Those soft lumps on the top of your feet are benign, but they can still cause pain and problems wearing shoes. Surgery for ganglion cysts is not always necessary, though. The cyst may shrink on its own over time, or even disappear completely without treatment.
If the growth persists, or if it is painful or causes skin friction in your shoes, we can try other methods of treatment for cysts. Sometimes immobilizing your foot with a splint can reduce joint movement enough so the pain of the cyst goes away. We can also try aspirating it—removing the fluid from the sac with a needle. This is done with local anesthetic and sterile equipment, and may involve injecting an enzyme to thin the fluid and a follow-up injection of a steroid to keep the cyst from returning.
However, sometimes these methods don’t take care of the problem, and then we can completely remove the fluid sac and the stem that attaches it with surgery. Call (303) 423-2520 and schedule an appointment at Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center in Wheat Ridge, Golden, Evergreen, or Granby, CO or use our online form to connect with us about your foot problems.
