Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentSimilar Conditions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Similar Conditions
Aganglioncystis a fluid-filled capsule that can cause swelling on the hand or wrist. It is the most common cause of a lump on the hand. These cysts are benign (not cancer) and will not spread, although they may grow in size.
This article explains the symptoms of a ganglion cyst and how it is diagnosed and treated.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoWrist ganglion cyst example.Wikimedia Commons
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Cause of Ganglion Cysts
Ganglion cysts arise as pouches of fluid that come from the small joints of the wrist, or from the fluid within the sheath that surrounds thewrist tendons.
When the fluid, calledsynovial fluid, leaks out from these spaces, it can form a sack-like structure called a ganglion cyst.The fluid within the ganglion cyst is identical to the normal fluid found within a joint or tendon sheath. It looks and feels like jelly.
Minor trauma may be the reason for a leak to occur.Wristarthroscopycan lead to a risk of ganglion cyst that’s more than eight times that of the general population, especially in females.
Symptoms of a Ganglion Cyst
Ganglion cysts are usually noticed as a bump on the hand or wrist.Most people notice they may gradually change in size, and sometimes come and go, often depending on activity level.
Ganglion cysts can occur on the back of the hand or on the palm side of the wrist. When they occur on the back of the hand, they are called dorsal ganglion cysts, and when they occur on the palm side of the wrist they are called volar ganglion cysts.
Typical symptoms of a ganglion cyst include:
Most of the symptoms are thought to be the result of pressure from the cyst on surrounding structures including tendons and nerves.
Identifying Cysts Through Pictures
Diagnosing a Ganglion Cyst
Your healthcare provider will complete an examination and may order tests to diagnose a ganglion cyst.
Physical Exam
The appearance of the cyst is important to diagnosis. The cyst should not adhere to the skin, and the skin should have a normal color. One test to diagnose a ganglion cyst is to hold a light source, such as a small flashlight, against the cyst. Light will shine through a normal ganglion cyst because it is not a solid mass.
Pain and tenderness are symptoms your healthcare provider will evaluate during a physical exam.
Imaging
Imaging studies can help your healthcare provider to rule out other causes of the lump, and ensure the structure and anatomy are normal. These tests can include X-rays, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treating a Ganglion Cyst
There are several methods of treatment for a wrist ganglion cyst.
No Treatment
Many hand and wrist experts recommend no treatment for cysts at all. While some people don’t like the look of a ganglion cyst, and some people have discomfort, the cysts are generally not harmful and many patients are reassured that the cyst is not going to cause any long-term problems.
Treatment itself always has risks, such as tendon injury with a volar ganglion cyst.It’s important that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks, and waiting may be indicated.
If the cyst can be tolerated, many experts advise they be left alone. However, the cysts typically form a type of one-way valve that allows fluid to enter but it cannot escape. As the ganglion cyst grows, it will put pressure on surrounding structures. This results inpainful symptomsthat are usually the reason for ganglion cyst removal.
Home Remedy
One traditional alternative is to hit the wrist ganglion cyst with a hard object such as a book.This pops the cyst and ruptures the lining of the sac. However, the approach is not recommended due to the potential forwrist fractureor other damage from the trauma of the treatment.
A less risky pathway is the use of a wrist brace or splint to immobilize the wrist and protect it from further injury.
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Aspiration
Putting a needle into the ganglion cyst andaspirating the fluidmay work. However, the jelly-like fluid within the cyst does not always come through a needle very well. Furthermore, this treatment leaves the cyst lining behind, and the ganglion cyst can return.
A 2023 review of 11 studies found recurrence rates higher than 50% in people treated with aspiration.However, the advantage of draining the cyst is that it is a simple procedure to perform, and the chance of a problem happening is very small.
Surgery
Surgery is an option for removing the wrist ganglion cyst, including the sac that surrounds the fluid. In addition, the connection to the joint ortendon sheaththat supplied the fluid can be closed.
While this is usually effective, a small percentage of removed wrist ganglion cysts will still return. Surgical treatment has been well described both as an open surgical excision and as an arthroscopic procedure.Talk to your surgeon about why one approach may be preferred.
As with other studies, a 2020 review of 34 cases found ganglion cysts to be the most common diagnosis when tissue samples were taken with imaging. But giant cell tumors, affecting eight people, were the next-common condition.
