Cyst on wrist

[CMB44]

Painful cyst on wrist(I had xray to confirm cyst)....should I go to hospital??? The pain  is 10x worst today, it got knocked really hard this morning now I can barely move my thumb....it hurts so bad:(

[mkh9]

I agree that most cysts can be drained and won't come back with the cortisone shot. Only occasionally do you need surgery. Not all surgery comes out bad like the post above but it is good to take heed that some can fail or cause complications. I have not had surgery either for tendonitis in both wrists because I am afraid of the complications. Since my pain was not that high I opted to not have surgery because the doctor said I may end up with low level pain after surgery. So, I wouldn't do it unless you had to.
mkh9

[mkh9]

See my other post to you on Ganlion cyst on wrist. You wrote to me regarding my husbands cyst and I wrote back to you on that one.
mkh9

[trixy71]

I had one of these, the doctor said yes we can surgically remove it but it could still come back so he didn't recommend it. I had it drained and a cortisone shot. I also changed jobs (i had a repetitive motion injury as well) and I don't know if changing jobs had anything to do with the cyst or not, but it never came back. That was over 20 years ago. You can wear a hand/wrist brace that will help keep it from moving too much and that can help with the pain as well. Good lcuk.

[em3662]

Hello- I worte this to someone else.  DO NOT GET SURGERY, try draining it or something.. worst thing I did in my life was the cyst removal from my wrist!. the pain is nothing compared to the pain after surgery!!!!!

hello- I had surgery August 5th of this year for a cyst removal in my wrist! My life has changed and I am a mess. It is in my right hand and I am right handed. I would have lived with the pain before surgery if I knew this would happen!  I am also 30 and cant do anything. no bowling, darts, writing, hand shakes, clapping, checkers and I could go one and on.  When I went back to the surgeon she told me I have a shoulder problem.... Complete BS!!!  So after seeing my primary 8 times and the nurse trying to get me to see a specialist... NO ONE would see me due to post op recovery... I finally was seen by her colleague down the hall from her and he diagnosed me with complex regional pain syndrome... he touched my hand for 30 seconds!!!!  I am frusterated and want to be back normal.. hold hand, rub my husbands back, pet my dog.... live life, hold a drink, dance.... I dont know what to do and I am depressed... My cyst started super small and I told my Dr.... she asked if it hurt and it didn't until years later and by that time it was hard and looked like a bone going out of my skin.  I dont know where to go or how to fix this.  This took me 20 mins to type and before August 5th.. maybe took me a minute..... They also have me on all these meds.... pumping my body full.... they work in some sense and I do feel at ease more but my face is also numb and my thoughts are not normal and disorganized... I hope the best for you and I thought maybe someone could help! I feel your pain.. stay positive :)

[mkh9]

Is it a ganglion cyst?  Usually, you don't have to remove these unless it hurts (when you haven't knocked them). But you can elect to have them removed. I would see a orthopedic hand surgeon specialist and ask him/her what the complications are for your cyst and get some info. They can remove the fluid in the cyst for now and give you a cortisone injection into it. That will help temporarily. Usually at least 50% come back after fluid removal because the stalk has to come out that the fluid coming from. I understand it takes about15 stiches and two weeks of not using that hand if you had surgery. And, it is a pretty good chance (about 95%) that it won't come back after surgery. If it is a different kind of cyst then you would have to find out more. Usually, the ones on the back of the hand and under the wrist by the thumb are Ganglion. Take some ibupropin to get the swelling and pain down for now. I wouldn't really bother with going to the ER they don't do much there for this. Get a referreal to the ortho hand surgeon.
mkh9