Wrist Cyst Causes, Treatments & More
- 1. Cleveland Clinic medical professional. 'Ganglion Cysts: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment.' Cleveland Clinic, 23 Nov. 2020, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15554-ganglion-cysts
- 2. Mayo Clinic Staff. 'Ganglion Cyst - Symptoms and Causes.' Mayo Clinic, 9 Jan. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ganglion-cyst/symptoms-causes/syc-20351156
- 3. Jennings, MD, Charles. 'Ganglion Cyst of the Wrist and Hand - OrthoInfo - AAOS.' Mar. 2013, orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/ganglion-cyst-of-the-wrist-and-hand/
- 4. Orthobethesda. 'What to Do When a Ganglion Cyst Ruptures.' Ortho Bethesda, 17 Mar. 2021, www.orthobethesda.com/blog/what-to-do-when-a-ganglion-cyst-ruptures/
- 5. 'Cysts - Ganglion Cysts.' Better Health Channel - Better Health Channel, Victoria State Government Department of Health, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/cysts-ganglion-cysts
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When a cyst appears on the back of the hand or wrist, it's typically a ganglion cyst. These soft lumps under the skin range in size and contain a thick fluid similar to the lubricating fluid around joints. Ganglion cysts grow out from the tissues around joints and are round or oval-shaped.1Cleveland Clinic medical professional. ‘Ganglion Cysts: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment.’ Cleveland Clinic, 23 Nov. 2020, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15554-ganglion-cysts
Ganglion cysts may also appear on the palm side of the wrist or the base of a finger. When they grow just below the cuticle on a finger, they're called mucous cysts. Occasionally, a ganglion cyst may develop on the top of the foot or the outside of the knee or ankle.
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What Causes Ganglion Cysts?
Scientists haven't yet discovered what causes ganglion cysts. Some possible explanations include cysts growing out of a joint due to a bulging tendon or tissue. An injury to the tissue or tendon around a joint may cause it to break down, resulting in small cysts. These cysts then join together, forming one large mass.
An MRI of a ganglion cyst shows it resembles a water-filled balloon with a trunk protruding from the area around a joint. Ganglion cysts may range from pea to golf ball size. They may grow larger with joint use and decrease in size when the joint is rested.
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