All Broken

[noflyingfan]

I have a question I'm hoping one of you might be able to answer. (Spiff?)

I noticed yesterday that my right wrist looks different. There's a bone or something just beneath my palm (on the outer wrist) that seems like it's sticking out. Not out of the skin or anything, just up a little farther than it is on my other wrist. It's probably not a bone, but it's hard. I don't remember doing anything to it, and it doesn't hurt, so I don't want to go to the doctor yet, but should I? Is my hand going to fall off if I don't? It's just so bizzare!

[Jeff California]

Hi,

This is Jeff's wife. I am not a doctor or anything, but as a work comp claim rep, I see a lot of hand and wrist injuries. Maybe you have what is called a ganglion cyst, very common cyst, not usually painful. A lot of people get them and they go away and recur over time. Sometimes doctors remove them if they hurt or interfere with range of motion of the wrist. I would ask your doctor to check it out, just so you have a professional opinion and not worry.

Andrea

[LeslieDEN]

Wow, great resources here! Thanks, Andrea!

Erika, I just wanted to add a little bit of trivia. A couple of years ago when I was getting some orthopedic surgeon follow-up after I broke my hand, my mom was in the waiting room and told me she overheard a conversation between an America West pilot and another guy, and the pilot said he was there for treatment of his ganglion cyst.

(Mom took notice of the conversation because she has a ganglion cyst too; I think she was once diagnosed but it never needed treatment. I was like, "pilot? pilot? in my waiting room?")

[WillFlyToDisney]

Erika - hope you get better soon!!

Andrea - HI!!!! :wave:

Les - PILOT?? :ray:

Kel

[noflyingfan]

Thanks for the input, guys. My dad seemed to think it was a cyst, too; he had one in the exact same spot on his hand and eventually had it removed because it got annoying. I will ask my doctor about it, but I'm not going to make a special trip unless it starts causing real problems. I'm hoping it just goes away, because it's annoying.

[spiffyone]

I agree (bear in mind that correct diagnosis is a wee bit more difficult when you can't actually see the person :cool: ) but based on the location you describe, it is probably either a ganglion cyst or a spur on your hamate (the bone on the non-palm side of your wrist that is under your fifth finger and sticks out a little. The one most people call the "wrist bone.") If it doesn't seem contiguous with that bone it is probably a cyst. They are not dangerous and can be removed, or not, depending on preference (if you get a comedian as a doctor they will probably tell you "get a big book, like Harrison's textbook of medicine, and SLAM it down on your wrist and that will make it go away") - but I would still get it checked out by a real, local doctor who can actually see it, just for your peace of mind.

:thumbsup:

[noflyingfan]

Thanks, Spiff. It seems to be a little smaller (or maybe I'm just getting used to it, because it wasn't that big in the first place). I do plan to have it checked out next time I go to the doctor, but since my health insurance is total crap, I'm not going to make a special trip unless it gets bigger or starts hurting.

[YankssRule]

I had a cyst in my wrist once, not sure what kind. It was on the top right at the crook where you bend it. It actualy did hurt a bit, that it what prompted me to go to a doctor, maybe it was the spot that it was in. The doctor wanted to slam it w/ a book :eek: :rotflmao: , can you believe. I told him no way. Eventually it went away on its own. I have not gotten it back, yet !!!

But don't worry, in this day and age, i'm sure the cure is not to slam books on cysts anymore !!!!!!

Good luck and keep us posted.

Janet