1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Hand osteoarthritis with mucous cysts

Posted by bonnieh218 @bonnieh218, May 4, 2018

Has anyone with osteoarthritis in the hands developed any mucous cysts? I have these cysts on my finger that my primary care says is from osteoarthritis. He says there’s nothing you can do with them however, don’t pop them because of possible infection. They have become painful and burst open by themselves when they get so large. They drain and then regrow again. Wondering if anyone has heard of this and which type of doctor would be the right kind to visit.

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jilliemo12345 | @jilliemo12345 | Mar 10, 2022
In reply to @fourof5zs "@ gracemarie Strange .. I had my shower a bit ago and while washing my hair..." + (show)
@fourof5zs

@ gracemarie

Strange .. I had my shower a bit ago and while washing my hair my first joint beyond my nail on my index finger was hurting. It sorta looks like several tiny cyst grouped together close up .. but not close up looks like a hump on my joint. I have osteoarthritis in that joint.. so that is what I searched for and came up with this site that mentions several types of nodes: https://www.orthobullets.com/hand/6055/dip-and-pip-joint-arthritis . After reading this and looking up actual photos instead of illustrations I am still confused as to what it is. I have an appointment with an orthopedist PA-C in a couple of weeks for followup on a sprained wrist and will ask him what he thinks.

I attached some photos, but not sure what can be seen .. other than my pitiful nails. I need to get my protein up to help them and take a better care of them.

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I have the same humps on both my pointer fingers and on one middle finger. Mine look exactly like yours.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis for the last 7 yrs. I had these humps before my “official” diagnosis. I think these are common. I also have them in my soft tissue is my arms. About your nails, I have taken Biotin for about 6 months and finally my nails are getting harder Best price is Costco.
Best wishes to you.

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2 replies
gracemarie | @gracemarie | Mar 10, 2022
In reply to @jilliemo12345 "I have the same humps on both my pointer fingers and on one middle finger. Mine..." + (show)
@jilliemo12345

I have the same humps on both my pointer fingers and on one middle finger. Mine look exactly like yours.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis for the last 7 yrs. I had these humps before my “official” diagnosis. I think these are common. I also have them in my soft tissue is my arms. About your nails, I have taken Biotin for about 6 months and finally my nails are getting harder Best price is Costco.
Best wishes to you.

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Are yours painful. The bumps on my finger are painful on and off but mostly on now. They ache and burn.

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1 reply
jilliemo12345 | @jilliemo12345 | Mar 10, 2022
In reply to @gracemarie "Are yours painful. The bumps on my finger are painful on and off but mostly on..." + (show)
@gracemarie

Are yours painful. The bumps on my finger are painful on and off but mostly on now. They ache and burn.

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If I bump them they are painful, but do not itch. I put hand lotion on regularly to keep the skin in good condition.
I think the bumps could be osteoarthritis.
My doctor said if they swell turn red and open up to get treatment immediately. So far they are just there.
Your doctor might give you more information, you might schedule a visit.
Wish you the best GraceMarie
Keeping positive helps, Jill

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ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Mar 12, 2022
In reply to @ljbrindle "Ask to be checked for Erosive Osteoarthritis (EOA) which is exclusive to hands & less commonly..." + (show)
@ljbrindle

Ask to be checked for Erosive Osteoarthritis (EOA) which is exclusive to hands & less commonly to feet. If that is what you have, a referral to a Rheumatologist would be in order. Going to an Occupational Therapist was the best thing I ever did because there were so many adaptive aids available.

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Thank you, I will ask about it.
ZeeGee

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ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Mar 12, 2022
In reply to @jilliemo12345 "I have the same humps on both my pointer fingers and on one middle finger. Mine..." + (show)
@jilliemo12345

I have the same humps on both my pointer fingers and on one middle finger. Mine look exactly like yours.
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis for the last 7 yrs. I had these humps before my “official” diagnosis. I think these are common. I also have them in my soft tissue is my arms. About your nails, I have taken Biotin for about 6 months and finally my nails are getting harder Best price is Costco.
Best wishes to you.

Jump to this post

@jilliemo12345

I am going to ask about it. The weather is making my index finger hurt more. Last night I was using some Mentholatum salve to help me breathe .. tree pollen is heavy here .. and I decided to put a light coating on my finger where it hurts and on my finger nails. It helped both.

I have had some abdominal surgeries and have had bits of my stomach removed and a gastric bypass to repair hiatal hernia.. and to put my intestines back where they belong .. and a bit more. I do not absorb vitamins and minerals as I should. Biotin is in my chewable vitamin. My doctor said eat more protein. .. I am low on it. Beef liver, tuna, salmon, legumes .. good sources of both protein and biotin.. so I try to eat more of them.

No Costco here. .. we have Sam's Club. Get lots of things there I am sure about same price as Costco .. seemed so when we visited my brother and his wife in Spanaway Washington a few years back .

Thank you,
ZeeGee

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ninap | @ninap | Jul 9, 2023
In reply to @ed2 "How do I know if this is a cyst or a contagious wort? They look exactly..." + (show)
@ed2

How do I know if this is a cyst or a contagious wort? They look exactly the same, apparently.

I also have a few of these. I had one on my middle finger between the cuticle and the joint, but no arthritis in that finger. I was full of clear gel and would rupture and regrow. My dermatologist called it a wort caused by bacteria and froze it. I googled "blister wort" and found someone with them all over the backs of their hands, and looked very similar to mine, but it also looks exactly like the mucous cysts. I went back for 5 freezes on that same location over a few months. Finally, it quit coming back. That was about a year ago. Now I have one on my index finger on top of my arthritis knob. I went back to my dermatologist, and this time he called it a cyst and a wort in the same sentence. He froze it, and it didn't really go away. I hate the liquid nitrogen, it's painful and leaves you with a nasty sore that lasts for a weeks, so I decided to try to handle it on my own. I used the duct tape treatment that works for other types of worts, and after about 3 weeks of that it got smaller but hasn't gone away. I also have another one on my other index finger which also has an arthritis knob. I am currently trying soaking my finger in Epsom salt water, and I will also try the various ointments that I have seen here. If none of that works, it's back to Mr. Freeze.

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How are your hands now? Any confirmation of whether it was a wort or a cyst?

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bunnybear | @bunnybear | Jul 10, 2023

I had a mucous cyst removed by a hand surgeon. She may have removed it because of the location right at the base of my nail where growth of the nail begins. It was distorting my nail badly into two pieces with a deep groove down the center. Something had hit that area sharply while I was packing for a move. Anyway, my outcome was very good. I don’t know if they remove those on other areas of the hand but you might ask. You need to prepare for having the hand bandaged and immobilized for a couple of weeks. You’d be surprised how that impacts you. Everything from opening pill bottles to toileting to putting on shoes/clothes. I had a daughter stay with me for a week. Don’t know how I’d have gotten along without her help. The surgery was definitely worth it though. Good luck!

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