Lump on my wrist

Yesterday I noticed something... after my right arm was aching all morning, I felt a round lump about 1 cm in size when I tilted my palm downward. It’s located between those two bones that protrude slightly on my upper arm—right where you’d usually wear a bracelet, I think that's the wrist area.
The lump sticks out about 40 mm and sits right next to a vein.

It feels a little uncomfortable to the touch; it's quite hard, and if I pull the skin downward, it hurts a bit.

I did some digging online, and everything seems to point toward lymphoma 😕 or an unknown.

I won't dwell too much on the lymphoma part because just thinking about it is terrifying, but regarding the unknown, Mayo Clinic says this:

"An unknown and an unknown are terms used for the same type of growth, most commonly occurring in the hand area. It consists of a cyst filled with a gelatinous substance dominated by hyaluronic acid, which also serves to lubricate the tissue. The cyst may be connected to a tendon sheath or a joint capsule. The exact mechanism of how they form isn't fully understood. The process begins at the boundary of the synovial and fibrous membranes of the joint, likely triggered by micro-injuries or strain on the membranes. The cells producing the hyaluronic acid are probably modified synovial cells. Because of its frequent connection to the joint and the creation of new fluid, the unknown can change in size. Treatment can be conservative or surgical. Aspiration via puncture followed by a potential corticosteroid injection usually only provides temporary relief. Surgery must be performed following all standard hand surgery protocols and requires complete excision of both the cystic growth and its stalk. Early recurrences after surgery are possible, up to 20%, and new growths can appear even years later. Surgical complications can include wound infection, bleeding, nerve damage, wound pain, or scarring. An unknown is a benign (harmless) growth, and if you aren't experiencing pain or functional issues, treatment isn't strictly necessary. "

Another surgery after the three I've already had? Not happening... not for this. The risk of complications is there, and honestly, just thinking about anesthesia makes my head spin. 👎

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about this... what kind of doctor should I see, or what steps I should take? I really have no idea... 😕

Thanks for any help... 😍

I’m dealing with the same thing. When it comes to an unknown, you basically have two paths. You can have them drain the fluid through a puncture, but there’s a high chance it’ll just build back up eventually. The other option is surgery; that gives you a better shot at keeping it from returning, though it's still not a hundred percent guarantee.
Looking back, I see all of this was actually in that article you copied, so you probably already have a handle on it. If it’s causing you pain or just bothering you, go see an orthopedic surgeon and let them walk you through the options. At least now you know what's on the table.
Mine is about 2 cm and doesn't really bother me that much. It only hurts if I keep my hand bent for too long or if I lean on it for a while, so for now, I'm not really looking to do anything about it. 🙂

Thanks for the reply, I honestly thought I was the only one dealing with this nuisance.

I’m just going to wait and see how he acts for now...

If things start escalating quickly, then I'll go looking for some doctors.

Based on how you described that lump, it sounds like you're dealing with a ganglion cyst. Essentially, it’s just a fluid-filled protrusion from the joint capsule—think of it like a small hernia—and they show up in the wrist area all the time.
To be perfectly blunt, surgery is the only real way to get rid of it for good.
Look, I'm sorry, but that's just the reality of the situation. 🤷

🙄 I suppose you were trying to diagnose yourself using the internet 😵😵

But wouldn't it be better to just see a doctor? ☕

Hannah Williams5 said:Based on how you described that lump, it sounds like you're dealing with a ganglion cyst. Essentially, it’s just a fluid-filled protrusion from the joint capsule—think of it like a small hernia—and they show up in the wrist area all the time.
To be perfectly blunt, surgery is the only real way to get rid of it for good.
Look, I'm sorry, but that's just the reality of the situation. 🤷

thanks for the reply.

George Roberts said:🙄 I suppose you were trying to diagnose yourself using the internet 😵😵

But wouldn't it be better to just see a doctor? ☕

thanks for tracking me down, because I'm sure you have something incredibly wise to contribute.
I came here to get advice from people who might actually understand what's going on. That doesn't include you.

let me know when you manage to grow another brain cell...
nobody ever found happiness by being a critic. 👍

I actually dealt with an unknown on my left wrist once, right on the side where the palm meets the thumb. It would pop up every now and then and then just... vanish on its own. It always felt quite pointed, and I guess it was pretty painful whenever it swelled up; it almost felt like you could actually feel it growing under the skin. It wasn't anything life-threatening, I suppose. I went to see a surgeon to get his take on it, and he mentioned they could just aspirate it, though there’s always the chance it might just come back. But then—and this is the part I find hard to wrap my head around—he actually suggested I just whack my arm against something heavy enough to make it burst! Honestly, I thought 😲
I told him I'd rather just let him hit me with a reflex hammer or something, but he wouldn't play the executioner, as he put it... as if anyone would actually want that, haha 🙂

I don't have any right this second, though I suppose it usually starts acting up whenever I'm hitting the weights, doing pushups, or engaging in just about any activity that puts a bit of strain on that joint...

Based on how you described it, I actually dealt with the exact same kind of lump myself. About five years ago, I finally decided to go through with surgery once the pain just became too much to handle. From what I understand—in layman's terms, anyway—it was basically some connective tissue that had ruptured, causing a little bit of muscle to bulge out. It was only really visible when I moved or folded at that spot, but the pain was starting to spread everywhere. Luckily, the recovery process was pretty quick.

