Anyone ever had a Ganglion Cyst drained?

[HollyJoy]

Just wondering because I've got one on the top of my right wrist. I've had one removed before from the palm of my hand via surgery, but did some research and found that they can also drain them? Just wondering about the experience... does it hurt? What's the recovery time?

 

[phamton]

I've had one drained twice and it kept coming back. The last time, they cut and cauterized it and the darn thing came back again.

Mine is on the joint of a toe, which is an uncommon place to get one. My sister had one on her finger that went way on its own after a couple of years. I've had mine about 12 years now. Since it isn't very big, I just decided to live with it after the 3 failed attempts to get rid of it.

 

[GeorgeG]

I didn't know they could be drained. I had one on the underside of my right wrist surgically removed and the wrist has been fine ever since.

 

[hercamore]

I also get one from time to time on my right wrist.

Mayo Clinic dr said just leave it alone and body will reabsorb it eventually. He was right.

IThey are annoying, tho.

herc.

 

[trip]

I had one on the inside of my wrist. The DR. said I had 4 choices 1) have it surgically removed 2) have it drained 3) hit with a book or 4) just ignore it and it would go away on its own. I chose the later!

 

[caitycaity]

i've had one on my finger and my doctor told me the same things as trip. she also said that no matter what it would probably come back. i also chose just letting it be reabsorbed.

 

[nancy679]

I had one on my wrist when I was a teenager. It would be quite painful at times. I had gone to the doctor and either drained it or injected something into it twice(I cant really remember) and it still came back.

When I went to college, I had read that in the olden days they would smash it with the bible. So a friend of mine really wanted to try it. He smacked it with my biology book. MY whole hand hurt for about 4 days, but the ganglion never came back.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS TECHNIQUE, heck I was only 19 at the time, I would never even think of doing such a thing now.

 

[Amberle3]

My mother has a ganglion cyst on the top of her foot. The only thing the doctor has recommended is hot compresses. He doesn't want to do surgery on it, as the location is too close to other... stuff.

 

[mtblujeans]

I had one drained on my wrist about 20 years ago in an army hospital in Germany. It was painful. I stress that it was a long time ago and in a military facility A LONG TIME AGO. They used the biggest needle I have ever seen. Then, the cyst kept rolling around and they could not get the big needle to puncture into it. Once they finally got it punctured, nothing would drain out. It was not a pleasant experience. My wrist was bruised for weeks. I cannot say as to how they approach the procedure now. But, it too came back. I think I accidentally smacked my wrist somehow and after they pulled me down from the ceiling (my wrist would hurt like the dickens when the cyct was present) it never came back. If I ever had one show up again, I would opt for someone to smack the *heck* out of my wrist with a big book before I would go through that draining procedure again.....but that is just me.

 

[Kirby]

My son had one near his ankle. It's not common for them to be there. The only options the doctor gave us was to either smack it with a book or leave it alone because, since it wasn't bothering him, it wouldn't do any harm. A year or so later he slid into a base playing baseball and that took care of it. He does seem to have an indention on his leg where it was but it has never came back.