Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Dealing with a ganglion
• Method 2 of 2: Get medical treatment
• Warnings

A ganglion or mucous cyst is a round, spongy bump under the skin that generally develops along tendons or on a joint. Ganglia usually occur on the wrists. They can be tiny or even 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Ganglia often don't hurt, but they can make your joint less able to move. They can also cause pain by pressing on nearby nerves. In many cases, ganglia will go away on their own, but there are steps you can take to deal with it when it starts to bother you.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Dealing with a ganglion

1. Be patient. About 35% of all ganglia do not hurt. The only problem with ganglia is that you probably think they are ugly. Fortunately, about 38 to 58% of all ganglia go away on their own. If your ganglion isn't really causing you problems, leave it alone and see if the cyst goes away on its own.
2. Take anti-inflammatory painkillers. There are many over-the-counter medications that can help reduce swelling. The reduced swelling will temporarily relieve the pain until the medicine stops working and the swelling returns. Because many ganglia go away on their own, controlling the pain in the short term is often a good way to wait for it. The three most common anti-inflammatory drugs you can get from pharmacies are:
   • Ibuprofen (Advil, Sarixell)
   • Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
   • Aspirin (Aspro, Acetosal, Excedrin)
3. Apply ice. If your ganglion hurts, try applying something cold to it. You can buy an ice pack with gel in it from the pharmacy, or simply wrap some ice or a bag of frozen vegetables in a towel. Apply it directly to the area of ​​pain and leave it on for 20 minutes. Do this at least daily and at least once every three hours.
4. Use the joint in question less often. The exact cause of ganglia is still unknown, but according to a leading theory, they are caused by an injury to the joint (such as a hard blow or strong pressure). According to another theory, ganglia arise when a joint is overloaded. In both cases it appears that the pain can be relieved and the healing process can be accelerated by moving the joint as little as possible. Rest the body part in question as much as possible.
5. If necessary, stabilize the joint with a splint. It may be difficult for you to remember to rest the joint, especially if the cyst is on your wrist. It's easy to remember not to use your feet, but it can be more difficult to remember not to use your hands when talking. In that case, you can consider stabilizing the joint with a splint. The splint is not only a reminder to remind you to rest the joint, but it also limits the movement of the joint when using the body part in question.
   • Place a rigid object (such as a piece of wood) along the joint you want to stabilize. You can also wrap the joint in something like a magazine or a thick layer of towels or clothing.
   • The splint should stick out on both sides of the joint so that you can use the joint as little as possible. For example, a wrist splint should extend from your forearm, past your wrist and towards your hand.
   • Tie the splint with whatever materials you have at home - a tie, tape, a belt, etc.
   • Do not tie the splint too tightly. You shouldn't cut off your circulation. Tie the splint less tightly if your hands or feet start to tingle.
6. Massage the cyst. A ganglion is basically a balloon filled with fluid that can cause pain when it presses against a nerve. To stimulate the cyst to allow moisture to flow out naturally, doctors often recommend massaging the area. However, you don't need to use a particular technique or see a professional massage therapist. Just gently rub the ganglion and do this regularly throughout your day. Over time, you should find that your symptoms are getting better.
7. Do not crush the ganglion with a book. Ganglia are sometimes called Bible cysts because people try to get rid of them by hitting them with a heavy book like the Bible. You can get rid of it temporarily by crushing the ganglion, but there is a 22 to 64% chance that the cyst will come back with this method. Plus, you can do even more damage to the already damaged tissue around the ganglion, or even break a bone if you hit the cyst too hard with the book.

Method 2 of 2: Get medical treatment

1. Have a doctor empty the cyst. If your ganglion is very painful or prevents you from moving your wrist naturally, you may need to seek professional medical attention to resolve the problem. A medical professional will be able to puncture or empty the cyst with a needle so that the lump disappears under your skin and the cyst no longer rubs painfully against your nerve tissue.
   • Your doctor can examine the cyst by shining a light through the ganglion. When the light shines through, your doctor knows that the cyst is filled with fluid and that it is a ganglion.
2. Be prepared for the piercing. This is not a complicated procedure, but you do need to know what will happen when you see your doctor to have your ganglion punctured. This will help you stay calm and relaxed during your appointment.
   • Your doctor will apply a topical anesthetic to numb the area around the ganglion.
   • He or she can then inject an enzyme into the cyst to make the gel-like fluid easier to remove.
   • The doctor will puncture the cyst with a needle and then suck out the liquid. This liquid is medical waste and will be disposed of safely and according to the rules by the employees.
3. Ask your doctor if he recommends an injection of steroids. Puncturing or vacuuming is usually not a treatment that works permanently. One study found that 59% of punctured cysts came back within three months. These cysts had not been treated in any other way. However, it has been found that administering steroids to the site of the drained cyst is a much more successful method. 95% of the steroid-treated cysts had still not come back after 6 months.
4. Discuss with your doctor which surgical procedures are possible. Ganglia usually come back, so you may find that home remedies and even puncturing are not permanent solutions to your problem. If you have a stubborn ganglion that keeps coming back, ask your doctor if it is possible to surgically remove the cyst.
   • This is usually an outpatient procedure, where the doctor administers an anesthetic through an IV.
   • Rather than just sucking the fluid out of the cyst, surgery will remove the entire cyst and the stalk that attaches the cyst to the tendon or joint. Removing the ganglion completely reduces the chance that you will suffer from it again.
5. Know the risks associated with an operation. As with any surgical procedure, there is a chance that something will go wrong during this procedure. In rare cases, the nerve tissue, blood vessels, or tendons around the cyst may be damaged during surgery. You may also experience an infection or excessive bleeding.
6. Take care of yourself after surgery. The area around the cyst will be sensitive and possibly hurt during the healing process. Ask your doctor to prescribe a pain reliever such as tramadol to help you manage the pain until it subsides. Let the body part in question rest for at least a few days as much as possible. If the ganglion was on your wrist, avoid tasks like typing and cooking for a while. Ask your doctor for a recovery plan that includes:
   • An estimate of how long it will take to recover.
   • What specific activities to avoid during the recovery process.
   • What symptoms to look out for that could indicate problems with the procedure.

Warnings

• Do not try to use the old-fashioned "Bible method" to remove the cyst. In the past, people used a heavy book, usually the family bible, to crush the ganglion. This type of cyst was therefore often referred to as bible cyst. The cyst will likely come back right away and you could damage the surrounding tissue with this method.