First off I’d like to say thanks for providing such valuable resources, I’m truly thankful for all that you guys do.
I have concerns regarding a ganglion cyst that I have in my left wrist. It’s located on the back of the wrist and really is only visible during flexion. Most of the time it doesn’t cause me pain or discomfort however exercises that require wrist extension and loading in that position aggravate it and then I have residual soreness and pressure in that area for days to weeks. I notice that when this occurs the cyst is also larger. I wear a wrist brace while sleeping and use some massage of the area to reduce the size and eventually it stops hurting after some time.
I’ve seen a doctor about it who basically told me that until it is larger there’s nothing he can do about it and was adamant about surgery to correct it. Does this seem unreasonable to you? I’m familiar with aspiration as an alternative option (though higher chance of re-occurrence) but the doctor completely dismissed that when I asked. What do you recommend I do to treat the cyst? Though it doesn’t prevent me from training it’s enough of an annoyance that I’d like to do something about it if possible.
They used to call these “bible bumps” because they go away when you whack them with a big book. My son treated his by hitting it with a cell phone, so maybe that’s the modern version. I have one on the back of my hand just distal to the wrist: it comes and goes on it’s own, I haven’t hit it with anything.
But maybe try a big book if you can find one these days?
I know I am bumping a super-old post, but I am wondering if you have an update on how your cyst is doing? I am in a similar situation, so quite interested to know.
I have a pair of volar ganglion cysts that come and go. Sometimes they cause what I find is a pretty high degree of pain for me (maybe equivalent or worse compared to broken fingers). When they get bad I smash them (or find someone willing to help a girl out), but it is always a matter of time before they return (not always at the same rate on each wrist). This has been going on a few years now. My family doctor actually encouraged me to burst them, instead of pursuing aspiration and he was very opposed to surgery, but not with much explanation as to why. I do sometimes wonder if long-term cycles of smashing them so they burst might have some negative consequence.