Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGanglion CystsGiant Cell TumorInclusion CystsCarpal BossDupuytren’s ContractureEnchondromaRheumatoid ArthritisCancerWhen to See a ProviderDiagnosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Ganglion Cysts
Giant Cell Tumor
Inclusion Cysts
Carpal Boss
Dupuytren’s Contracture
Enchondroma
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Cancer
When to See a Provider
Diagnosis
A lump on your hand or wrist is likely benign (not harmful). A bump that feels like bone is likely acarpal boss. A moveable wrist bump is typically aganglioncyst. A lump on the palm of your hand may beDupuytren’s contracture.
Verywell / Alexandra Gordon
The most common cause of a hand or wrist bump is aganglion cyst.
It occurs when a pouch forms in the lining of the small joints of the wrists, hands, or fingers. Joint fluid leaks into the pouch, filling it like a water balloon. The result is a visible lump or bump on your hand or wrist.
Ganglion cysts are typically round or oval. They can be soft or firm like a marble and may be moveable. Ganglion cysts are often painless unless they compress a nerve. When that happens, you may experience discomfort, tingling, and muscle weakness.
Ganglion cysts can also form pouches in the sheath covering a tendon or knuckle joint. This type is called amucous ormyxoidcyst.
The initial cause of a ganglion cyst is unknown. Some experts believe that a previous trauma or arthritis may trigger it.Once you have a ganglion cyst, however, exercising or using the joint where a cyst is located can cause it to get bigger over time.
Treatment
Treatment for a ganglion cyst can involve surgical or non-surgical options.However, in most cases, your healthcare provider may simply ask you to wait and observe the cyst to see if it goes away on its own.
If the cyst remains, non-surgical treatments include:
If the cyst is persistent or if it comes back, surgery may be required. Surgical treatments are generally successful.
There are two ways to get rid of a ganglion cyst on the wrist:
A hard painless wrist bump at the lower end of the lower arm bone could be agiant cell tumor of the tendon sheath.
A giant cell tumor is not a truetumor but a mass that arises from the tendon lining (sheath) orsynovium, the soft tissue inside a joint. They tend to grow slowly and are not painful at first.
As it gets bigger, it can cause joint pain that increases with activity but decreases with rest. Giant cell tumors can grow to become extremely painful. They are easily removed but can grow back.
These tumors are quite rare, though, with only one in a million diagnosed each year. They mostly affect young adults and are more common in people assigned female at birth.
The goal of treating this condition is to remove the tumor and prevent damage to the bone. The best treatment for a giant cell tumor depends on factors including your symptoms, your age, and your current health status.
Treatment may involve:
In rare cases, amputation is needed. But radiation treatment is also an option if your tumor can’t be removed or comes back.
A small, painless, and moveable bump on the hand, wrist, or finger may be an epidermal inclusion cyst. Also known as anepidermoid cyst, these firm, noncancerous tumors just below the skin can develop on any part of the body.
Inclusion cysts develop during healing after an injury, though it may take years to become apparent. They occur when a penetrating wound or deep cut pushes cells from the skin’s surface into the deep layers of skin.
The immune system views these cells as foreign invaders and surrounds them with a soft waxy material known as keratin to create a protective barrier. They gradually expand over time to form cysts.
Epidermal inclusion cysts are not dangerous and do not need to be treated unless they become infected. If the cyst becomes swollen, inflamed, tender, or enlarged it may require treatment.
Treatment will depend on the symptom:
A hard lump on your wrist that feels like bone may be acarpal boss. This is an overgrowth of the bone on the back of the hand. It’s similar in appearance to abone spur.
A carpal boss is essentially a small area ofosteoarthritisoccurring at the point where the long hand bones and small wrist bones connect.
While frequently misdiagnosed as a ganglion cyst, a carpal boss is firmer. Unlike a cyst, you cannot move it or feel any “give” when you press on it.