Thanks, I’d really love to hear about this firsthand. Everyone’s experience is so different, and honestly, any advice at all is more than welcome... 🙂

Actually, a friend of mine deals with the exact same thing. In her case, her doctor wouldn't even touch it with anything, though that used to be a common practice back in the day—since once that growth under the skin ruptures, the surrounding lymph nodes just take care of whatever spills out. 🤷

She ended up trying to handle it on her own 😵, but it just kept coming back, so that wasn't a permanent fix either... 🤷 🙂

Hey! I know this thread’s pretty much dead, but I wanted to check—whatever happened with that unknown? Did you end up going under the knife? Because I did.

The pain just got too intense. That little "lump" was killing me during every workout—boxing, lifting, basically anything involving my right hand or wrist movement. And don't even get me started on pushups... MY HAND WOULD JUST SWELL UP.

I decided to go through with the surgery even though the surgeons told me to leave it alone. I really want to say something about them and how shaky they seemed, but I'll try to keep it civil. LONG STORY SHORT... it's been almost five months since the procedure and I still can't bend my wrist, and the pain is brutal. Honestly, I've never dealt with this kind of incompetence before...

I'm from San Francisco, and honestly, my advice to everyone would be: if you absolutely don't have to, stay away from surgery. But if you really have no choice... at least don't do it here in San Francisco.

Edit: Oh, and the worst part... after the surgery, I ended up with three more 1cm lumps around my wrist. I've been doing physical therapy for two months now, which is way more than enough time to recover from a ten-minute, simple procedure.

Hey, hey—listen, I’ve got that thing too. Sometimes it hurts right where the lump is, and honestly? I have zero intention of seeing a surgeon. It’s mostly just an eyesore for me, you know? Like, it's purely an aesthetic issue at this point. I actually heard from someone that if you just hit it hard enough, it might just pop. But how am I supposed to do that when it already hurts like hell during sex? I’m constantly pressing on it, basically just grinding against it... I feel like maybe I'll just cause it to burst myself by accident. Was anyone else at the OP about this 🙂? Anyway, I checked with a private plastic surgeon, and getting it removed runs about $667, which is steep. They said you just wear a bandage for a week and you should be good to go, or so I've heard

Robin Gray8 said:Hey, hey—listen, I’ve got that thing too. Sometimes it hurts right where the lump is, and honestly? I have zero intention of seeing a surgeon. It’s mostly just an eyesore for me, you know? Like, it's purely an aesthetic issue at this point. I actually heard from someone that if you just hit it hard enough, it might just pop. But how am I supposed to do that when it already hurts like hell during sex? I’m constantly pressing on it, basically just grinding against it... I feel like maybe I'll just cause it to burst myself by accident. Was anyone else at the OP about this 🙂? Anyway, I checked with a private plastic surgeon, and getting it removed runs about $667, which is steep. They said you just wear a bandage for a week and you should be good to go, or so I've heard

Hey there,

Hit it until it pops? Man, I’ve heard that one before, but honestly, that's just nonsense. If it’s actually bothering you—like it is for me—I don't see any real options other than surgery. It’s a pretty quick and straightforward procedure, but ONLY if you keep in mind that everyone heals differently... and of course, WHO and WHERE you go to—which is the most important part—I’d recommend going private for that, unfortunately.

Hey everyone. I’m starting a general thread here just in case there isn't one already for this kind of thing.
So, I've noticed this little bump popping up on the top of my wrist. It's small, but definitely large enough to feel when I touch it, and you can actually see it from the side. The skin hasn't changed color or anything like that...
I stay pretty active and hit the gym every single day doing stuff that puts a lot of strain on my wrists—things like pull-ups, dips, push-ups, you name it. I'm wondering if there might be a connection there.
Thanks in advance for any insight!

Edit: I forgot to mention one thing... it feels hard to the touch. It doesn't move around, and it doesn't hurt at all—not when I press on it, not when I bend my wrist, not during heavy lifting, nothing. Just sits there...

Check out this photo and the description, then compare it to

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nerve-issues/symptoms-causes/syc-20375530

plus

http://webmd.com/conditions/unknown-info

(obviously, you'll need a doctor to actually look at you and feel the 🙂)

I’m dealing with the exact same thing in my right wrist... I've actually started connecting it to that strain you mentioned. I’ve been following the same exercise routine as you, so I suspect there might be a direct link somewhere.
Come to think of it, that little lump popped up right around the time I finally started doing proper push-ups properly.😁

Tyler James5 said:Check out this photo and the description, then compare it to

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nerve-issues/symptoms-causes/syc-20375530

plus

http://webmd.com/conditions/unknown-info

(obviously, you'll need a doctor to actually look at you and feel the 🙂)

It doesn't really look like that. It’s way smaller, it isn't painful at all, and I have full range of motion in my wrist whenever I want. It doesn't get in the way of my workouts or anything else... it’s just sitting there.

It could just be some tiny little bone spur—totally benign, honestly—but you still really ought to have a doctor check it out, just in case

I recently dealt with a minor little bump on the underside of my index finger, a direct result of all the strain from playing guitar. It was nothing serious—completely benign, really—and I ended up having it removed with almost no anesthesia at all (the doctor was in quite a rush, even though they did offer me some...). The main reason I decided to get it taken care of was simply because it was getting in the way of my playing; I found myself constantly rubbing against it while strumming. Aside from that annoyance, it wasn't actually causing any pain or interfering with how my finger functioned normally...