Ganglion Cyst
Ganglion cysts are simply fluid-filled cysts that develop around the tendons and joints of various parts of the body – most commonly the wrists, hands and feet. They are noncancerous and in the majority of cases, the person will not feel any pain whatsoever.
Women are the people who will usually get these cysts, as well as young people. It’s thought that around that 70% who get ganglion cysts are aged 20-40.
Symptoms
The symptoms of ganglion cysts are very easy to see, with the main sign being raised lumps of about 3cm diameter around the joints. They are round, firm and smooth and unless they press against a nerve, will cause the person no pain.
In a minority of cases, the cysts might not be visible. In these instances the only way of telling is if there is any pain when the wrist is moved – and even then that pain could be due to another injury. To confirm this injury, you need to have an MRI scan.
Causes
There is no definite cause for this injury, although there are one or two theories around. One of these is to do with excessive trauma around the affected joints, which causes the tissue around the area to break down and form cysts. As the fluid inside these cysts is similar to that found around joints and tendons, this is definitely a plausible cause.
Many experts tend to agree with the above and because of this; it’s thought that its regular, repetitive movement that causes the injury. This would seem to link in with the trauma causing the broken tissue.
Treatment
In the majority of cases, ganglion cysts do not require any treatment and will heal on their own. Only if the cyst causes the patient pain or restricts movement will a medic suggest further action.
One type of treatment is called aspiration, which basically involves a doctor draining the fluid from the cyst. A local anesthetic is given for the area and a doctor will insert a needle in it. Unfortunately, the recurrence stats for this treatment are fairly high and the patient might have to have multiple aspirations before the cyst finally disappears.
If the athlete feels pain or has difficulty moving a joint around the cyst, surgery might be an option. A local anesthetic will be used to numb the area and a surgeon will remove the cyst and the roots that attach it to the tendon. Pain and swelling are common effects after this surgery and these can last for a few weeks. What’s more, there’s still no guarantee that the cyst will not return. Considering the fact that there are the obvious risks involved in any surgery, this course of action is only usually recommended for those with serious ganglion cysts.
Prevention
As the exact cause for ganglion cysts is not known, it’s impossible to recommend any prevention methods.