Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
🚨Emergency? If you have severe symptoms, difficulty breathing, or think it's an emergency, call 000 immediately.
Ganglion Cysts (Wrist and Hand Lumps)
Ganglion cysts are benign fluid-filled lumps that develop near joints or tendons, most commonly on the back of the wrist (60-70% of cases) or palm side of the wrist near the radial artery (20%) - they contain thick jelly-like fluid from the joint lining and cause a visible bump that may be painless or cause aching with wrist motion - ganglion cysts are completely harmless (not cancer) and resolve spontaneously without treatment in 40-60% of cases over several years, though symptomatic cysts can be treated with aspiration (draining with needle - 30-50% recurrence) or surgical excision (10-20% recurrence).
📖What is Ganglion Cysts (Wrist and Hand Lumps)?
Ganglion cysts are benign fluid-filled lumps that develop near joints or tendons, most commonly on the back of the wrist (60-70% of cases) or palm side of the wrist near the radial artery (20%) - they contain thick jelly-like fluid from the joint lining and cause a visible bump that may be painless or cause aching with wrist motion - ganglion cysts are completely harmless (not cancer) and resolve spontaneously without treatment in 40-60% of cases over several years, though symptomatic cysts can be treated with aspiration (draining with needle - 30-50% recurrence) or surgical excision (10-20% recurrence).
🔬What Causes It?
- Herniation of joint lining (synovium) creating one-way valve allowing fluid to accumulate
- Joint or tendon irritation from repetitive wrist motion causing fluid production
- Minor wrist injuries or trauma (may trigger cyst formation)
- Degenerative changes in wrist ligaments allowing fluid leakage
- Unknown in many cases - spontaneous development without clear injury
⚠️Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- Age 15-40 years (peak incidence)
- Female gender (3 times more common than males)
- Gymnasts, yoga practitioners (repetitive wrist loading)
- Previous wrist injuries (ligament damage predisposes to cysts)
- Arthritis of wrist joints (inflammatory changes trigger cyst formation)
🛡️Prevention
- ✓Avoid repetitive wrist trauma (may trigger cyst formation)
- ✓Strengthen wrist muscles (may reduce joint stress)
- ✓Use wrist supports during high-risk activities (gymnastics, yoga)
- ✓Treat wrist arthritis or injuries promptly (reduces inflammatory changes)
- ✓Accept that many ganglion cysts develop spontaneously without clear preventable cause