How do finger cysts form?

Cysts on the fingers may be related to ganglion cysts, which are cystic tumors that appear in the tendon sheaths of joints. It is related to the lesions of the connective tissues of the ligaments, joint capsules and tendon sheaths. At this time, a yellowish or orange viscous liquid will appear. It often occurs in the wrist and dorsum of the foot, and is more common in adolescents. This disease develops relatively slowly, causing swelling and pain and affecting motor function.

Causes

The cause of the disease is still unclear, but it may be related to chronic trauma. It may be caused by injury, overstrain (especially in the hands and fingers), osteoarthritis, some systemic immune diseases, or even infection.

Some occupations that require long-term repetitive joint movements, such as typists, cargo handlers, or industries that require long-term computer operation, can cause or aggravate this disease. Common affected areas include the wrists, fingers, shoulders, etc. Women and diabetic patients are more likely to suffer from this disease.

Clinical manifestations

1. General symptoms

Ganglion cysts can occur at any age, but are more common in young and middle-aged people, and more common in women than in men. The cysts are slow growing, round, and usually no larger than 2 cm in diameter. There are also sudden discoverers. A few may disappear on their own or grow again. In some cases, apart from local swelling, there is no conscious discomfort and sometimes mild tenderness. In most cases, there is local soreness or discomfort, which affects activities. The size of the cyst has no direct relationship with the severity of the symptoms, but is related to the tension of the cyst. The greater the tension, the harder the tumor and the more obvious the pain.

2. Local symptoms

During the examination, a round lump with a smooth appearance and clear boundaries can be felt. The surface skin can be pushed, there is no adhesion, and there is soreness or pain when pressed. Most cysts have high tension and are firm lumps, while a few are soft but all have a cystic feeling. The cyst has a fixed base and little movement.

(1) Ganglion cysts of the wrist mostly occur on the dorsal side of the wrist, with a few occurring on the palm side. The most common site is the dorsal joint capsule of the wrist joint on the radial side of the common extensor tendon, followed by the radial flexor carpi tendon and the abductor pollicis longus tendon. Cysts may also develop in the flexor tendon sheath within the carpal tunnel, compressing the median nerve and inducing carpal tunnel syndrome. A few ganglion cysts may occur on the flexor tendon sheath of the fingers beyond the metacarpophalangeal joint. They are the size of a grain of rice and as hard as cartilage.

(2) Dorsal pedis ganglion cysts are the most common type of ganglion cysts in the foot and ankle, and they usually originate from the tendon sheath of the extensor digitorum longus tendon on the lateral side of the dorsalis pedis artery. Ganglion cysts in the tarsal tunnel can compress the tibial nerve and are one of the causes of tarsal tunnel syndrome.