Get rid of a ganglion- painlessly

If you have a ganglion cyst* on your hand or foot, the treatments can be painful, if not dire:

 you can go to your doctor who will insert a big needle and drain the cyst (ouch!),
you can have surgery- expensive and painful – double ouch
or the old folk remedy is to hit it with the family bible – triple ouch!

I haven’t tried the surgery or the family bible remedy, but I have had a ganglion drained- it wasn’t fun, and it did grow back after about a year.

The next time it appeared, I worked out my own remedy- cheap, relatively painless, and effective- the ganglion hasn’t re-appeared and it’s been a few years now.

* Of course, you need to go to your doctor to get any lump checked- don't just assume it's a ganglion.

 For more information on ganglia, check with your doctor or on the internet. The main image I have used here is from Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganglion_cyst (I can’t photograph mine as I don’t have it any more!). Remember that information on the internet is just someone's opinion and may not be accurate!
 

Step 1: What I used

What I used:

i. an old eraser with worn edges, large enough to cover the ganglion* (you’re going to press in against your skin so it should be firm but not hard, with rounded edges so they won’t dig in).

ii. a bandage (stretchy is best) and closure/safety pins

* If your ganglion is huge, it’s probably gone too far for this method to work- best to treat it while it’s still small. Remember that this method may not be right for you.; check with your health professional.
 

Comments

[porcupinemamma]

When I was in college, this site was reccommended and endorsed by the professional nurse who taught many of the medical courses I took. The information is presented in a clear and concise manner.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/ganglioncysts/op089105.pdf

[Puzzledd]

Thanks for the info- this looks good, with clear diagrams, too:)

[porcupinemamma]

You are most welcome. Hope you have a happy weekend. BTW, the bird in your avatar is very very sweet.

[Marjolie]

I just wanted to say a massive thank you. I signed up to this forum in order to tell you that this worked for me! Two elasticated bandages and a rubber pressed over the lump- it's gone! My hand swelled to quite an impressive size this morning but- no pain!
Thank you thank you thank you! :D
Marjolie xx

[Puzzledd]

Thanks, Marjolie, I'm really pleased that the pain is gone! I'm a bit worried at the sound of the swelling, though. It sounds as if there was either a lot of fluid in the ganglion, and it's been forced into the surrounding tissue, or maybe the bandages were a bit tight and the circulation in your hand was impeded. Keep an eye on it and get a medical opinion if you are concerned at all. Good luck:)

[abeth]

It came back again a couple of nights ago, and I used this trick once again and it worked! thanks again for this wonderful advice!

[Puzzledd]

I'm so pleased it worked for you! I've been lucky so far, mine hasn't come back after many years:)

[abeth]

I had one of these appear one morning,it was very painful, didn't go to Dr. about it because I don't have insurance, so if I have a problem I always search for natural ways to fix things! Everyone that looked at it (one being a nurse) said that it looked like a ganglion cyst, what ever it was hurt like H++L needless to say. I basically lost most use of my left hand. I only had the pain for about a week, it wasn't very big yet ,I came across this article, decided why not try this, can't make worse, so I found an eraser belonging to my granddaughter, the bandage and wrapped it up every night for only 4 nights, and by Fri morning it was still hurting but by that afternoon it was pain free! The cyst was gone! Not sure if this is what did it, but I'm glad it went away. Everyone was telling me I would have to get it cut out, so I'm glad they were wrong! It's worth trying, mine is gone so far!!! Thanks for the helpful tip!!!!

[Puzzledd]

Wow, it sounds a nasty one! I'm so pleased it's gone now. I'm still waiting for mine to come back, years on....

Please keep an eye on it, though, in case it's something more sinister.... you still may need that visit to the doctor if it comes back.

Here's hoping it's gone for good, though!

[abeth]

thanks, me too, hope yours doesn't come back either!

[rentwisle]

i'm going to try this to get rid of my cyst that has been bothering me for years and i haven't been able to find a dr to help me

[Puzzledd]

Good luck with that one. If it's been there for years, it may be a bit more persistent than mine. If doctors didn't want to treat it, be cautious- they may have a good reason. Hope it works out for you!

[DAND]

I have a cyst the size of half a ping pong ball on my foot, do you think this technique will help?

[Puzzledd]

Ooh that sounds like a big one. Definitely a doctor job, in my opinion, and before it gets bigger.

Even if you can press all that fluid back into your foot it's got to go somewhere... better to get it surgically drained or see what your doctor says.

I got mine drained by a doctor when it was big, then did the pressure trick when it started to come back, when it was still small.

Good luck with it!

[chuckr44]

"The information is presented in a clear and concise manner."

Or not. The author did not explain what a ganglion is, nor how it differs from a boil, which is a fast-growing infection most often caused by staphylococcus bacteria. You should never "bang" a boil with anything or put pressure on it, it needs to be drained.

[Puzzledd]

That's a good point.

