Losing grip on your hand is ganglion cyst.
It can be felt or appears as fluid filled lumps near joints and wrists.
Size can vary and often becomes irritated, swollen and red.
This cyst can be felt as painless lumps.
Are ganglion cysts connected to cancer?
These cysts are non-cancerous lumps and not at all connected with cancer. These cysts develop gradually or pop up all of a sudden. They can be seen in adults of any age and are mainly caused due to the over use of specific joints.
In many rare cases ganglion cysts go away on their own. Not always painless, they some times cause pain, weakness or numbness.
Why is ganglion formed?
The cause of ganglions is not clear. Mild sprains and other repeated injuries at the wrist can tear the thin membrane connecting muscle with bony attachments, causing the fluid leakage to the sac and forming a ganglion.
Playing hand ball, racquetball, tennis or squash results in hand and wrist ganglion cysts. Athletics that jump, ski, play and Running contact sports develop foot ganglions. Regular use and overloading of certain joints with repetitive movements can also cause ganglion cysts.
Risk of getting attacked is high if you are suffering with osteoarthritis or injured joints and tendons in hands.
Are repetitive stress injuries and ganglion cysts interlinked?
Yes, there is a link between repetitive stress injuries (RSI) and ganglion cysts. Repetitive stress injury is an umbrella term used to describe a specific set of musculoskeletal conditions.
Ganglion cysts in kids are formed due to the over and excessive use of video games and heavy computer use.
RSI is classified into
- Carpal tunnel syndrome – swelling inside a narrow “tunnel” formed by bone and ligament in the wrist
- Cervical radiculopathy – disk compression in the neck
- Epicondylitis – elbow soreness referred as “tennis elbow”
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy – swollen hands and loss of muscle control
- Tendonitis – tearing and inflammation of tendons connecting bones to muscles
- Ganglion cysts – swelling or lump in the wrist
Is there a treatment for ganglion cysts?
There is no specific reason why ganglion cysts occur and even not possible to avert it. Almost they need no specific treatment because many cysts disappear without any treatment at all.
But if the cyst is causing any discomfort related to nerve compression, a surgery is required to remove this. But in extreme cases, the surgery is done just by giving comfort to the joint, so that cysts can be cured.
