Louisiana Pain Care
Louisiana Pain Care
Louisiana Pain Care

RSD/CRPS Treatment

Expert Care and Relief for RSD/CRPS Pain

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), also known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), is a chronic condition characterized by burning and stabbing pain and nervous system abnormalities. CRPS is believed to be caused by central or peripheral nervous system dysfunction. Symptoms include changes in the color and temperature of the skin over an affected body part, intense burning pain, skin hypersensitivity, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), and swelling (edema).

How RSD/CRPS Begins

The condition typically appears after an acute, traumatic injury to a joint or limb, though it may also occur with no obvious precipitating event. At first, there is pain and swelling from the injury that does not subside but actually intensifies. It spreads from the injury site to other parts of the limb, to the other limbs or to remote regions of the body.

Typical RSD/CRPS Symptoms

The skin and deep tissues in affected areas are painfully sensitive to touch. Almost without exception, the pain is aggravated by using the affected body part, passive movement, or touching the area. Some patients have skin so hypersensitive that the slightest friction from clothing, bed sheets, or blowing produces excruciating pain. Such patients learn not to move the part and go to amazing extremes to protect their painful limb from all physical touch.

Almost any visual and auditory stimuli, such as unexpected noise or bright lights, rattling of a newspaper, noisy conversation, bumps in the road, a gentle hug, a breeze, any music, a siren or alarm clock, an airplane, or a banging door can cause a sudden, marked aggravation of pain.

Emotional disturbances, such as anger, fear, excitement, and mental distress aggravate the pain. The initiating factor may be an argument, hearing an exciting story, or watching a dramatic motion picture or television program. The pain can also flare up for no apparent reason.

Redness and abnormal warmth are also common due to alterations in blood flow. Changes in sweating, hair growth, muscles, joints, or bones and difficulty moving the joint or limb are other hallmarks of the disorder. In addition to the inflammation and abnormal autonomic nervous system function, there are changes in motor systems, including tremors, weakness, and spasm.

RSD/CRPS can affect both genders and all ages (including children), although it is thought to be more common between the ages of 40 and 60 and may occur more frequently in women. The cause of RSD/CRPS is unknown, and current treatments are not effective for many patients.

Live life pain-free and without limits

Get northeast Louisiana’s most comprehensive RDS care from highly credentialed pain specialists so you can get back to living, working, and playing again without pain. We offer unique capabilities in treatment and diagnostics, successfully controlling our patients’ pain while improving their quality of life.

We welcome and encourage your referrals.

For more information about RSD/CRPS pain relief, call Louisiana Pain Care in Monroe or Ruston at (318) 323-6405 today or use our online appointment request form.