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What Are Ganglion Cysts And How To Get Rid Of Them?

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Posted on Tue, 25 Mar 2014
Question: What are ganglion cysts? And can you get rid of them? And what causes them? I have 3 on my wrist and they make my hand ache at times. Another question I have is what are 'bakers cysts'? How do you get rid of them and what causes them? I believe I have one on the back of my knee and it causes me a lot of pain. It's hard to walk at times. I would go to a doctor but I have no insurance.. Thank you
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (5 hours later)
Brief Answer: different treatments Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Ganglions are masses that are most commonly found on the hand though they can actually occur at any joint. They are not cancerous. Ganglions are cysts (sacs with fluid) and essentially rise out of the joint, they are attached to the joint by a 'stalk'. 60 to 70% of them are found on the back of the wrist. There are different theories about why they occur: (1)irritation of the articular tissue (the tissue in the joints) , this irritation causes the cyst to form (2) the most popular theory is-breakdown of the connective tissue in the joint results in the formation of a cyst space In terms of ganglion treatment, they are treated only when they start being bothersome as in your case. They can sometimes go away on their own. If they do not resolve or are uncomfortable, the following can be tried: (1) a brace - activity can cause them to grow and be uncomfortable. By using a brace and reducing movement, they may get smaller. Unfortunately this is the only treatment that does not require a doctor. (2)aspiration - this is removal of fluid from the joint (3)surgery to remove the cysts BAKER's CYST- this is a swelling that occurs at the back of the knee. It occurs when there is increased fluid in a sac in the knee called a bursa. There are different causes such as osteoarthritis (the most common cause), rheumatoid arthritis, injury to the knees, lupus, thyroid disease, sarcoidosis. Treatment- these can go away on their own though this can take 10 to 20 months. Home treatment- (1)rest, (2)the use of anti inflammatory drugs such as naproxen, aspirin, ibuprofen. You can choose one of these.These should be used on a full stomach to avoid irritating the stomach lining. (3)assisted weight bearing with a cane or walker (4)ice therapy Other aspects of treatment such as removal of the fluid , use of steroid injections and surgery would require medical intervention. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Michelle Gibson James

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 16808 Questions

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What Are Ganglion Cysts And How To Get Rid Of Them?

Brief Answer: different treatments Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Ganglions are masses that are most commonly found on the hand though they can actually occur at any joint. They are not cancerous. Ganglions are cysts (sacs with fluid) and essentially rise out of the joint, they are attached to the joint by a 'stalk'. 60 to 70% of them are found on the back of the wrist. There are different theories about why they occur: (1)irritation of the articular tissue (the tissue in the joints) , this irritation causes the cyst to form (2) the most popular theory is-breakdown of the connective tissue in the joint results in the formation of a cyst space In terms of ganglion treatment, they are treated only when they start being bothersome as in your case. They can sometimes go away on their own. If they do not resolve or are uncomfortable, the following can be tried: (1) a brace - activity can cause them to grow and be uncomfortable. By using a brace and reducing movement, they may get smaller. Unfortunately this is the only treatment that does not require a doctor. (2)aspiration - this is removal of fluid from the joint (3)surgery to remove the cysts BAKER's CYST- this is a swelling that occurs at the back of the knee. It occurs when there is increased fluid in a sac in the knee called a bursa. There are different causes such as osteoarthritis (the most common cause), rheumatoid arthritis, injury to the knees, lupus, thyroid disease, sarcoidosis. Treatment- these can go away on their own though this can take 10 to 20 months. Home treatment- (1)rest, (2)the use of anti inflammatory drugs such as naproxen, aspirin, ibuprofen. You can choose one of these.These should be used on a full stomach to avoid irritating the stomach lining. (3)assisted weight bearing with a cane or walker (4)ice therapy Other aspects of treatment such as removal of the fluid , use of steroid injections and surgery would require medical intervention. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions