Apply Pressure to Heal Ganglion Cysts

| Modified on Jan 27, 2024
Earth Clinic readers describe how binding and applying pressure to a ganglion cyst actually works and helps to shrink it!



8 User Reviews


Posted by LaDonn (Decorah, IA) on 11/08/2020
★★★★★

I have a ganglion cyst that formed on the knuckle of my middle finger, right hand. I'm right handed, so this located exactly where you would rest a pencil to write. It keeps returning, but read all of the Earth Clinic messages about ganglion cysts. I first tried the essential oils remedy. Nothing really changed. It eventually grew big enough to pop, and that was a relief. But it came back, I noticed when I had accidentally bumped that spot on something.

Next I tried the pressure idea. This has been the most successful so far. I have used a ordinary bandage over it to protect it from getting bumped. I used an Emu blended moisturizing cream to put on the cyst before bandage is applied. Kept it on for 3 days, and the cyst slowly shrank to almost flat. I think it needs to stay moist to avoid drying out and cracking open and starting a new cyst over.

Would like to work on getting at the root of the cyst. But at least I have worked out a technique to keep this in check. Thank you all for posting your solutions to this bothersome bump!!! Love Earth Clinic.


Binding Pressure Method
Posted by Susan (Lafayette, In) on 04/06/2018
★★★★★

A ganglion cyst appeared almost overnight on the inside of my right wrist during a lupus flare. It was extremely painful, and pressure increased the pain. After about 8 days the pain went away, but then the cyst started growing and freaking me out.

A friend told me about the book bashing treatment, which I rejected out of hand. But after a few hours, I decided to try pressure on the cyst, I. e., a less extreme version of book smashing. The first time I applied pressure with my left thumb I heard something crunching. Applied pressure again, heard crunching again, and whoopee! The cyst was gone, no residual pain or impaired movement.

Replied by Tiffany
(Texas)
04/17/2022

Did it return?


Binding Pressure Method
Posted by Trish (Morris, New Jersey) on 07/12/2017
★★★★★

Yes, the binding does work on the wrist!! I had a painful ganglion in my right wrist to the point where I couldn't even pick or hold anything in that hand with pain. I had the same issue along with tendonitis the year prior and had to do physio but this time around didn't have time to see the doctor. I used my wrap bandage to wrap my wrist on/off but the week where the pain got the worst I went to sleep with my wrist wrapped and the next morning - gone!!!

No pain or anything and it's been a week so far and my wrist is fine - I will say though I woke up with a slightly (but definitely visibly) swollen hand (probably due to the lack of blood flow or something I'm not sure) and it lasted until about 2-3 hours after I woke up but by lunch all back to normal!


Binding Pressure Method
Posted by Brian (Brooklyn) on 05/16/2016
★★★★★

I just wanted to share my experience.

I had a big cyst on my wrist for a year or more. it was like another knuckle. I read on this site that frankenscence oil would help, and I was applying it fairly regularly for a week or so, then I dropped off as it was unclear if it was working.

A few nights ago my cyst was bothering me more than usual. Sometimes I press on it, hoping that it will surprise me and pop, even though that was a bit scary.

But this time I kind of pulled it to the side. I felt a slight click and watched with my jaw dropped wide as it slowly disappeared. It's gone!


Binding Pressure Method
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, SC) on 04/07/2013
★★★★★

I had what an orthopedic surgeon described as a ganglion cyst on the outside of my left ankle. It had stayed there for a number of years growing more and more every year until it was bothering me when I walked. The surgeon told me he could lance it but it would grow back. He told me the cause: the foot is like a building, he explained. If a part of it shifts incorrectly then the whole will not drain liquids as it should. As such, the cyst accumulates liquid and continually grows. Well, I went home and thought about that for a while. If my left foot structure had shifted then why wasn't it hurting somehow. So I began pressing the foot, using my thumb to see if some "issue" existed that I knew not of. The cyst was on the outside of the left ankle but I was pressing my forefinger and thumb all around the inside of the top of the foot... Deeply pressing, to find something wrong. After all, if the foot structure was "out" as the surgeon had told me then something would be "disjointed. " It took me only five minutes to find the spot. How could I have not felt that pain before is beyond me. Between the big toe and the second toe, about an inch up the top of the foot...as I pressed deeply with my finger, a terrific pain and soreness was instantly evident. "What is THAT?" I thought. I gently used pressure... five seconds and letting up (with my thumb and forefinger). After twenty minutes I let the foot rest.