You may not need treatment for a carpal boss if it doesn’t cause you any pain. If it becomes painful the following options are available:
A hard lump on the palm of your hand is a symptom ofDupuytren’s contracture. Also known as Dupuytren’s disease, it causes an abnormal thickening of connective tissue (fascia) under the skin of the palm of your hand.
Dupuytren’s disease usually begins with tender nodes under the base of the ring or pinky fingers. These may develop into a hard lump or thick band and become less tender. Over time, this can cause one or more fingers to curl or pull sideways or toward your palm.
The condition is not painful but can inhibit your ability to use your hands for certain tasks, grasping large objects, or straightening your fingers.
Treatment for Dupuytren’s disease varies based on several factors, such as your age, your health history, and the degree to which the condition bothers you. There is no cure for this condition.
Treatments can include:
Enchondromais a noncancerous tumor that develops when cartilage grows inside a bone.
Enchondromas are mostly benign (not harmful) and only rarely develop into cancer.
If your tumor does not cause pain, you may not need treatment. Your provider may recommend that you observe the tumor to ensure that it doesn’t change.
If treatment is required, surgical and non-surgical options are available. Treatments include:
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) can cause firm lumps just below the skin on the hands, known as rheumatoid nodules.
An autoimmune form of arthritis, RA causes swelling and pain in the lining of your joints. It can affect joints in the wrists, hands, fingers, elbows, feet, spine, jaw, and knees.
RA often occurs symmetrically, meaning the same joints are affected on both sides of the body. Other common RA symptoms include:
The goal of RA treatment is to manage inflammation and reduce pain. Lifestyle changes, medication, and physical activity can also help to slow the progression of the disease, prevent joint damage, relieve fatigue, and improve overall physical function.
Medications for RA include:
Lifestyle and activity treatments include:
Surgery may sometimes be required to repair joints and improve function. The most common procedures are hip and knee replacements.
Cancer of the Hands or Wrists
It is rare that a lump or bump on the wrist or hand is cancerous. When this occurs, it is usually due to cancerous cells that have spread (metastasized) from elsewhere in the body.
Cancerous lumps are usually hard, but not all hard lumps are cancer.
Types of cancer that can affect the hands or wrists include the following:
Though rare, cancers of the hands and wrist are serious problems that require invasive treatment and prolonged care.
Treatment for cancer of the hand will depend on the type of cancer that you have. There are many different types of cancer treatment. Your healthcare provider will discuss your options with you at the time of diagnosis.
In general, cancer treatments can include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Specific symptoms of concern vary for each condition, but there are some signs that consistently call for interaction with your health team:
Your healthcare provider will first perform a physical exam and ask for your symptom history. They will palpate the mass, shine a light on it, move the affected joint in different directions, and examine the skin.
Imaging tests, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, are sometimes helpful for identifying the cause. In some cases, a tissue sample may be removed for a biopsy and examined under a microscope.
Summary
Most of the time, masses in the hand and wrist are noncancerous. One common type of benign growth in the hand or wrist is called a ganglion cyst.
While rare, it is possible for a lump or bump in the hand or wrist to be cancerous, however. When this occurs, it’s typically because of cancer found elsewhere in the body.
