Does anybody know what this is? - picture

MotherForever2043 wrote: I just noticed it around 15-20 minutes ago. It hurts too. I think it's a cyst, but I'm not sure. I have to wait until Monday to make an appointment with my doctor, to check it out. Here are some pictures to help. The lump is located on the top of my hand, but under the skin. TIA

Our Lil' Family replied: Looks just like the one I have on the underside of my wrist.....my OB/GYN said it was a Ganglian Cyst (sp) and it doesn't have to be removed but can be if I want it. Mine doesn't hurt or bother me so I've chosen not to remove it, at least for the time being.

I got mine while I was pregnant, and you just had a baby...now I really wonder if the two are related! hmmmm

Kentuckychick replied: Yep... that's a ganglion cyst.

I actually have one that I just had drained two weeks ago but unfortunately it's still not completely gone and I'll be going in on the 28th to have it either drained again or cut out. (this is the "before" pic... I haven't taken an after shot yet)

-- ignore the "ouch" it was the picture I used on my myspace page



I would definitely recommend making an appointment with your regular doctor or seeing if you can get a referral to an orthopedic doctor to have it looked at. Mine appeared back in December and the first option I was given was to wait and see if it went away. It didn't and because of where it was it was causing me quite a lot of pain when typing and writing so we decided to try draining it once and then next time we'll go ahead and remove it since it's unlikely it will go away again.

They are definitely a pain in the hiney!

Edited to add: mine was actually caused by spraining my wrist while babysitting

A&A'smommy replied: definitely a cyst... I hope it feels better soon!

Calimama replied: Yuck, hope it's not bothering you to much.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: Yep it looks like a ganglion cyst - I've had on one my left wrist for years. It used to hurt a LOT but now it only hurts once in a while.

MotherForever2043 replied: Thanks everyone I'll go to to my doctor just in case.

lovemy2 replied:
Dh had one on his ankle - had it drained - it was fine.....

gr33n3y3z replied:
I had one in my Ankle right in the joint and I had it drained over 25 times and then Cortizone shots for many years finelly I told them to cut it out
so it depends on how much it bothers you in the treatment that you pick

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Yep, that's a ganglion cyst. I think they used to call them bible cysts. Because the treatment used to involve smashing the cyst (and the wrist) in the family bible, which was very big and heavy.



Found this through a google search.

Our Lil' Family replied: I guess I'm lucky in that mine doesn't hurt or bother me at all. If fact the only time I notice it is when I put my watch on.

~Roo'sMama~ replied:
I have one on the top of my foot that I got from rocking Andrew when he was a baby. I've been wanting to get it taken care of along with the one on my wrist - I hope it doesn't need surgery!!

Kentuckychick replied:
I was actually REALLY freaked out when I went in a couple weeks ago (it will have been two weeks ago tuesday actually) and he told me that it would most likely have to be surgically removed. Of course he waited until AFTER the painful draining procedure to tell me this
I asked what this 'surgery' involved and he said that basically it involves the same anesthetic that's applied during the draining (a rather nice sized shot, but it only burned a little and was numb pretty much immediately) and then they make a small incision and remove the cyst. He said it typically takes 20 minutes or so depending on the size of the cyst (the draining took about 5).

Honestly looking back, from the pain and soreness that having it drained caused with mine being located in a place surrounded by my wrist joint and tendons, veins and such I would rather have had him just do the surgery in the first place. I had no idea it was that simple.

I go back on the 28th and I'm not sure what his plans are. He thought it was gone when he drained it but it never fully went away. I definitely plan to tell him I want it removed fully this time but it will have to be done by October and it's going to be tough since I'll already be back in school. I wish I'd had it done already!