How do you get rid of a cyst? Does it require medical treatment?

You must see a dermatologist about this BUT, most cysts are surgically removed (I have one on my upper arm and one on my finger -- a friend of mine had one removed from behind her ear). A local anesthetic is used to numb the area, then the doctor makes an incision and removes the cyst before stitching the area closed.

G'day,

Thank you for your question.

A cyst is a closed sac having a distinct membrane and developing abnormally in a cavity or structure of the body. Cysts may occur as a result of a developmental error in the embryo during pregnancy or they may be caused by infections. However, sometimes they arise spontaneously with no apparent cause. Cysts are often dangerous as they may have negative effects (for instance, compression) on the nearby tissue. They may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. You should see a doctor as soon as possible.

I have attached sources for your reference.

Regards

Wikipedia Cyst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyst
Medicine.net cyst
http://www.medicinenet.com/cysts/article.htm
Answers.com cyst
http://www.answers.com/cyst&r=67

Beleive it or not, anti-biotics can cure a cyst as well. I had a cyst on the back of my hand last year for about 5 months. When I got an unrelated illness infection, I was prescribed Bactrim, which is a powerful anti-biotic. By the time I was done with the anti-biotic, the cyst had diminished in size dramatically. I don't recommend this though, since this may have been completely coincidental.

Another tried and true method of getting rid of a cyst is by breakage...though again, this is NOT recommended. Depending on the size of the cyst, a direct blow with a heavy object can break it. Since cysts usually consist of build-ups of fluids and fats, breaking them will cause them to rupture and disperse into the bloodstream. However, this is a very painful method, and by breaking the cyst, you may further complicate matters by causing the broken pieces to settle in other parts of the area, creating many cysts instead of the one that you had. Also, depending on where underneath the skin that the cyst is situated, you may cause the ruptured pieces to get lodged in critical areas, which can cause severe bruising and some non-life threatening internal bleeding.

The best thing to do is to go to your doctor. When I had my cyst, my doctor offered to drain it. All she was going to do was numb the area with a local anesthetic, and drain it with a needle. Granted, my cyst was very small and could've easily been drained, and larger cysts may require other methods. Cysts may also dissolve by themselves over time...but it typically takes a very long time. If you are concerned about the cyst, have your doctor drain it or remove it, depending on how he/she decides to proceed. They may even decide to smash it, though thats a practice not typically used anymore. The important thing is to not worry...cyst removal is not really a painful or extensive procedure.

A product called "Furuncle Med." It is an herbal salve. I've had large cysts on my right buttocks for several years. I've had two surgeries on them but they keep coming back anyway. :) This herbal product is the ONLY thing that has worked for me. You apply it to a large bandaid and then apply it to the cyst and leave it alone, refreshing the dressing with a new one every day. Within two to three days the cyst, or boil, will burst.
After that, keep it rinsed with clear water and apply neosporin to a bandaid and apply it to the already cleaned and burst area until it closes or heals. I use large bandaids and clip off most of the adhesive around the bandaid so it won't irritate my skin. You only need a fine line of adhesive for it to stick. Google "Furuncle-Med" and you will see where you can order it. I'm serious, it works...
I was also advised to change soaps to an anti-bacterial soap such as SafeGuard, which I did.

Well I had one a few months ago(my first one ever)on my butt yes i said on my butt it was the most painful thing that i have ever experienced. It had to be surgically removed and they didn't stitch it up they had to pack it and wait for the packing to draw the infection out and it had to be repacked by my doctor 3 times with no pain medicine it sucked so i would advise you to go to the doctor immediately if you think that it is one because i waited to long and it was way worse!! TRUST ME IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE ONE SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT THEN YOU CAN E-MAIL ME AT redneck_cowgurl_2005@yahoo.com

I had a cyst for a long time that eventually filled up with fluid I put the skin of an egg shell on it overnight which drew it to a head then placed a very hot rag on it and it popped.

hi, i have had a cyst on my back for over 8yrs and another has grown on my head over the last couple of years.I have ignored it far too long and have decided to have them surgically removed after reading the above comments.I feel reassured that its nothing to be worried about and the problem is not going to go away unless it is dealt with.Thank you and wish me luck!!

