Several different types of soft tissue tumors can develop in the hand and wrist. The most common is the ganglion cyst, which is a benign collection of normal fluid, that has escaped to an abnormal location, and results in a bump, and possible pain and limited range of motion. Ganglion cysts are not bad, nor do they turn into anything bad, nor do they cause any harm by their presence, unless they cause discomfort or limited function. Not all bumps are ganglions, however, and it is important to know whether the bump is a cyst or something else before initiating treatment. In-office ultrasound could potentially assist in making this determination. Treatment ranges from observation to needle aspiration to surgical removal of the bump, with or without evaluation by a pathologist to determine the definitive diagnosis.
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