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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffGanglion cysts generally are:
- Raised lumps near your wrist or finger joints
- Round, firm and smooth
- Fluid-filled, as evidenced by shining a light through the cyst (transillumination)
- Variable in size depending on your activity level, becoming larger when you use the affected joint and growing smaller when you're at rest
- Painless, although in some cases the cysts may put pressure on the nerves near the joint, which can cause pain, weakness or numbness.
In some cases, the telltale lump that usually indicates a ganglion cyst isn't visible. Often the only indication of these smaller, "hidden" ganglion cysts (occult ganglions) is pain. These occult cysts can be seen only with ultrasound or MRI.
When to see a doctor
If you experience a noticeable lump or pain in your wrist, hand or foot, see your doctor. He or she can make a diagnosis and determine whether you need treatment.
- Cassidy C, et al. Hand and wrist ganglia. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Soft tissue tumors. In: Townsend CM, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/204083196-3/1008522173/1565/724.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3675-3..50078-2--cesec50_4373. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Topper SM. Wrist arthroscopy. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00020-8--sc5&uniq=204083196&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&sid=1008522613. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Ganglion (cyst) of the wrist. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00006#Treatment. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Ganglia. The Merck Manuals: Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec05/ch071/ch071b.html. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Zuzek RW, et al. Ganglia. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/201217051-3/0/2088/253.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00016-2--sc0015_5192. Accessed May 18, 2010.
- Amadio PC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 25, 2010.
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