What is RSDRSD is an abbreviation for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, also known as CRPS or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. RSD/CRPS is a chronic pain condition that some feel is the result of the nervous system malfunctioning. Others feel it is the result of the triggering of an immune system response. Which part of the nervous system malfunctions is not for sure. Some believe it could be the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, or a combination of both.
Most people with RSD seemed to have had a minor injury that affected an arm or leg, a hand, or a foot. The pain experienced from RSD / CRPS is much more intense than the pain you would expect to feel. Giving you a feeling that the pain is way out of proportion to the injury. There are, however, some people who have gotten RSD/CRPS with no apparent injury to the affected limb. Although it is rare, some occurrences have been reported after surgeries. I know that the pain I experienced after I dropped the pallet on my left foot was way more intense than it should have been, and as time went on, it got worse.
About My Injury
It felt like my body was stuck in the same response pattern, similar to a record with a skip in it that keeps playing the same part of the song over and over. I dropped something on my foot, ouch, it hurt, and I felt a stabbing, sharp pain. Then my body told me to move my left foot so the muscles in my left leg contracted. Since my foot was bleeding, my body decreased the blood flow. With reduced blood flow, my leg and foot felt cold, and then they started to swell.
The contraction of the muscles in my leg was so tight that it was hard for me to initiate movement or complete movements. My foot would often stick when I walked. This cycle kept repeating itself over and over again, and I could feel it. I believe RSD is our body’s way of repeating these exaggerated responses. This repetitiveness is highly frustrating, painful, and stressful. A body under continual stress, in a heightened fight-or-flight response, experiences extra pressure on all its bodily systems, including the immune system.
Our Amazing Body
Let’s look at how amazing the body really is. For example, when we injure our arm, a pain signal is sent to our brain alerting it that something is wrong. This initial pain signal can vary depending on the type of injury that has occurred to your arm. The pain signal being sent can be mild, sharp, stabbing, shooting, burning, or a combination of these signals.
The body then quickly assesses the extent of the damage. If we cut ourselves, the body monitors the blood flow to the arm and then restricts and/or contracts the muscles in the arm, allowing us to move the arm out of harm’s way. Our heart beats faster, our breath is quicker, some of us may start sweating, while others may shiver. All of these responses by the body occur in a matter of seconds, and I feel that in the case of RSD/CRPS, they seem to persist long after the initial injury has healed.
Experts say Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) was first recognized during the Civil War, when it was referred to as causalgia. Now, RSD / CRPS is classified as Type I or Type II. Type I is often the result of tissue injury with no nerve damage or injury, while Type II is associated with a nerve injury or damage. Both Type I and II have the same symptoms. RSD affects everyone; however, it appears that women are more likely to get it.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Symptoms
It is crucial that if you have RSD / CRPS or any of the following symptoms, you get diagnosed quickly. RSD seems to occur in stages, each stage is worse than the previous stage, so the sooner you are diagnosed, the better. If you or anyone you know has the following symptoms, or feels their pain or symptoms seem exaggerated, ask your doctor if you could have RSD / CRPS.
- Pain is more intense than what should occur with an injury.
- Burning Pain.
- Changes in skin temperature, skin color, or skin texture.
- Changes in nail and hair growth on the limb with the initial injury.
- Swelling and stiffness in the injured area.
- Decreased ability to move the injured area.
For another viewpoint, there was a really good article in Neurology Now about RSD / CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy). You can click here to read it. You can also request to receive this magazine at no charge. My journey back to health is also available.