The other day my mum said 'oh, you have a ganglion.' I asked her what it was, but she just kept saying it over and over again until I had to shut her up and go find the computer. From the internet it seems mostly harmless, but she's made me worried about it (this is a classic shh's mum tendency).

I've always been paranoid about my hands because my dad has Dupuytren's contracture and told me about it when I was at the age where you develop your fears for life. I play a lot of music and like to draw, so damage to my hands is something I'm really terrified of. I'm always really careful to not lift very heavy things, do sports that make your hands tough or do anything that might damage them. I read a story in the paper today about a mercy killing of an old lady who had arthritis in her hands. Aaaagh

So. Does anyone have any stories about ganglions? Or tips on exercises and things I can do to stop my hands from getting ruined? Or general reassurances? Should I stop clicking my wrists, or does this not matter (I don't do it loads, just if they feel like they need stretching)?

I would like people to stop me from worrying and staring at my bony wrist all the time.

ok ganglion cyst is the weirdest thing ever.
i don't think clicking wrist matters. like cracking knuckles it doesn't rly do anything. maybe

I've had one before. It went away on it's own. It started with some tenderness in the wrist area then one day it appeared. They're harmless.

__________________
"The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, 'You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done'."
--George Carlin

i had one on my wrist from my old job and it didn't go away after like 6 months and hurt so i had it surgically removed. it was not so bad. i got a bunch of morphine in hospital and really great painkillers afterwards.

My mum has a ganglion from lifting a heavy box, she has it on her wrist and it is pretty butters. To get rid of it you have to smash it with the family bible. My Christmas book told me that.