Recently, I had a strange lump on my wrist. It did not hurt, but it did concern me. I learned I had a ganglion cyst.
A Ganglion cyst -- also known as a Bible cyst -- is a tumor or swelling on the top of a joint or the covering of a tendon. It looks like a bony like bump on the hand or wrist. It may feel firm or spongy and is not harmful. In fact, my doctor told me not to worry about it, and that no treatment was necessary. They told me that if I did want it removed, they could remove it through surgery, but that it would probably come back.
Bible cysts are very common in women, and usually occur on the back of the hand, at the wrist or even on the palm side of the hand. Other places they occur are on the outside of the knee or ankle or on the foot.
The ganglion cyst got its nickname of "Bible cyst" because back in the old days, the cure for one was for the doctor to whack your wrist with a bible while you held your hand or wrist flat on a table. That cure is actually effective for the spongy ones, though I'd recommend you see your doctor if it worries you or is painful in any way.
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I was diagnosed with a bible cyst today. What the dr told me is exactly what this article states. I wonder how these things form? She said it consisted of body fluid, but not pus.
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I just (8weeks ago today) had my ganglion removed from my left wrist, I had been ignoring it for 20yrs. It would come and go. I had one on right wrist but it went away. But the left this year got worse and worse, and it was time to do something when could hardley bend my wrist and it pained all the time.
It is still hurting after 8 weeks , and I can’t load my wrist at all, but the movement is better.
You can see my story at http://www.geoffreysweeney.com/wrist-ganglion-removed
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today i was diegnosit with a “bible cyst” and it was causing me pain so my doctor told me to go to an orthipedic and they will drain it. if it dosen’t go away by the third drain they will have to opperate.
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Usually the operations are not that painful, Jaymers. You should be ok. And, I’ll be surprised if they have to operate…if it is a true bible cyst, it will drain.
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OK … I had to post. I had my wrist looked at by my family doctor today. He gave me the term Bible Cyst and I looked it up and found this site. I had tried to push a pin through it which did nothing. So I had my 12 yr old son grab our Webster dictionary and give the bumb a whack. It work with no pain. He didn’t even hit it that hard. Gone… just like that. That was way to easy….. Now I’m questioning why my doctor couldn’t just offer that. I’m convinced he has never seen it done. If it comes back. So what…. that took 10 seconds to fix.
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Well, Mark, I’m glad you got some relief! Gotta love Websters!
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Wow, skidmark, a noble attempt but all you did was make it burst & the fluid go into your wrist. Ouch.
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[...] sure” that there was no fracture. There wasn’t. Then I used a modified “Bible technique” (i.e. I used both of my thumbs to apply sudden pressure) to rupture the cyst. Problem [...]
Had one of these and already had an appt. with a hand Dr. Saw my PCP in the mean time and he told me that the old book method was just as effective as surgery. I just hyper-extended my wrist and hit it 3 times with a large book and the cyst is gone for now.
No pain at all. Will call on Monday to cancel my appt. with the spectalist.
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Heather Reply:
February 6th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Thanks for commenting, Vic. I’m glad to hear the ‘old school’ method worked for you and saved you some money from the specialist.
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i have a very painful bible cyst on my right wrist and omg i cant even grasp a pencil anymore and i am to big of a baby to hit it myself, i also have one on the back of my left wrist i popped it a couple of weeks ago by applying alot of pressure(that was on accident before i knew what it was)it has came back yet again
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i had one show up on my left wrist about 3 weeks ago and it hurt like the dickens but it went away in 2 days. it came back last week though and isnt going away. i’ve tried to hit it with random hard objects (i.e. back of stapler, pharmacy spatula handle, ect) but chicken out right before it hits hard. when my wrist is laying flat you cant see it but when its bent it sticks way out. do these normally go away on their own? its getting annoying…
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If it hurts you, you need to go see a Doctor to get it taken care of. Keep in mind, the “Book” cure isn’t recommended by doctors anymore. A quick office visit and they can get rid of it for you.
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Got one of these cysts on both of my knees in the bend of the knee and probably attached to a tendon which is causing pain somewhat when I do alot of walking. I am going to see a knee specialists and see what he says. The one on the right is bigger that the one on the left. I have used ace bandages on both knees to see if pressure works and it does somewhat. Can’t do the bible thing because of where they are located. With the info on this site I have read, we will determine wheather surgery is needed or just a drain. Hopefully the later will be the cure. We will see what he says. I have already seen my personal doctor and he told me just what I have read on this site. Thank you all for the info.
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Compression of the Ganglion cyst defintely works, I just put some serious pressure on mine (under a teaspoon and pressed hard with my thumb) and I felt it pop. A few seconds of discomfor and the beast has gone! I wish I’d done it ages ago!
Ps. Mine was a lump on my wedding ring finger that would cause random pain, when I held something like a steering wheel, shopping trolley etc.
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Ugh,i have one and my doctor told me the same thing but some times i mess with it like with my wrist and it causes pain my doctor said the more you play with it the more it will pain you.Min is a small lump that hurts from time to time and now im just starting to learn about it.
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I’m an emergency doctor– I had one pop up on my wrist a week or two ago. Painless but unsightly. With the wrist flexed to tense up the walls of the cyst and keep it under maximum pressure, I hit it with a hard covered book. Problem solved– painlessly too (I didn’t have to hit it hard).
I also had a smaller one in the past– same wrist. Did nothing with it and it shrank with time. Never did go away completely– I still have a firm BB sized lump on one of my tendons.
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