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spinal
Created : 12 July 2008
 
System : Cross Platform

Ganglion Cyst?...



Has anyone here ever had a ganglion cyst? I have on on my right wrist, it developed some time over tha last weak i think, and its starting to hurt a bit.
The traditional method of removal is to whack it with a hard book, my first attempt to do this failed, which resulted in pain. My girlfriend went and got a hrad-backed book, i prepared myself for whatever pain there might be, she swung the book and... wollop! she missed, got my arm instead, which hurt more than i expected, she seems to have completely missed the thing. So not i'm going to get her to try again.

 

Comments


Saturday, 12 July 2008, 06:51
spinal
Forgot to mention, for those who don't know, they happen when a dollop (cant think of a better term) of jelly-like substance leaks out from a joint and sort of bubbles up. The book whacking method bursts the bubble, usually preventing this from happening again and the jelly is absorbed harmlessly into the surrounding tissue.



|edit| She missed a couple more times, i'm giving up for now. |edit|
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 08:03
blanko1324
Yep, I think that 'back in the day' the method was specifically to smack it hard with the Bible.

A hammer is fine too.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 08:43
Jayenkai
Eeeeewwww
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 09:23
Scherererer
wikipedia If a ganglion cyst is symptomatic, it can be managed by aspiration or excision. Aspiration of the cyst is the simpler of the two procedures, but cysts recur in approximately 50% of cases. With surgery, the recurrence rate is reduced to only 5 to 10% if it is fully taken out, and complications rarely develop. Recurrence rates are lower when the hand or finger is immobilized for 1 to 2 weeks.

Arthroscopy of the wrist is becoming available as an alternative to open excision of ganglion cysts. During arthroscopy, the origin of the cyst can be seen. No immobilization is needed after arthroscopy.

One traditional method of treating a ganglion tumor was to strike the lump with a large, heavy book, causing the cyst to rupture and drain into the surrounding tissues. Since even the poorest households often possessed a bible, this was commonly used, which led to the nicknaming of ganglion cysts as "Bible Bumps" or "Gideon's Disease." This treatment may be effective, but is no longer recommended, as patients risk damaging the surrounding area. As this may make the cyst worse, other treatment options are preferable.


"patients risk damaging the surrounding area": I think you need to get a girlfriend with better aim.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 10:23
steve_ancell
Ask your doctor to prescribe an encylopedia .
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 10:38
spinal
Hammer? that sounds a bit dangerous, but i suppose a big heavy book is just as much so.

I'm going to leave it a while, see if it gets any bigger, maybe it will be easier to hit then. I had one on my left wrist about ten or twelve years ago, but it went away by itself after a while, maybe this one will. If not though, i'll attempt another whacking.

"patients risk damaging the surrounding area": I think you need to get a girlfriend with better aim.

My wrist was a bit sore for a while, red too, but as she missed, the pain wasn't even worth it. She did manage to hit it one time, but that was really gentle when she was aiming and i nearly fell over with the pain! the thing must be in the way of some nerves or something. Maybe we just need a thicker book.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 13:19
HoboBen
Ouch!

Hope you feel better soon. Maybe pop into your local doctors'.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 13:21
blanko1324
(The hammer was a joke)
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 13:21
spinal
I was thinking of going even if its just to check that it is one in the first place, i'd hate to be wolloping my wrist with no hope of it doing anything.

I can't even hit the thing myself, cos its on my right hand and i'm right handed, if i try to hit it with my left hand, i'd probably end up poking my eye out or something.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 16:34
steve_ancell
So... Is wolloping it with a book supposed to burst it or something ?.
Saturday, 12 July 2008, 18:15
spinal
yup, and once its burst it apparently ever comes back.

its weird sort of pain when you whack it, like hitting your funny bone, it hurts like hell, but makes you giggle at the same time.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 15:23
Jayenkai
So.. Two+ weeks later, how goes the Cyst?
Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 16:27
spinal
Still there, doesn't hurt at the moment and i can't bend my wrist back all the way but you can still see it.

I doubt i'm going to whack it with a book again any time soon.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 18:09
blanko1324
The weird sort of pain is probably caused because the cyst is near the nerve.
Wednesday, 23 July 2008, 19:39
steve_ancell
I'm not sure if a cyst can classify as a haemorhoid, or a bruise for that matter, but have you tried using Witch Hazel ?. I know that it can be used to draw-out any poisons within bodily tissue.

I'm not sure if it will work, but there is certainly no harm in trying.
Thursday, 24 July 2008, 02:14
spinal
its not poisonous, its just joint fluid, quite thick to, making burting it difficult. Apparently they can be serynged, but that is also diffcult because of how thick it is.
Perhaps i should have it looked at, but the doc will likely say what he did with my last one 'if it doesnt hurt, just leave it'.
Thursday, 24 July 2008, 15:27
MikeT
I had one of those a few years back, it got so big i couldn't move my wrist properly. I had mine syringrd and it has never come back.

Hope it goes away for you.

Mike
Thursday, 24 July 2008, 18:59
steve_ancell
I've never had one, but it kind of makes me cringe at the thought of the pain it may cause. Don't make yourself suffer too much spinal, go and see your doctor
Friday, 25 July 2008, 09:09
spinal

Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 03:53
spinal
*Update

I had a go at whacking it again, using my left had and guess what... fail.

SO, I went to the doctors, saw one who refused to do anything because of the risk of infection, so now I have to go back next week to get it syringed/cut out/poked a few times with something sharp/whatever by someone qualified for minor operations.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 06:16
Jayenkai
Yikes!
I can't believe you still have the thing after so long.

Hope they get it sorted for you.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 10:00
9572AD
Instead of whacking your wrist with something, couldn't you whack something with your wrist? Like a doorframe? Seems like you could be both more precise and forceful that way.

...'course, you could also break your wrist.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 16:22
spinal
...'course, you could also break your wrist.


I need say nothing.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 16:44
steve_ancell
Got any photos of it ... Sorry Spinal, only kidding .
Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 17:00
spinal
Tell you what, I'll take a photo tomorrow, nothing gruesome about it or anything, its just a lump in my wrist.
Thursday, 23 October 2008, 04:59
spinal
Here you go, I went today to get it syringed...

Here's is the before and after.
> Reveal 🔎

There's still a slight bump, but not as much as it was, it was quite thick and wasn't easy, plus, having someone waggling a thick need around in your wrist stings a little. Anyhow, all done.
Thursday, 23 October 2008, 05:21
Jayenkai
Glad you finally got rid of it.
Thursday, 23 October 2008, 05:38
blanko1324
Woo!
Thursday, 23 October 2008, 05:58
steve_ancell
Glad you got it sorted, at least it cannot give you anymore grief .
Thursday, 23 October 2008, 08:39
Orion Pax
Correct me if I am wrong spinal but isnt having it syringed a temp solution? Wont your body produce more joint fluid and fill it up again?
Friday, 24 October 2008, 02:33
spinal
Apparently not, once the fluid has bubbled out the way it does, it becomes a separate lump. From what I've read on the internet, they sometimes come back, but according to my Doc, it's not very common for that to happen.
Saturday, 25 October 2008, 12:13
9572AD
If it's like gelatin thick, it'd take quite a whack to disperse it into the surrounding tissue..and it probably wouldn't really disperse, either.
I think the needle was the way to go.