Ganglion

Ganglion are noncancerous lumps or cysts that generally develop in the joints or tendons of your hands or wrists. They may also show up in the feet and ankles. Ganglion is cysts that are oval or round and contains with a jellylike fluid. These cysts can be very painful as their location can restrict joint movement. In most cases, they go on their own. However, if you are facing issues because of ganglion cysts, it is better to see an orthopedist at the earliest.  

In the rarest and more severe cases, you may need to undergo a surgery for removal of ganglion cysts.

Causes
Ganglion cysts are caused when the jellylike fluid gets accumulated around the tendons or in the joints of your wrist, ankle, hand or foot due to:

• Injury
• Trauma
• Overuse

Symptoms

• Soft immovable bump or mass that gradually increases in size
• Swelling
• Pain after repetitive trauma
• Chronic pain with joint movement
• Weakness in the finger (when occurred in a tendon)

Diagnosis

Your orthopedist will start with examining the non-cancerous lump. They will check your medical history and record your symptoms. In some cases, a fluid sample of the cyst is taken for testing. Some imaging tests are performed, like:

• MRI
• X-Rays
• Ultrasound

Treatment

In case the ganglion cyst doesn’t go away on its own and causes pain, you will need to see an orthopedist. There are two ways of treating these noncancerous cysts:

Aspiration: In this process, a needle is inserted into the cyst to draw out the fluid. An anti-inflammatory compound is injected into it and held with a splint to keep it in place.

Surgery: In severe conditions, the orthopedic surgeon suggests to undergo surgery when the cysts don’t respond well to aspiration and become painful. The doctor removes the ganglion cyst and the surrounding area attaching it to the joint. A failed aspiration process leads to numbness and tingling of the fingers or hand that is treated with a surgical process.

Book an appointment if you are facing issues of ganglion cysts. Dr Reddy’s team will provide you with the most appropriate treatment options.