Diseases and Conditions
Ganglion cyst
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Preparing for an appointment
Causes
No one knows exactly what causes a ganglion cyst to develop. It grows out of a joint or the lining of a tendon, looking like a tiny water balloon on a stalk, and seems to occur when the tissue that surrounds a joint or a tendon bulges out of place. Inside the cyst is a thick lubricating fluid similar to that found in joints or around tendons.