin cyst in my right wrist, How PAINFUL they are I went to a orthopedic surgeon who was going to cut it out but i was told I would have to keep my wrist bandaged for 8 weeks (I dont think so), and there was a pretty good chance that it would come back. I was working in a nursing home at the time so it was imposible to have a bandaged arm for that long .
So I just grinned and bared it eventually it disapered but if I do anything to strenuous I can feel it lurking in there.
There were times when I couldnt use a knife / fork turn on a tap basically hold on to anything . Even going to the toilet proved to be a drama
I really dont have any suggestions for you I am sorry
They really are bloody cruel!!!!!

[nicoleE]

Just to add, I didnt have mine bandaged for a long time afterwards, only for a day or two, after that I just had to be careful with the stitches for a week or so. However as I had the big cut and not the arthriscopic surgery there was more healing time and physio afterwards.

I think you should speak to your GP to get a referral to a surgeon/specialist to see what they recommend. You can get all the up to date information then.

[Tam-I-Am]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your replies. I have actually been to see a surgeon recently, he thought it was carpal tunnel syndrome, but its completely the wrong symptoms, as confirmed by a hand physio. I'm sick of the bloody thing, but you guys have convinced me not to get surgery - I think it would cause more problems than it would solve. So I'll just have to live with it! It's actually reduced in size now because I had DH whack it with a phone book again the other day - seems to make it go away for a week or two at least - and he seems to enjoy it so much!! LOL:laughing:

[nicoleE]

surgery CAN be benificial but i guess the end result can differ from person to person.

I am glad i had the surgery, even though i had to have a second to clear up the scar tissue, now i dont have the pain anymore. I would definatly do it again if i could go back and choose all over again.