Parents Ganglion Cyst?

[Quadqueen]

I'm prefacing this to say, I will seek a doctor's advice .

My DS has been complaining for the past week that his wrist hurts, and it's affecting his tumbling. Just today we noticed a small, hard bump at the bottom of his hand/top of his wrist. From what I have read, it seems likely to be a ganglion cyst. But this feels quite hard - not like it's filled with fluid. Could it still be a ganglion cyst?

What kind of doctor should I take him to? Is his regular pediatrician ok?

 

[2G1B]

I had one on the side of my writs (inside/side). It wasn't huge; but because I have also had something called an enchondroma in a finger (a tumor basically made up of cartilage, in the middle of a bone. It will grow and eventually can "blow out" through the bone) I went ahead and saw my hand surgeon. He confirmed it was a ganglion cyst and suggested that we just leave it be. It was hard and didn't seem at all fluid filled. I would run my thumb nail forcefully over it sometimes; but never felt it "pop". but one day, it just wasn't there anymore.

If one of my kids had one I'd start at the pediatrician and expect to end up at the orthopedist or hand specialist. Actually, since we already have a relationship with a pediatric hand specialist I'd ask the ped to look at it and then would probably ask for a referral to that doctor. (My son broke his finger near a growth plate falling off the mushroom right before state last year, that is why we have already seen a pediatric hand specialist.)

 

[Committed]

I had something that sounds similar to what you're describing. I went to the Dr. for it, and he had gave me 2 options: he would drain it, or I could go home and smack it with a book (yes, literal advice). I opted for having him drain it, and it was still there. So, after a few weeks of it being really irritating (it didn't hurt, I just kept messing with it), I had my BF whack my wrist with a phone book. It popped, didn't hurt, and never came back.

 

[txgymfan]

DO NOT try to pop a cyst. Yes, people have done it but someone on this board did damage to surrounding tissue after hitting one. You really don't want to risk hitting the wrong thing with a big fat book.

 

[GymBeeMom]

My DD gets the occasional ganglion cyst. They are no fun and make handstand holds a bear. So far they have disappeared on their own. She finds that wearing her tiger paws will help relieve a little of the pressure, but she mostly just has to tough it out. If thats what it is, it is painful but should resolve on its own. If they need to, they can also be drained. Good luck!

 

[Quadqueen]

thanks all...I think it was Bog who said not to hit it with a book...I did a little search here . I guess I will give it some time to see if it resolves on its own.

 

[BlairBob]

Common sense is to go have it drained. I, myself used an alternate method and lucked out that I got it right on the mark but it smarted like the dickens.

A book honestly is too broad of an implement.

Quite possibly, a father with strong enough fingers might be able to pop it by squeezing it. That wouldn't be fun either.

Cysts will seem "hard." Apparently someone at work had a few grow on his skull and had to have them removed because they were getting big enough to be unsightly when he had his hair cut short. They just cut them out, but sometimes they can drain them with a needle.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

please see a hand/wrist specialist.

 

[Muddlethru]

My daughter has a "small, hard bump" on the top of her hand for over two years now. We first saw her GP and then saw an orthopaedic surgeon. She had x-rays done. Neither doctor could defnitvely say is it is a ganglion cyst. The option were 1) aspirate it, 2) surgically remove it or 3) leave it alone. We opted for the latter because none of the procedures guaranteed it would never come back. In addition, my daughter did not want to be out of the gym for two weeks or so. The lump is still there but it does not bother her as much.

 

[Quadqueen]

I made an appt with our orthopedic surgeon. I don't know if my son's sudden wrist pain and this bump are related or just coincidence...here's hoping it goes away on its own.

 

[bogwoppit]

I was the victim of book whacking by a stupid doctor. I still bear the scars, and the cyst is still there!!

my dd is awaiting treatment for a cyst in her wrist joint. Two years of wandering from specialist to specialist. It is a total pain.....in the wrist.