The word ganglion basically means a collection of bundled tissue and it occurs in nerve tissue and the tissues surrounding your joints such as tendon and synovium (the smooth lining of your joints). In neurology a ganglion can be a naturally occuring essential structure in nerve tissue that acts like a nerve junction or it is an unexplained thickening of nerve tissue that may or may not result from trauma and serves no useful purpose.
The other type of ganglion (simple) is a benign tumour that occurs in tendons and synovium. Not all reference sources define ganglion the same way, for instance some authorities claim that simple ganglion are idiopathic (has no known cause) where others state that participating in high impact activities make one much more susceptible to simple ganglion.
Most simple ganglion occur as bumpy nodules in the back of our wrists (about 80%) and you can get them on the top of your feet too (Mortenson’s neuroma). Playing handball, boxing, martial arts and heavy manual work can help form wrist ganglion and running, jumping and other forms of high impact exercise can help create foot ganglion.
Your genes probably play a part in the likelihood of getting ganglion and if you don’t want to wait for them to disappear of their own accord you can have them drained through a syringe (aspiration) or surgically excised. Aspiration is usually only a temporary solution as surgery can be if ALL of the cyst is not removed.
Simple ganglion are fairly common and usually do not produce distressing symptoms, if there is discomfort from them it is usually mild. Some people are put off by their appearance, wrist ganglion can reach the diameter of a 10 cent piece and were once known as “bible cysts” because an early remedy was to physically strike the back of the wrist with a thick book like a bible.
Sometimes this worked but other times they came back and needless to say the odd wrist probably got broken in the process too. Simple ganglion usually form between 20 and 40 years of age, they are semi- firm to the touch and can go away by themselves without explanation.
Occassionally Bakers’ cysts are referred to as ganglion too, Bakers’ cysts (BC) are found behind or beside the knee. Knee trauma is a possible precursor for BC and infection can do it too though usually it happens without apparent warning. In BC fluid builds up in the knee usually pouching out at the back, it is much more obvious when your leg is straightened or fully bent and is sometimes uncomfortable.
Like simple ganglion they often go away by themselves and usually do not cause people problems unless they track down to your calf muscle. Any process that can produce swelling in your knee can potentially cause a Bakers’ cyst. Simple ganglion and Bakers’ cysts can be an auto-immune response too. Sometimes ganglion can be mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) nodules but is thankfully not debiliating like RA is.
The old saying that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly can apply here, while some medical authorities state that there is nothing that can be done to prevent them others say that strong and flexible leg muscles can prevent Bakers’ cysts and treating your hands gently will help prevent wrist ganglion forming. There is a theory in Chinese medicine that people who hang onto their anger form more tumours and cysts than people who manage their anger well.