Ganglion cysts

Diagnosis 

The doctor may press on the cyst during the physical examination to feel for pain or discomfort and use a light to shine through it to assess if the cyst is a solid mass or fluid. To rule out further illnesses like arthritis or a tumor, your doctor may also advise imaging tests like X–rays, ultrasounds, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Hidden (occult) cysts may also be found using MRIs and ultrasounds. 

Aspiration, a procedure in which your doctor uses a needle and syringe to draw out (aspire) the fluid from the cyst, may be used to confirm a ganglion cyst diagnosis. A ganglion cyst will release a thick, clear, or translucent fluid. 

Treatment 

Ganglion cysts frequently have no discomfort and do not require treatment and therefore may only need a wait–and–see attitude. Your doctor might suggest the following treatment if the cyst is causing pain or restricting joint movement: 

• Immobilization. Because movement can make the ganglion cyst enlarge, using a brace or splint to temporarily immobilize the area may be beneficial. Your nerves may become less compressed as the cyst diminishes, alleviating pain. Avoid using a brace or splint for an extended period of time since this may cause the adjacent muscles to deteriorate. 
• Aspiration. Your doctor will use a needle to drain the cyst’s fluid during this procedure, but the cyst might recur.
• Surgery. In the event that previous therapies fail to relieve your cyst, or it returns, your doctor may recommend surgery. Ganglia are treated by removing the entire cyst by surgeons. A stalk–like structure (root) is frequently present alongside a cyst. 

Your doctor might do an arthroscopy (tiny incisions) or open (traditional) procedures. To fully fix the issue, surgeons occasionally need to remove some tissue from the adjacent joint. 

Ganglionectomy is the medical term for surgery to remove a ganglion cyst in an outpatient operation, so the recovery time is faster. It takes two to six weeks to fully recover. The complicated treatments that orthopedic surgeons perform on the body’s joints and other soft tissues require specific training. 

Your symptoms may be successfully treated with surgery. The likelihood of a ganglion cyst returning is significantly decreased by surgically removing the cyst. However, commonly ganglia recurs after surgery in 5% to 15% of cases.