Ganglion on the back of the hand

[alocacoc]

Hi

I suffer since decades under a ganglion. I had also a surgery, but the ganglion came back. Now it's become bigger which hurts the crave underneath. I even can't hold a water bottle without pain. I don't want a surgery again. But i look for a doctor who is able to pull out the liquid with a syringe to relieve the pressure as i let it do in my home country. I asked some clinics here in Pattaya. But they all want sell me a operation. Actually it's quite easy. I could do by myself. But better let a doctor do the job and fill up it with cortisone.

Some suggestions?

Edited March 5, 2015 by alocacoc

[siampolee]

Bit basic however many a year back ( circa 1959)I had a ganglion on the back of my hand,at morning break time went to see our family doctor whose practice was across from the school I was at.

Doctor examined my hand looked at me and told me.Soon be gone my boy. He got a bloody great big book off of the shelf in his surgery, told me to put my hand palm down on the table.I thought he was going to check something in the book.

Misguided fool I was. He lifted the book up, and with all his strength (I presume) he whacked the ganglion.

Feel it even now.

I uttered a range of expletives that no decent child of 14 years of age should have ever known in those days or even had said too. Dr laughed, cleaned me up and told me I'd never suffer again.

True to his comment never had a problem since, crude but effective solution

Might be worth a try, although one would need to be a trifle masochistic I think to follow the aforementioned course of treatment.

[alocacoc]

This was a common practice in the past. But mostly the ganglion come back. If not for you, your lucky. Nowadays it's not recommend to do that. Because it could damage tissue, nerve and crave.

[FBN]

Proper surgery is the only effective treatment for a ganglion. The ganglion forms when a weakened part of the connective tissue covering the wrist joint gives way and allows the synovial membrane which is the capsule sealing off the joint space to protrude through the weakened area. This "pops up" under the skin as a ganglion but is still connected to the joint and filled with joint fluid.

Removing the liquid will not achieve anything as it will fill up again quite quickly. "Bursting" the ganglion is not appropriate as the joint fluid then leaks into the surrounding tissue.

The proper surgical technique is to isolate the ganglion, find the thin connecting "tube" into the joint and then tie that off. The ganglion capsule must be removed without being broken, ideally..

[cooked]

Was called 'Bible ganglion' because of the book treatment. My just went away after a week with my arm in a sling

Edited March 5, 2015 by cooked

[alocacoc]

Thanks for your suggestions. I know, if i let pull out the liquid, it will come again. But it would me relieve from the pain. Normally, it doesn't hurt. It's like a pulse. The ganglion gets bigger and then gets slower. This happens 4-5 times in a year.

I really don't want do to a surgery again. It was a disaster. After the surgery i had for 3-4 weeks heavy pain day and night and i wasn't able to work. Never again. Better look for a bible

[simon43]

I had a ganglion on the back of my hand from a young age until my mid-20's. A friend 'treated' this by pressing hard on the ganglion until it burst.

The sensation as the fluid dispersed inside my hand was .. er .... not so pleasant.

But the ganglion never returned.

[cdmtdm]

i shattered mine with a crescent ..never came back ..hurt for 30 secs ...try the book trick its less brutal but worth a crack !!

[FBN]

Trephination and bloodletting were also common practices, once...

Ganglions are removed mostly for cosmetic reasons as they never are the cause of significant pain or discomfort.

They are, however, associated with degenerative joint disease such as arthritis and this is probably the cause for the pain. Doubtful if simple aspiration of the fluid will relieve the pain.

Perhaps a simple X-ray would help to clear this up..

[inbangkok]

Proper surgery is the only effective treatment for a ganglion. The ganglion forms when a weakened part of the connective tissue covering the wrist joint gives way and allows the synovial membrane which is the capsule sealing off the joint space to protrude through the weakened area. This "pops up" under the skin as a ganglion but is still connected to the joint and filled with joint fluid.

Removing the liquid will not achieve anything as it will fill up again quite quickly. "Bursting" the ganglion is not appropriate as the joint fluid then leaks into the surrounding tissue.

The proper surgical technique is to isolate the ganglion, find the thin connecting "tube" into the joint and then tie that off. The ganglion capsule must be removed without being broken, ideally..

This is not always the case. I have one on my right hand which got pretty big. Went to the Dr, he stuck a huge needle in it and squeezed out what looked like a tube of KY Jelly. As you said, it did indeed come back several times over the years and I started to just release the fluid myself with the needle. However, I have been without it for about a year now. My Dr. said it might come back. However, he also said that it might come back after surgery, which is exactly what the OP is describing. So in short, seems to be no guaranteed fix for these things.

As for bursting the ganglion, both my Dr.'s said that if done with a needles, the body just absorbs the little bit left under the skin (but they warned never to smash it with a book).

OP, I feel for you, mine was relatively small compared to yours and was still quite uncomfortable. Was affecting what felt to be the nerves throughout my hand and wrist.

