I have a lump in my thumb

[gridley13]

Has anyone gotten a lump in their thumb and thought it had something to do with crocheting? I definitely have some carpal tunnel issues, I have had them in my life before but now that I am crocheting a lot is getting worse. I have no idea if this is related or not.

 

It is small and very moveable, on the inside of my right thumb, about in the middle near the joint. I am of course looking into this and will most likely make a dr appt, but wanted to see if this is common in crocheters. It doesn't hurt a bit, btw. Thanks!

[pampsmom]

I use to get small lumps in my wrist. They were cysts. I worked with the emergency room at my hospital so I asked the doc on duty to look at it. He told me I could have surgery or just bust it myself. So when it got big enuff to bust I would just slam it up against a wall and bust it or have my co-worker put a book over it and slam his fist down on it! He was huge so I only let him do it once, scared he would break my wrist! lol! After about 4 times it never came back. The doc said if I had surgery it could still come back so that's why I did it that way. Worked for me, but yours could be something else. I'd have your doc look at it!

[gridley13]

It sounds like you had a ganglion cyst. I used to get those when I was younger, I think perhaps from doing pottery. I never get them now. But I have not had one in this area before.

 

Thanks for you story though! All I have to say is ouch.

[ChainOFools]

I would agree, sounds like a ganglion, my husband had surgery for one in his wrist and 6 years later it still hasn't returned, when I was little my mom had a huge one on her wrist and got my brother to hit it with this giant dictionary we had...she said it hurt like crazy when he did it but it got rid of it and it never came back.

[eyrthmother1]

It could be a ganglion cyst/even a fatty tumor (don't let the word tumor scare you. In olden days they were called "bible bumps" due to the way THEY removed them was by hitting them w/ a bible to burst them. (I'd rather try just praying myself, but if it works). I have 1 on the top of my wrist that doesn't give me any discomfort. They really harmless, and what I was told was ways to deal w/ them: 1) surgery, 2) a REALLY high powered aspirin, 3) them taking a big needle and drawing fluid out of it or 4) the bursting it by hitting it.

 

I'd still get it checked to make sure it's not something more serious, but if it's not bothering you or interfering w/ your crocheting (heaven's forbid) you may just want to leave it be.

 

Sandy

[lunchbox]

I have one on my wrist and the dr. said it was a ganglion cyst.

[L-A]

Sounds like a ganglion cyst to me, too. I had one on the inside of my right-hand middle finger about 10 years ago & had surgery to remove it (it was GREAT having to walk around with THAT finger in a giant bandage! ) Then last year I got one on the top of my foot that went away all by itself. In both cases, I saw an orthopedic (did I spell that right?) surgeon. But definately see what your doctor thinks. Good luck!

[Starr]

I also had a ganglion cyst on my right hand that was in the crease between my palm and index finger 14 years ago, because of the postition of it, it hurt and got in the way of daily activities, so I had to have it surgically removed and I also had a new born baby at that time. With the postion it was in, they had to bandage my entire hand. Talk about inconvieniant!

 

Well, 14 years later, it still hasn't returned

 

Ganglion or not, I would still go to the doc and get it checked out anyway.

 

Good luck

[ErinLindsey]

I had several of those ganglionic cysts in my wrists probably about 10 or 15yrs ago.

 

The doctor told me what they were, and then without asking me, grabbed my wrists and squished the cysts away. (owwwww!!!) I was a bit peeved that he didnt ask before he squished them away, but at least they're gone now.

 

I have a bump on my hand right where the middle finger comes off my hand. I asked an orthopedic doctor about them once. He said they could be a sign of arthritis (I was only 31 at the time!) and he said specifically they could be from Rheumatoid Arthritis. (scary stuff. my dad's little sister has that) So the doctor sent me to get a blood draw to check me for the rheumatoid factor. (I didnt have it) but since my aunt has rheumatoid, I'm going to ask the doctor to check it again soon.

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I might be a harmless cyst, but you should really see a doctor. One of my friends had a lump like that in the same place and doctors told her it was just a cyst, but she got another one and another one and they finally did a biopsy and it was cancer; she lost her arm and doesn't have a good prognosis. So, please get it checked out by a doctor.

 

Nicole

[craftybutterfly]

I use to get small lumps in my wrist. They were cysts. I worked with the emergency room at my hospital so I asked the doc on duty to look at it. He told me I could have surgery or just bust it myself. So when it got big enuff to bust I would just slam it up against a wall and bust it or have my co-worker put a book over it and slam his fist down on it! He was huge so I only let him do it once, scared he would break my wrist! lol! After about 4 times it never came back. The doc said if I had surgery it could still come back so that's why I did it that way. Worked for me, but yours could be something else. I'd have your doc look at it!

 

Ouch!!! I'm such a ninnie, I don't think I could ever purposely cause myself pain.

I sometimes get little nodules around my joints, but that's due to my Rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Good advice Nicole! I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[darski]

I found this page on exercise to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome

http://www.tnellen.com/school/carpal/

 

They could be useful to know

 

I got there from Priscilla's crochet but you can only get one at a time...sigh

[gridley13]

Thanks so much for the replies. I am ashamed to say I still haven't gotten it checked out... I guess I wanted to see if it would disappear but it hasn't. So I will let you all know when I see the dr! I bet it is a ganglion but better safe than sorry like you have all said. Thanks!

[losingmymind2]

Sounds like a ganglion cyst to me; I just got rid of one a few months ago, so I don't want it back...I just pressed really hard on it and massaged it several times a day for a couple months off and on, and finally bashed it on the table real hard a few times; and one day, on it's own, it just went POP and no more cyst. My anatomy professor says you can tape a coin to it very tight or bash it with a book. I prefer my kinder gentler way.