Should I see GP about ganglion cyst?

[Cheesymonster]

I'm not sure whether I need to see a doctor as I've never had one before. It appeared yesterday on my left inside wrist and I've googled and I'm sure it is a ganglion cyst. It doesn't hurt - will it start to hurt? Are they serious? I am 43 and type for a living if that makes any difference!

Thank you in advance

Unless it's affecting your movement a lot I don't think a GP will really do much about it. But they often come back, I get one coming up and going down every few months. It's nothing serious, just a build up of synovial fluid.

Thank you

I have one. Have done for a few years. It actually seems to come and go. Aches occasionally but not enough to even be annoying let alone hurt.

DO NOT hit it with a book (bible used to be the preferred) no matter how many old wives tales you read

Yes I did hear that one! Sort of thing my mum would suggest, along with putting butter on burns and tying a wobbly tooth to a door handle

I have one on my foot - the only reason I went to the gp was because it actually feels quite hard and the one I’d had on my wrist was soft, so I wanted to get it checked out as it felt like it was on the bone. Doctor said it wasn’t it’s actually close to the tendon and she could make it move. She said to only go back if it got bigger quickly or caused me much pain - it ached a bit but has since been fine. So I wouldn’t bother unless you’re worried it’s something else or it’s causing pain.
I do want mine to bugger off though, it feels gross and knobbly to me!

I had one on my wrist and although it was small, it was annoying as it was right under my watch strap. I read a thread on MN about it:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1469555-Ganglion-Advice-please

I decided to try the 'hitting it with something hard' approach. I hit it with a stone and it went away. Result! And all thanks to MN.

Hi. I’ve got one on my foot. I can’t stand the fecking thing. I want to get rid of it. It itches rather than hurts. It shows under my sock. I’d pay for someone to remove it.

I had mine removed privately.
Hitting it with a bible ( or other heavy object) will often pop the sac but it can refill so not a permanent solution!
Nhs won't remove it generally

If you don’t mind me asking, did you go to a podiatrist or through BUPA?

I have one on my wrist and as pp said it comes and goes, it only hurts if it's on my tendon.

Hi OP - I have a ganglion cyst on the top of my left wrist. It comes and goes. Flares up horribly from time to time. As I do a lot of yoga, I saw a specialist about having it removed. Turns out mine is like a bunch of grapes and not a single sac so impossible to aspirate. Only option is surgery and even then, it's likely it will return. Simply not going down that road. I've learned to live with it when it's bad. Heat / ice / anti inflammatory cream etc and keeping the wrists flexible have all helped.

@longdistance you can probably get it done privately? Is it hard or jelly like? Mine is only small but drives me mad so I feel for you!

Thanks everyone

I have one on top of my foot since I was 18 and it's never gone away it's a pale red/purple colour. I'm 50 now so it ain't going anywhere, I hate summer sandals though and always try to hide it, often catch people looking at it in summer!!

I've had this on my wrist for a few years off & on. I mentioned it to my GP but only for the record really. He had a look & checked it wasn't restricting movement, causing a lot of pain (it does neither) so we left it at that lol. I don't believe you can get one removed on the NHS anymore unless it's causing physical problems.

@kissmelittleass wow that’s a long time! Hope
mine buggers off and doesn’t stick around for 18 years. I was tempted to bash it with a bible but thought knowing me I’d end up breaking bones in my foot! Has yours gone hard now you’ve had it for so long?

Mine went and then came back but I've been ganglion free for a couple of years now so it's completely possible it may just disappear. I think they are pretty harmless and my one never hurt at all.

No mine hasn't gone hard just had a feel! I only press gently but its quite squishy feeling. I showed a doctor when I had it for about ten years and she told me what it was and I've never showed a doctor since. I thought most people who got them especially on the foot had them for life?

@kissmelittleass ah crap I didn’t realise that! Mine is quite hard and small so am hoping it won’t get any bigger as it’s not that noticeable at the moment