How to Cope With Having a Ganglion
Be patient., Take anti-inflammatory painkillers.There are many products available over-the-counter that can help reduce swelling., Apply ice.If you're feeling pain from your ganglion cyst, try applying cold to it., Don’t use the affected joint as...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be patient.
About 35% of ganglion cysts don’t cause any pain — the only problem with them is that you might find them ugly.Luckily, about 38-58% of ganglion cysts actually go away on their own.If your ganglion isn’t causing you any real trouble, you might just leave it as is and see if the situation resolves on its own. -
Step 2: Take anti-inflammatory painkillers.There are many products available over-the-counter that can help reduce swelling.
The reduced swelling will ease pain temporarily, until the medication wears off and the swelling returns.
However, because many ganglion cysts resolve on their own, managing pain in the short term is often a good way to wait it out.
The three most common types of anti-inflammatory drugs available in pharmacies are:
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Naproxen sodium (Aleve) Aspirin (Ascriptin, Bayer, Ecotrin) , You can buy a gel pack from a pharmacy, or simply wrap some ice or a pack of frozen vegetables in a towel.
Apply it directly to the area where you're feeling pain for 20 minutes at a time.
Do this at least every day, up to once every three hours. , Although the exact cause of ganglion cysts is still unknown, a leading theory suggests that they result from trauma to the joint (like a hard knock or crushing force).Another theory argues that they form when a joint is overused.In either case, limiting joint movement is known to relieve pain and speed up the healing process.
Let the affected limb rest as much as possible. , While it’s easy to remember to stay off your feet, remembering to stop talking with your hands can be harder! In that case, you might consider applying a splint to the joint.
It will both serve as a physical reminder to rest the joint and limit the joint’s movement when you use the limb.
Place a rigid object (like a piece of wood) along the joint you want to stabilize.
You can also wrap the joint in something like a magazine or thick padding of towel or clothing.
The splint should extend beyond the joint in both directions, so movement is as limited as possible.
For example, a wrist splint should extend from the forearm, past the wrist, and down to the hand.Tie the splint into place with whatever you have on hand — a necktie, tape, a belt, etc.
Don’t tie the splint too tightly — you shouldn’t be cutting off blood flow.
If your hands or feet start to tingle, loosen your splint. , A ganglion is essentially a balloon of liquid, and when it presses up against a nerve, it can cause pain.To encourage the cyst to drain its liquid naturally, doctors often suggest massaging the area.
You don’t need to use any particular technique or seek professional massage therapy, though.
Simply rub the ganglion gently, but frequently throughout the day.Over time, you should see an improvement in symptoms. , Ganglion cysts are sometimes called “Bible bumps” because people try to get rid of them by smashing them with a heavy book — like the Bible.
While smashing the ganglion can temporarily get rid of it, there’s a 22-64% chance that the cyst will return if you use this method.Furthermore, you can cause even more damage to the already damaged tissue around the ganglion, or even break a bone if you smash the book with too much force. -
Step 3: Apply ice.If you're feeling pain from your ganglion cyst
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Step 4: try applying cold to it.
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Step 5: Don’t use the affected joint as much.
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Step 6: Stabilize the joint with a splint if necessary.You might find it hard to remember that you’re resting your joint
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Step 7: especially if the cyst is on the wrist.
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Step 8: Massage the cyst.
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Step 9: Do not smash the ganglion with a book.
Detailed Guide
About 35% of ganglion cysts don’t cause any pain — the only problem with them is that you might find them ugly.Luckily, about 38-58% of ganglion cysts actually go away on their own.If your ganglion isn’t causing you any real trouble, you might just leave it as is and see if the situation resolves on its own.
The reduced swelling will ease pain temporarily, until the medication wears off and the swelling returns.
However, because many ganglion cysts resolve on their own, managing pain in the short term is often a good way to wait it out.
The three most common types of anti-inflammatory drugs available in pharmacies are:
Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) Naproxen sodium (Aleve) Aspirin (Ascriptin, Bayer, Ecotrin) , You can buy a gel pack from a pharmacy, or simply wrap some ice or a pack of frozen vegetables in a towel.
Apply it directly to the area where you're feeling pain for 20 minutes at a time.
Do this at least every day, up to once every three hours. , Although the exact cause of ganglion cysts is still unknown, a leading theory suggests that they result from trauma to the joint (like a hard knock or crushing force).Another theory argues that they form when a joint is overused.In either case, limiting joint movement is known to relieve pain and speed up the healing process.
Let the affected limb rest as much as possible. , While it’s easy to remember to stay off your feet, remembering to stop talking with your hands can be harder! In that case, you might consider applying a splint to the joint.
It will both serve as a physical reminder to rest the joint and limit the joint’s movement when you use the limb.
Place a rigid object (like a piece of wood) along the joint you want to stabilize.
You can also wrap the joint in something like a magazine or thick padding of towel or clothing.
The splint should extend beyond the joint in both directions, so movement is as limited as possible.
For example, a wrist splint should extend from the forearm, past the wrist, and down to the hand.Tie the splint into place with whatever you have on hand — a necktie, tape, a belt, etc.
Don’t tie the splint too tightly — you shouldn’t be cutting off blood flow.
If your hands or feet start to tingle, loosen your splint. , A ganglion is essentially a balloon of liquid, and when it presses up against a nerve, it can cause pain.To encourage the cyst to drain its liquid naturally, doctors often suggest massaging the area.
You don’t need to use any particular technique or seek professional massage therapy, though.
Simply rub the ganglion gently, but frequently throughout the day.Over time, you should see an improvement in symptoms. , Ganglion cysts are sometimes called “Bible bumps” because people try to get rid of them by smashing them with a heavy book — like the Bible.
While smashing the ganglion can temporarily get rid of it, there’s a 22-64% chance that the cyst will return if you use this method.Furthermore, you can cause even more damage to the already damaged tissue around the ganglion, or even break a bone if you smash the book with too much force.
About the Author
Marie Ford
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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