Ganglion Cyst -- Not Cause for Alarm but Should be Checked

It's a lump, it's ugly and it's on your wrist. According to the July issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter, it might be a ganglion (GANG-glee-on) cyst. It looks and feels as though a small lump -- from the size of a pea to a peach pit -- has formed beneath the surface of the skin.

Doctors don't know what causes these cysts to appear, often abruptly. The growth is typically painless or only mildly bothersome. Effective removal treatments are available but the cyst may go away without treatment. While a ganglion cyst isn't cause for undue alarm, its symptoms do mimic other serious tumors that appear on the hand, wrist or foot. It's important to see your doctor if a lump appears in any of these areas.