The next morning to my amazement the size of the cyst had diminished by about one third in size! That night I repeated the pressure method where the pain was centered... Between the big tow and second toe... but up the foot...deep into the foot. The next day the cyst was half the size as before I'd started. The third day, an amazing thing happened. As I did my usual "press" with my foot crossed over my right knee, and using my right hand with thumb below the big toe and forefinger pressing on top between the big toe and second toe, suddenly, the structure "clicked" as if clicking back in place! I gently massaged the left foot. No pain or soreness at all. The next morning the entire cyst was GONE. From then on, I occasionally repeat the technique...pushing between the toes and gently separating the big toe deep and high in the foot from the second toe. And on occasion, it will "click" back. That was eight years ago. The cyst has never come back. I just wonder if many of the cysts that arise are structurally instigated cysts that can be "manipulated" such that the structure, whether it be hand or foot etc using a method I describe herein might reset the structure allowing proper drainage. Also, it could be that some "cysts" described in this section are not caused by the "structure" problem the orthopedic surgeon explained to me.

Once I had a growth on my hand coming out of the inside of the palm, between the little finger and fourth finger. That one, unlike the one on my foot was hard.The ganglion cyst on my foot was soft. The one on my hand I do not believe could be described as a ganglion cyst. I used DMSO, the solvent and anti oxidant, applied with a white paper towel and left as a poultice for thirty minutes. Two applications were sufficient to make the cyst disappear. Dilute the DMSO with an equal amount of purified water or the DMSO will "pucker" the skin. The pucker will go away' in a few hours but it will scare you. To make sure the cyst was not caused by an infection I'd use as the "dilution" not just any water, but colloidal silver. The silver will kill any infection. That hard cyst on my hand came back in the exact place six months later and the second time I did use the DMSO plus the colloidal silver as a "dilution" and again used a white pater towel with about twenty drops of DMSO and twenty drops of colloidal silver. That was ten years ago. That hand cyst has never returned. The DMSO is good for stiff hands (arthritic hands and fingers, by the way). Just a cap full rubbed into the hands like a lotion making sure joints of both hands are covered... all joints and poof...hands as good as new. Every year or so I feel that stiffness and I pull out my DMSO.

Replied by Bev
(Long Beach, Ca)
04/10/2013

I have a new lump in the palm of my left hand. It's about the size of a pea. Could you tell me where my pressure point would be to see if I can get rid of this thing? No idea what it is. Thank you.

Replied by Dave
(Fountain Inn, Sc)
09/14/2013

Bev, please forgive me for taking so long to respond but I missed your question in the "recent posts" which I sometimes can't get to on a regular basis.

On finding the pressure point, use your thumb between the fingers on palm side and work up them quarter inch at a time. Also try this: sitting on your couch take your hand and flare out the thumb using different angles to press against the cushion... you are stretching the muscles to see if anthing moves.

You are looking for a sore point; I call it the "ouch" point. That is what you massage and in time the lossened up structure may shift. If that is the source of the problem the cyst will recede by the next day.

Keep repeating until the cyst is gone and the "structure" is back to normal. I've noticed hand issues are common with folks who do a lot of gardening/ boxing on a heavy bag without wraps/ tennis/ golf etc. I think I read there are over fifty bones in the hand so anything out can cause a problem. Remember what I said about the cyst I had between my fingers: Consider using DMSO as an anti inflamatory if the "hand/ pressure point" method doesn't work.

Replied by Grace
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
12/25/2015
★★★★★

Thanks for sharing. I believe you actually found the acupressure point to trigger the flow of fluid. After reading your experience, it made sense to me. So I decided to try to find the soreness in the fleshy part of the palm just below my left thumb. Once I found the soreness alternately massaged it and press it with my right thumb for a few seconds. I repeated the procedure a couple of times and after a while the ganglion on my left wrist, the pain was no more. Before I did that the pain from the ganglion was increasing. I believe the ganglion was growing and putting more pressure on my nerve. I can't believe how fast the pain went off. My left hand and forearm loosen up a lot. Thanks for sharing your remedy.

Replied by Bonnie
(Florida, USA)
11/13/2023
★★★★★

WOW! Thank you for this information. I had the exact problem as you did. I tried many of the other treatments suggested, but none worked. And the cyst was pressing on the nerves in my thumb causing a lot of pain. Your explanation made a lot of sense, so I decided to focus on finding a very tender spot around my thumb joint where it connected to my wrist. And I found it! Ouch!! With my right hand, I used a 5" wooden dowel about 1/2" wide to put pressure directly on spot, and then used the side of it to roll back and forth and sideways to massage the spot deeply in several directions. Ouch/Ouch!! Then I deeply massaged the area with my (right hand) thumb and pulled and stretched everything in that area and in my whole hand in many directions. The cyst decreased in size by 75% and the nerve pain was minimal within 10 minutes of doing this procedure. I will now let my wrist/cyst rest for a few hours and then repeat this treatment until the cyst is 100% gone.


Binding Pressure Method
Posted by Janet (Columbus, Ms) on 09/01/2012
★★★★★

Binding method- I had a ganglion cyst on the base of my fingernail bed, under the skin area that caused my nail to grow out crooked. I tried puncturing with a needle but it kept returning. I wrapped my finger with a band aide then took a strong tape and bound it tight. Kept it bound for a few days and it forced all the liquid out of the cyst. It has never come back and a new nail came in perfectly. I wonder if that would work for a cyst on the wrist too?