Someone with a ganglion cyst may also be more likely to be affected on the same side with:
Your healthcare provider may need to treat a co-occurring condition as well.
Tumor on the Hand, Wrist, or Finger: Is It Cancer?
Summary
Ganglion cysts are very common causes of bumps around the hand and wrist. A ganglion cyst is not cancer and typically does not require treatment. If the cyst presses on nerves or blood vessels in the hand, causing pain, you may want to talk about treatment options with your healthcare provider.
Options can include withdrawal of fluid from the cyst or surgical removal. In some cases, your provider may recommend a wrist brace or splint to reduce discomfort and keep the cyst from expanding.
14 SourcesVerywell 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 Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.BMJ Best Practice.Ganglion cyst.Rochlin DH, Perrault D, Sheckter CC, Fox P, Yao J.Prevalence of ganglion cyst formation after wrist arthroscopy: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of 2420 patients.Hand (N Y). 2022 May;17(3):477-482. doi:10.1177/1558944720939203University of Chicago Medicine.What is a ganglion cyst? And other common questions.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.Alzaidi SA, Shah Mardan QN, Alotaibi A, Elmoursy M.Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and radiological measures in hand soft-tissue masses.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12145. doi:10.7759/cureus.12145Horvath A, Zsidai B, Konaporshi S, Svantesson E, Hamrin Senorski E, Samuelsson K,et al.Treatment of primary dorsal wrist ganglion-A systematic review.J Wrist Surg. 2022 Jul 11;12(2):177-190. doi:10.1055/s-0042-1753542British Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cysts.Trivedi NN, Schreiber JJ, Daluiski A.Blunt force may be an effective treatment for ganglion cysts.HSS Jrnl. 2016;12(2):100-104. doi:10.1007/s11420-016-9493-9Head L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU.Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2015;40(3):546-553.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.12.014Kim JY, Lee J.Considerations in performing open surgical excision of dorsal wrist ganglion cysts.International Orthopaedics (SICOT). 2016;40(9):1935-1940. doi:10.1007/s00264-016-3213-4Gray J, Zuhlke T, Eizember S, Srinivasan R.Dry arthroscopic excision of dorsal wrist ganglion.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(1):e207-e211. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.09.018American Society for the Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss.Daliri M, Khosravi F, Shakeri MT, Ebrahimzadeh MH, Moradi A.Pairwise association of upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions: large population investigation from PERSIAN cohort study.J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Aug 26;18(1):626. doi:10.1186/s13018-023-04108-6Additional ReadingHead L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU. “Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis” J Hand Surg Am. 2015 Mar;40(3):546-53.e8.
14 Sources
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 Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.BMJ Best Practice.Ganglion cyst.Rochlin DH, Perrault D, Sheckter CC, Fox P, Yao J.Prevalence of ganglion cyst formation after wrist arthroscopy: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of 2420 patients.Hand (N Y). 2022 May;17(3):477-482. doi:10.1177/1558944720939203University of Chicago Medicine.What is a ganglion cyst? And other common questions.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.Alzaidi SA, Shah Mardan QN, Alotaibi A, Elmoursy M.Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and radiological measures in hand soft-tissue masses.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12145. doi:10.7759/cureus.12145Horvath A, Zsidai B, Konaporshi S, Svantesson E, Hamrin Senorski E, Samuelsson K,et al.Treatment of primary dorsal wrist ganglion-A systematic review.J Wrist Surg. 2022 Jul 11;12(2):177-190. doi:10.1055/s-0042-1753542British Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cysts.Trivedi NN, Schreiber JJ, Daluiski A.Blunt force may be an effective treatment for ganglion cysts.HSS Jrnl. 2016;12(2):100-104. doi:10.1007/s11420-016-9493-9Head L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU.Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2015;40(3):546-553.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.12.014Kim JY, Lee J.Considerations in performing open surgical excision of dorsal wrist ganglion cysts.International Orthopaedics (SICOT). 2016;40(9):1935-1940. doi:10.1007/s00264-016-3213-4Gray J, Zuhlke T, Eizember S, Srinivasan R.Dry arthroscopic excision of dorsal wrist ganglion.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(1):e207-e211. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.09.018American Society for the Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss.Daliri M, Khosravi F, Shakeri MT, Ebrahimzadeh MH, Moradi A.Pairwise association of upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions: large population investigation from PERSIAN cohort study.J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Aug 26;18(1):626. doi:10.1186/s13018-023-04108-6Additional ReadingHead L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU. “Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis” J Hand Surg Am. 2015 Mar;40(3):546-53.e8.
