Ganglion Cysts Are a Reason for Wrist Pain

When it comes to the causes of wrist pain las vegas residents want to explore a variety of options to get an accurate diagnosis. Ganglion cysts are one of the reasons someone might experience wrist pain. These cysts are not cancerous and they occur in the hands or wrists along the joints or tendons. They have a jellylike fluid inside and have a round shape. Most are smaller being only about the size of a pea, but they can get much larger in diameter.
Exploring Ganglion Cyst Causes

Exactly why a person develops this type of cyst remains unknown. However, there are some risk factors that increase your risk of developing one.

Being 20 to 40 years old and female puts you at a higher risk than any other age group or gender. An injury to tendons or joints in the area or osteoarthritis in the area can also increase your risk.

Looking at the Potential Symptoms

The symptoms depend on several factors. Pain can occur with this type of cyst, but not everyone will have pain. The location and size often determine if a person has pain or not. If this cyst starts to push down on a nerve, in addition to pain, you can also experience tingling, weakness and numbness. The size can change, but when you tend to use the affected wrist repetitively, this can cause it to get bigger.

Diagnosing a Ganglion Cyst

Your doctor will look at your wrist and feel for the cyst. To see if it is a fluid-filled cyst, your doctor can use a flashlight and shine it on it. How it looks under direct light will allow your doctor to determine if it is filled with fluid or a type of solid mass. To rule out other potential causes of your pain or to assess wrist factors like osteoarthritis, your doctor might order some imaging tests of your wrist. Aspirating the fluid from the cyst can be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment Options

If the cyst is small and not causing symptoms, you might not require any type of immediate treatment. If treatment is recommended, aspirating the cyst is commonly used. However, the cyst can come back after this. Your doctor might recommend immobilizing your wrist because the cyst can increase in size when you continue to use it. If all other treatment methods fail, your doctor might recommend surgery to remove the cyst and its root. Unfortunately, there is still a recurrence risk even with surgical removal. As you can see, when it comes to wrist pain in Las Vegas, a ganglion cyst is something that you might consider. Now that you know more about this condition, it makes it easier to get the right diagnosis and treatment.