Real Help: Sympathetic Dystrophies
At The Pain Relief Center, Ajay Aggarwal, MD, has had success treating RSD/CRPS using a variety of procedures.
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.
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.
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 part. 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 any and 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 be more frequent in women. The cause of RSD/CRPS is unknown, and current treatments are not effective for many patients.
However, here at The Pain Relief Center, Ajay Aggarwal, MD, has had success treating RSD/CRPS using a variety of chronic pain management procedures.
For more information about how Dr. Aggarwal can help you with your neuropathic pain, contact The Pain Relief Center closest to you. Please call us at (979) 245.7246 (Bay City), (979) 285.9995 (Lake Jackson). For your convenience, you can use our online Request an Appointment form.