However, I'm not a medical expert, so I haven't given an explanation of what a ganglion is. That's why I say "Of course, you need to go to your doctor to get any lump checked- don't just assume it's a ganglion" in the introduction.

I wouldn't advise using  wikipedia as your only source of medical knowledge, as the information on that could be written by anyone- it's always best to get a diagnosis from a doctor. But it doesn't hurt to get some background knowledege as well- so thanks for the suggestion.

[chuckr44]

Here is more info on a ganglion cyst:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganglion_cyst

[sidwellnz]

Hi I tried the bash it with the Oxford Dictionary, which I was very surprised to discover had worked. I had the ganglion for years.
I have another on my shoulder which I'd love an easier method.
I'm afraid I'll give myself a stroke to be honest.

[Puzzledd]

That sounds awkward. You may need to get that one drained by a doctor :( Good luck with it!

[dangerine]

It worked. Simple enough, regular, soft pressure...and it shrank away in about a week. THANK YOU!

[Puzzledd]

Great- I'm pleased to hear it worked for you!

[lunch]

my partner has a fairly large ganglion on his wrist & we have found that his reduces in size when we go swimming at least once aweek and of corse is good for the rest of your body too added bonus.

[Puzzledd]

That's an interesting observation! Maybe the movement pushes the fluid back - and it's a nice, gentle solution :)

[mishap91]

My orthopedic doctor said in Viet Nam they treated soldiers cyst by slamming a heavy book on them. Thought to myself thats the Army for you cheaper is better then surgery.

[itgasht]

Thanks for your suggestion:)

[Puzzledd]

You're welcome :)

[Worlder]

The photo is so horribly, and I think everyone shoul htal it as soon as it possible.

[Puzzledd]

Yes, mine wasn't as large as the one in the picture, but it really worried me- didn't look nice, and made it awkward to play guitar. I treated mine when it was growing back, about half as big as this one ;)

[piratequeenfaber]

This is really cool but I'm with everyone that says you should get it looked at by a doctor before trying any home treatment. My mom had one and her doctor drained it a few times but when that didn't work he x-rayed it or something and discovered that the tendon sheath had shrunken so much that surgery was the only option.

[Puzzledd]

Yep it's always best to get a medical opinion before trying home remedies- a lump could be something else altogether - and even if it's a ganglion it may not respond to treatment by anyone.

I wouldn't recommend going ahead with any treatment before you get a medical diagnosis so you're sure what you're dealing with and the likely outcome.

[wertyleigh]

I Had one on top of my foot near the ankle bone, but after I twisted it (Accidentally) and had it in a support bandage on and off for about a week, I found it had disappeared .

[SNUFFY3724]

I got one on each wrist when I was in my 30's, a few years apart. The remedy I chose was to take 3 cod liver oil gelcaps for 3 days, then 2 for 3 days, then 1 until it was gone. Each time, by about day 15, they were gone, and have never come back. The first one I'd had (noticed) for about 3 months before the cod liver oil treatment: the second, the first day I noticed it, I began taking the oil. After reading your description of what they are, I'm wondering if that treatment might work for bursitis that developed after an injury.

[Puzzledd]

That's an interesting treatment- I've heard of using fish oil or glucosamine for joint/connective tissue problems, and both my husband and I have some arthritis and bursitis. We've taken capsules of fish oil and glucosamine tablets for that (but not consistently); must try it again as his bursitis has flared up again !

Thanks for your suggestion:)

[peacenique]

My doctor told me that they used to be cured in the old days by smacking them with a big old bible... "not that I'm recommending that", said he! However, I DID try it! (big book, but not bible!) Although it hurt like the dickens, I have been able to get rid of two different ganglions that never came back. (the doctor told me later I'd done it wrong: "it was supposed to be a bible!" he laughed.)

[Puzzledd]

Then you can distract yourself from the pain with some inspirational reading, maybe?

[peacenique]

HA! Possibly... Or maybe to ward off anything brought on by the words spewing from my mouth when I whacked!

[Puzzledd]

:D

[mtbube]

I had one of these buggers on my wrist. I was a medic working in admissions and went to one of the corpsmen to ask him whether I needed to a doctor. He said he could take care of it. I told him to go ahead. He picked up a book and was about to slam it down on my wrist but I pulled back. I was game still so I closed my eyes and let him hit it. I hopped around the room holding my wrist and yelping for a few minutes, but it never came back and didn't really hurt after that. Your method is better.

[Puzzledd]

Less painful, at least... I have to admit, I had tears in my eyes when my doctor aspirated mine -and they weren't tears of laughter!

[Sharann624]

I had one surgically removed about 5 years ago. Several weeks after the procedure I was at a luncheon, and the woman across from me looked at the 2 inch scar on the top of my wrist and said, "Oh! An Aggie suicide attempt!" ... (helps if you're from Texas to really appreciate it).