I had a cyst on my face for 2 years. I went to a dermatologist, he poked a hole in it and squeezed it as hard as he could, and a thick white substance came out. He didn't get much, but then I went to a pharmacy, bought sterile pads, lances, antibiotic wipes, bandaids, and antibiotic ointment. I just kept the small hole made by the doctor open, squeezing everything out. It was A LOT of work, I spent about 5 hours in front of the mirror, squeezing my face as hard as I could. I made sure to dress it properly to prevent infections and apply pressure to prevent pus or blood buildup. My doctor said I could come back for surgery (I wouldn't mind a small scar on my face), but I just did this to save money. I haven't yet squeezed the sack itself out, so my cyst could come back and I may need to get surgery after all. The downfall to this is that I bruised my face up and had to ice.

It depends what kind of cyst. Usually they will treat a cyst under the arm, for instance, first with medications, then only if necessary do they surgically remove it. For ovarians cysts, the treatment is often similar - pills to melt it, and then if that is not successful then surgery is considered, but it depends upon the cyst, of course. Cysts in breasts usually are harmless and benign, though more painful than malignant lumps, so most of the time you may have to live with the pain and curb your diet perhaps to reduce the incidence of these cysts. But of course it is always best to see a doctor, and it does depend on the type of cyst and where it is located in the body.

The best way is to have it surgically removed. Talk to your primary care provider about having it removed if that's what you want to do.

It all depends on where the cyst is if they will do anything or give anything.. since I was 6 I've had a small cyst above my eye, it kinda flots in the high part of my eyelid.. the drs don't want to remove it because it's not affecting my vision, but if they operate, it could affect it... and there really isn't a point to anti-biotics if its not sore (so my dr says)... she also says that anti-biotics should not be taken unless really needed, otherwise we grow use to the chemicals and when we really need them, they won;t work.

It completely depends on the type, size and location of it.

I have had issues with cysts since I was eighteen. I had to get one surgically removed. I have found the best ways to keep these from happening is staying clean mostly (shower 2 times a day or at least once) Also, you can take a supplement call olive leaf extract, this works for me with about two weeks time in a bad case, or if taken all the time I seem to never have them. If you do take this supplement it helps out with more than just infections. Plus as long as Im not drinking to much, it will keep these infections away. Drinking heavily has always made these worse, fyi. Biology I suppose. My dad uses tea tree extract to make his actually pop and dry up. Kinda like in a post I saw earlier. I still say do both. Oh and one more thing. Pimple Cream, Benzyl Peroxide. Rub that stuff on it, just a little every day and It well make it slowly dissapear. The benzyl peroxide method makes them usually just go away with out popping. Really good Technic if you just notice one coming up. These things suck so take care of it. All of theses are easy ways to take care of it at home, no doc required. If it is horrible though GO TO THE DOC, ATIBIOTICS ARE SOMETIMES NEEDED.

DO NOT USE THE BREAKAGE TEKNIQUE IT WILL MAKE THINGS WORSE IN THE LONG RUN, BETTER OFF SLICING IT WITH A KNIFE THAN PUTTING THE POISON BACK IN YOUR BODY.

i have had a cyst for ten years my doctor said for about $2000 he could cut it out .i put some radium weed on it three days ago and it has crusted ova and a huge pustule has appeared on it and now it is clearing up.it was deeply set in behind my ear i could squeeze it foul smelling stuff would come out.will let yous know

I read on a medical site that you can often bring a cyst to a head by applying a warm (as warm as you can stand) compress a few times a day for 15 or 20 minutes. It said that it usually takes 5 to 7 days though. It also said not to try and break it because it can cause infections.

Smokers are more inclined to get cysts. Cysts typically don't pose a health threat and usually contain a whitish substance with a cheezy, kind of sour smell.

There are different viewpoints on treating cysts by the different professions. That is, surgeons want to cut it out; dermotologists may utilize an antibiotic; acupunctural strategy is the least invasive and can assist in keeping cysts from later appearing on other parts of the body. Lancing properly and antibiotics applied are some things that I have seen people do as a home remedy.

Well, I've had two cysts in the last 6 months and I believe I have a third right now. The first one contained seven liters of fluid and had to be surgically removed, but for the second, my doctor prescribed a strong antibiotic coupled with a warm compress for 20 minutes twice a day. Both methods worked well. Try the antibiotic and warm compress method first, seeing as though it's obviously less painful.

Get two small pieces of white cotton cloth. Dampen one in vinegar, place on boil or cyst or acne. This may burn if it is an open sore. Leave on for 10-15 minutes. With the other small cloth, dampen with very warm water. Alternate between using both cloths until problem is gone. This will typically bring the offending infection to the surface within a matter of a few days and can be used even in delicate areas of the body.

During the course of and MRI for my spine,a 17mm renal cyst was discvered. What is my next step?