Here’s another blog from a Mississauga Chiropractor…
A Ganglion Cyst is a bulge or swelling overlying a joint capsule or tendon sheath. They can occur anywhere in the body but are most common in the wrist & hand.
Demographics:
- Gender: Females > Males (3:1)
- Age: any age, 70% occur between age 15-35, rare to develop after age 50
History:
- Patient may have complaint of wrist pain. Consistent achiness/tenderness, increased pain with use
- Possible history of injury or repetitive wrist activity
- Many times occur spontaneously and are from an unknown cause
Observations:
- Usually visible swelling or mass over tendons/ligaments (not always visible)
- Characteristic local bulge
- Fixed to the deep tissue, not to the skin
Management:
- Often no treatment is required as they are usually cosmetic with occasional transient pain. This is usually not disabling.
- Symptomatic relief for inflammation & pain; PRICE (protect, rest, ice, compression, elevation)
- Non-operative (usually transient result, recurrence is common – 30%-60%)
- Compressive wrap; button treatment – tape a button over the ganglion to apply pressure on the ganglion for several weeks. Yet there is a strong likelihood of reoccurrence (careful not to compress the nerve or damage the skin)
- Operative (recurrence rate of 5%-15%)
- Excision (ganglionectomy of cyst & splint
- Range of motion exercises are encouraged to restore wrist & finger mobility after surgery
Prognosis:
- Recurrence rate is very common
- Lower recurrence with surgery
- Asymptomatic ganglion cysts should be left alone
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