It’s important to visit your doctor if you notice a mass or growth beneath your skin. After careful evaluation, they can determine if the growth is cancerous or nothing to worry about.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Wrist or hand tumor.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.Yale Medicine. Ganglion Cyst.Nationwide Children’s Hospital.Ganglion Cysts.Penn Medicine.Treating Ganglion Cysts in Hand and WristJohns Hopkins Medicine.Giant cell tumor.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Giant cell tumor of bone.U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Epidermoid cyst.American Family Physician.Diagnosing common benign skin tumors.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss: causes and treatment.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Dupuytren’s contracture.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Enchondroma.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.American Academy of Family Physicians: FamilyDoctor.org.Rheumatoid arthritis.Dunkin, Mary Anne. Arthritis Foundation.Treatments for Rheumatoid ArthritisUPMC Hillman Cancer Center.How to Tell if Body Lumps Could Be Cancer.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chondrosarcoma.Nicholson S, Milner RH, Ragbir M.Soft tissue sarcoma of the hand and wrist: epidemiology and management challenges.J Hand Microsurg. 2018;10(2):86-92. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1636728National Cancer Center.Soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ)–patient version.Sopu A, Green C, McHugh G, Quinlan J.A case report of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma first presentation as a soft tissue swelling around the wrist.J Orthop Case Rep. 2015;5(2):3-5. doi:10.13107/jocr.2250-0685.284National Cancer Center.Skin cancer treatment (PDQ)–patient version.National Cancer Institute.Types of Cancer Treatment.Church DJ, Krumme J, Kotwal S.Evaluating Soft-Tissue Lumps and Bumps.Mo Med. 2017 Jul-Aug;114(4):289-294
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Wrist or hand tumor.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.Yale Medicine. Ganglion Cyst.Nationwide Children’s Hospital.Ganglion Cysts.Penn Medicine.Treating Ganglion Cysts in Hand and WristJohns Hopkins Medicine.Giant cell tumor.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Giant cell tumor of bone.U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Epidermoid cyst.American Family Physician.Diagnosing common benign skin tumors.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss: causes and treatment.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Dupuytren’s contracture.American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Enchondroma.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.American Academy of Family Physicians: FamilyDoctor.org.Rheumatoid arthritis.Dunkin, Mary Anne. Arthritis Foundation.Treatments for Rheumatoid ArthritisUPMC Hillman Cancer Center.How to Tell if Body Lumps Could Be Cancer.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chondrosarcoma.Nicholson S, Milner RH, Ragbir M.Soft tissue sarcoma of the hand and wrist: epidemiology and management challenges.J Hand Microsurg. 2018;10(2):86-92. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1636728National Cancer Center.Soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ)–patient version.Sopu A, Green C, McHugh G, Quinlan J.A case report of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma first presentation as a soft tissue swelling around the wrist.J Orthop Case Rep. 2015;5(2):3-5. doi:10.13107/jocr.2250-0685.284National Cancer Center.Skin cancer treatment (PDQ)–patient version.National Cancer Institute.Types of Cancer Treatment.Church DJ, Krumme J, Kotwal S.Evaluating Soft-Tissue Lumps and Bumps.Mo Med. 2017 Jul-Aug;114(4):289-294
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American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.
Yale Medicine. Ganglion Cyst.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital.Ganglion Cysts.
Penn Medicine.Treating Ganglion Cysts in Hand and Wrist
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Giant cell tumor.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Giant cell tumor of bone.
U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Epidermoid cyst.
American Family Physician.Diagnosing common benign skin tumors.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss: causes and treatment.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Dupuytren’s contracture.
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.Enchondroma.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Rheumatoid arthritis.
American Academy of Family Physicians: FamilyDoctor.org.Rheumatoid arthritis.
Dunkin, Mary Anne. Arthritis Foundation.Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.How to Tell if Body Lumps Could Be Cancer.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Chondrosarcoma.
Nicholson S, Milner RH, Ragbir M.Soft tissue sarcoma of the hand and wrist: epidemiology and management challenges.J Hand Microsurg. 2018;10(2):86-92. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1636728
National Cancer Center.Soft tissue sarcoma treatment (PDQ)–patient version.
Sopu A, Green C, McHugh G, Quinlan J.A case report of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma first presentation as a soft tissue swelling around the wrist.J Orthop Case Rep. 2015;5(2):3-5. doi:10.13107/jocr.2250-0685.284
National Cancer Center.Skin cancer treatment (PDQ)–patient version.
National Cancer Institute.Types of Cancer Treatment.
Church DJ, Krumme J, Kotwal S.Evaluating Soft-Tissue Lumps and Bumps.Mo Med. 2017 Jul-Aug;114(4):289-294
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