A ganglion cyst is a round, fluid-filled lump of tissue that usually appears along tendons or joints. It typically occurs on the wrist or hand, ...HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeNutritionHealthyEatingMealPrepLifestyleDietsWeightManagementVitamins&SupplementsConditionsGanglionCystsMedicallyreviewedbyEmeliaArquilla,DO—WrittenbyAmberEricksonGabbey—UpdatedonOctober1,2021SymptomsWhattheylooklikeCausesDiagnosisTreatmentsTakeawayWhatareganglioncysts?Aganglioncystisaround,fluid-filledlumpoftissuethatusuallyappearsalongtendonsorjoints.Ittypicallyoccursonthewristorhand,butitcanalsoappearontheankleorfoot.Ganglioncystscanbeaslargeasaninchacross.Somecystsarevisibleunderneaththeskin,butothersaresosmallthatyoucan’tseethem.They’recommonandusuallyharmless.Theyaren’tcancerous.Mostgoawaywithouttreatment.Whatarethesymptomsofaganglioncyst?Themostcommonsymptomsofaganglioncystincludeavisiblelump,discomfort,andpain.Ifthecystisonyourfootorankle,youmayfeeldiscomfortwhenwalkingorwearingshoes.Ifit’snearanerve,aganglioncystcansometimescause:alossofmobilitynumbnesspainatinglingsensationSomeganglioncystscanbecomebiggerorsmallerovertime.Whatdoesaganglioncystlooklike?ShareonPinterestGanglioncystonthewrist.StanislavSablin/GettyImagesWhatcausesaganglioncyst?Ganglioncystsoccurwhenfluidaccumulatesinajointoraroundthetendonsinyour:handwristanklefootThisaccumulationcanoccurduetoinjury,trauma,oroveruse,butoftenthecauseisunknown.Ganglioncystsaremorelikelytodevelopinwomenandpeoplewhorepeatedlystresstheirwrists,suchasgymnasts.Howareganglioncystsdiagnosed?Yourdoctorwillfirstexaminethelump.They’llaskyouaboutyourmedicalhistoryandhowlongyou’vehadthelump.They’llalsoaskyouaboutyoursymptoms.Theymayorderimagingtests,suchasanX-ray,ultrasound,orMRI,especiallyiftheycan’tseethelump.Theymaytakeasampleofthefluidinthecystfortesting.Howareganglioncyststreated?Ganglioncystsoftengoawaywithouttreatment.Ifthecystdoesn’tcausepainordiscomfort,treatmentisn’tnecessary.Yourdoctormayadviseyoutodothefollowing:Avoidrepetiti