Have you ever wondered where an obstruction or swelling on the wrist came from? Well, there are a couple of reasons why this can happen. This will help you determine which orthopedic surgeon to visit for treatment.
Causes Of A Wrist Lump
Ganglion Cyst
This is probably one of the most common causes of lumps on the wrist, hand, and even other parts of your palm. See, your hand is a complex connection of bones, joints, and nerves.
Sometimes, the joints can space out and cause neighboring liquids to leak inside and cause a sack to form. This will cause a part of your wrist, either on the top of your hand or somewhere on the wrist to form a ball-like protrusion. It is known as ganglion cyst.
Ganglion cysts are not as dangerous, and they’re not even remotely malignant, but it can still be an uncomfortable feeling dealing with the cyst. So, it’s better if you consult with your doctor and see what you can do about it.
Trigger Finger
Your fingers consist of a network of tendons that are responsible for flexing the fingers and moving them as you please. Well, sometimes, these tendons can be stretched beyond their point of stress and it can lead to the tendon on your palm getting caught on the finger tendon sheath.
This also causes your finger to be in a bent position and sometimes, it can lead to the formation of a bump on your finger and even the inside of the palm, near the wrist. This is essentially what is called a trigger finger.
Your finger will be unable to move and it will hurt a bit if you try to put too much stress on it. So, it is better to get the tendon back in place. It can be done by various activities. However, if the tendon is caught too far in the sheath, then there is no choice but to surgically place the tendon back and secure it so that it doesn’t slip and get caught anywhere again.
Epidermal Cyst
Epidermal inclusion cysts are also benign tumors that simply form underneath the skin. It is usually filled with a yellowish-waxy substance called keratin. They can be formed under any circumstance. It can either be due to an infection of the cell wall or the skin or it can be an exposure cyst. It can also remain the same size or grow larger as time goes on.
This cyst is not harmful by any means, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt. It does hurt a lot and even pressing on it or moving your wrist in a way that causes pressure build up on the part where the cyst is, can lead to a lot of pain and you simply can’t do anything for a bit. These cysts can be surgically removed but even if you don’t remove them, there is a very low chance of it infecting your body or the affected area. You can use hot and cold compression to alleviate the discomfort especially if you have used your hand a lot and it hurts and sometimes, antibacterial creams can also do the trick to ensure that if the cyst is exposed, it doesn’t get infected in the long run.
Osteoarthritis
Lumps on the wrist and other parts of the body can be because of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition in which your bones start to deteriorate and they become very stiff and weak.
Lumps on different parts of the body, including the wrist, arms, fingers, and legs are a key symptom of osteoarthritis and it can be accompanied by stiffness in the bones, hurting joints, and excruciating pain when you try to move your hands or feet too much. Osteoarthritis needs to be treated straight away otherwise things can take a turn for the worse. You can visit a specialist depending on where the lumps are. If the lumps are on the legs, see a podiatrist or a knee specialist Woodbridge.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you develop rheumatoid arthritis, then rheumatoid nodules are also very common to follow afterward. These nodules are formed when the parts of the affected bones are under a lot of stress. They are hard nodules that aren’t compressible. So, when you go ahead and push on them, they won’t budge or spring back.
They can be present in the form of small bumps or even linear bumps, and they are not necessarily filled with any liquid. They are stress-induced nodules that form on different parts of the body and even your wrist if your joints are deteriorating there.
Gout
Speaking of arthritis, gout is another type of arthritis in which the deterioration of bones is caused by the formation of crystals in the joints. Gout commonly occurs in the hands and wrist and sometimes, it can lead to the formation of small bumps on the wrist, known as tophi.
They are hard nodules that aren’t painful but they’re still a bit weird to protrude out of the skin. Gout is caused when there is excess uric acid in the body and there is no way for it to get flushed out of the body and the bloodstream.
Carpal Boss
Carpal boss is a condition in which there is an overgrowth of the bone on the back of your wrist. It is a piece of the bone sticking out in a weird way. It doesn’t necessarily hurt but it doesn’t look normal either. Carpal boss can hurt if you work with your affected wrist a lot.
Since the overgrowth isn’t normal at all, it will slip and slide against neighboring bones and flesh and the pain will be a pinching of sorts within your skin. So, it’s better if you give your hand a rest and do work with your other hand.
Giant Cell Tumor Of The Tendon Sheath
Giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath is the second most commonly occurring bump on the wrist. It is a non-cancerous tumor, but it grows under the thin sheath, which is a layer of cartilage over the tendon to keep it flexing and moving fluidly.
GCTTS is a very common bump to occur and it doesn’t cause any pain. It is mostly quite sturdy with just a tiny bit of give when you squeeze it. You don’t have to remove it surgically and it’s normal to live with it, but if you’re worried about the cosmetic aspect, then you can get it removed.
Dupuytren Disease
Dupuytren disease is a genetic and hereditary disorder that prevents the body from healing scars and injuries quickly. In this disorder, a number of painful bumps can form on your skin, including the wrist and either they are embedded under the skin or they can simply form on the skin.
Regardless, the pain is inexplicable and it hurts a lot when you try to touch it or squeeze it. So, it’s better to get in touch with your doctor to get the full gist of everything.
Conclusion
Wrist lumps are quite common but there can be various reasons for them. So, now you know how lumps are caused on the wrist and how to deal with them. For diagnosis and treatment of wrist lumps, consult a hand injury doctor Woodbridge.