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 Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.BMJ Best Practice.Ganglion cyst.Rochlin DH, Perrault D, Sheckter CC, Fox P, Yao J.Prevalence of ganglion cyst formation after wrist arthroscopy: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of 2420 patients.Hand (N Y). 2022 May;17(3):477-482. doi:10.1177/1558944720939203University of Chicago Medicine.What is a ganglion cyst? And other common questions.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.Alzaidi SA, Shah Mardan QN, Alotaibi A, Elmoursy M.Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and radiological measures in hand soft-tissue masses.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12145. doi:10.7759/cureus.12145Horvath A, Zsidai B, Konaporshi S, Svantesson E, Hamrin Senorski E, Samuelsson K,et al.Treatment of primary dorsal wrist ganglion-A systematic review.J Wrist Surg. 2022 Jul 11;12(2):177-190. doi:10.1055/s-0042-1753542British Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cysts.Trivedi NN, Schreiber JJ, Daluiski A.Blunt force may be an effective treatment for ganglion cysts.HSS Jrnl. 2016;12(2):100-104. doi:10.1007/s11420-016-9493-9Head L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU.Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2015;40(3):546-553.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.12.014Kim JY, Lee J.Considerations in performing open surgical excision of dorsal wrist ganglion cysts.International Orthopaedics (SICOT). 2016;40(9):1935-1940. doi:10.1007/s00264-016-3213-4Gray J, Zuhlke T, Eizember S, Srinivasan R.Dry arthroscopic excision of dorsal wrist ganglion.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(1):e207-e211. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.09.018American Society for the Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss.Daliri M, Khosravi F, Shakeri MT, Ebrahimzadeh MH, Moradi A.Pairwise association of upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions: large population investigation from PERSIAN cohort study.J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Aug 26;18(1):626. doi:10.1186/s13018-023-04108-6
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.
BMJ Best Practice.Ganglion cyst.
Rochlin DH, Perrault D, Sheckter CC, Fox P, Yao J.Prevalence of ganglion cyst formation after wrist arthroscopy: A retrospective longitudinal analysis of 2420 patients.Hand (N Y). 2022 May;17(3):477-482. doi:10.1177/1558944720939203
University of Chicago Medicine.What is a ganglion cyst? And other common questions.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cyst.
Alzaidi SA, Shah Mardan QN, Alotaibi A, Elmoursy M.Comparing the diagnostic accuracy of clinical and radiological measures in hand soft-tissue masses.Cureus. 2020;12(12):e12145. doi:10.7759/cureus.12145
Horvath A, Zsidai B, Konaporshi S, Svantesson E, Hamrin Senorski E, Samuelsson K,et al.Treatment of primary dorsal wrist ganglion-A systematic review.J Wrist Surg. 2022 Jul 11;12(2):177-190. doi:10.1055/s-0042-1753542
British Society for Surgery of the Hand.Ganglion cysts.
Trivedi NN, Schreiber JJ, Daluiski A.Blunt force may be an effective treatment for ganglion cysts.HSS Jrnl. 2016;12(2):100-104. doi:10.1007/s11420-016-9493-9
Head L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU.Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of Hand Surgery. 2015;40(3):546-553.e8. doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.12.014
Kim JY, Lee J.Considerations in performing open surgical excision of dorsal wrist ganglion cysts.International Orthopaedics (SICOT). 2016;40(9):1935-1940. doi:10.1007/s00264-016-3213-4
Gray J, Zuhlke T, Eizember S, Srinivasan R.Dry arthroscopic excision of dorsal wrist ganglion.Arthrosc Tech. 2017;6(1):e207-e211. doi:10.1016/j.eats.2016.09.018
American Society for the Surgery of the Hand.Carpal boss.
Daliri M, Khosravi F, Shakeri MT, Ebrahimzadeh MH, Moradi A.Pairwise association of upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions: large population investigation from PERSIAN cohort study.J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Aug 26;18(1):626. doi:10.1186/s13018-023-04108-6
Head L, Gencarelli JR, Allen M, Boyd KU. “Wrist ganglion treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis” J Hand Surg Am. 2015 Mar;40(3):546-53.e8.
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