[alocacoc]

Thanks inbangkok for your words I did massage quite hard the ganglion last night for about 10 minutes. It's became fairly smaller and softer and it doesn't hurt anymore. It don't bother me that it looks unaesthetic. I'm happy without pain. Yesterday i was not able even to pull out some change from trouser pocket. If i'm lucky, i will be fine for months or at least some weeks.

Trephination and bloodletting were also common practices, once...

Ganglions are removed mostly for cosmetic reasons as they never are the cause of significant pain or discomfort.

They are, however, associated with degenerative joint disease such as arthritis and this is probably the cause for the pain. Doubtful if simple aspiration of the fluid will relieve the pain.

Perhaps a simple X-ray would help to clear this up..

In my case, i'm sure the ganglion pressed on a tendon and a nerve. The middle finger starts to tingle when i did some specific movements with my hand. But now it's over. Absolutely no pain. The day before, i did some push-ups which cause high pressure in this area.

Edited March 6, 2015 by alocacoc

[katana]

Bit basic however many a year back ( circa 1959)I had a ganglion on the back of my hand,at morning break time went to see our family doctor whose practice was across from the school I was at.

Doctor examined my hand looked at me and told me.Soon be gone my boy. He got a bloody great big book off of the shelf in his surgery, told me to put my hand palm down on the table.I thought he was going to check something in the book.

Misguided fool I was. He lifted the book up, and with all his strength (I presume) he whacked the ganglion.

Feel it even now.

I uttered a range of expletives that no decent child of 14 years of age should have ever known in those days or even had said too. Dr laughed, cleaned me up and told me I'd never suffer again.

True to his comment never had a problem since, crude but effective solution

Might be worth a try, although one would need to be a trifle masochistic I think to follow the aforementioned course of treatment.

Sounds like a typical doctor with a God complex and one to be avoided.

[siampolee]

katana post # 12.

Sounds like a typical doctor with a God complex and one to be avoided.

Kantana,.

Did you actual look at the date the ganglion was dealt with?

Somehow I doubt it

Yes, he was a damm fine doctor with a rural practice and as I recall no god complex either.

We can presume of course that you are or were a doctor and are or was certified to practice as a G.P. in the U.K. thus qualified to comment with authority on the matter and the character of a long since deceased doctor with a rural practice in the .U.K.?

[katana]

slampolee

1. What's the date got to do with it? Surgery was around in the late 1950s, you know.

2. What's with the plural 'we'? You presume to speak for a group of people or yourself?

3. You can presume what you want, although you don't need to be a doctor to judge when a doctor is behaving inappropriately. In fact doctors are well known for closing ranks and covering up malpractice.

Any doctor doing something barbaric like that without consent is not a fine doctor and forgive me for saying, but I find it strange you would think it's ok. Did he also practice blood letting, trephination and the application of leeches lol?

Ganglions can sometimes be painful, especially if they are next to a nerve and whacking it like that may have caused nerve damage or some other problem with lasting consequences.

See FBN's post above for how a ganglion should be treated.

Edited March 8, 2015 by katana

[billphillips]

Bit basic however many a year back ( circa 1959)I had a ganglion on the back of my hand,at morning break time went to see our family doctor whose practice was across from the school I was at.

Doctor examined my hand looked at me and told me.Soon be gone my boy. He got a bloody great big book off of the shelf in his surgery, told me to put my hand palm down on the table.I thought he was going to check something in the book.

Misguided fool I was. He lifted the book up, and with all his strength (I presume) he whacked the ganglion.

Feel it even now.

I uttered a range of expletives that no decent child of 14 years of age should have ever known in those days or even had said too. Dr laughed, cleaned me up and told me I'd never suffer again.

True to his comment never had a problem since, crude but effective solution

Might be worth a try, although one would need to be a trifle masochistic I think to follow the aforementioned course of treatment.

Same treatment ( book ) for me, it's never returned, that was 40 years ago.

[Sheryl]

For some reason 2 members have found it necessary to have a private flamefest here. Posts removed and any further may lead to a loss of posting privileges.

[ravip]

Couple of years ago, one came up on my wrist (was not painful).

Consulted an old time Doctor and he advised me to keep massaging it for a couple of days.

Lo and behold, it just went away!

[FBN]

The cause for the ganglion was explained in an earlier post; if the connection to the joint space persists, it is quite logical that massaging it will make it disappear temporarily as the fluid is simply squeezed back into the joint space. Any exercise though that would put some stress on the joint, will make it reappear.

It is interesting to note that the OP's pain disappeared after massaging the fluid back into the joint space; reason for that is that ganglions may be associated with some form of degenerative joint disease and massaging the nutrient rich fluid back into the joint space has allowed it to do its job ie lubricating and feeding the cartilage and hence, pain reduced..