Saturday, May 30, 2009 Stella asks

Q: How long after a trauma do RSD (crps) symptoms begin? Do others wonder if their treatment actually

Doctors originally thought my RSD was due to a drill drop with puncture wound on my right foot. But after seeing some of the newer research I am wondering if the invasive treatment I had could actually have been the inciting incident. The foot hurt some but appeared to be healing, but doctors were concerned about infection and began treating with daily irrigation done with a local block of lidocaine/marcaine shots. The fifth irrigation treatment hurt way more than the ones prior and within an hour my ankle and then my whole leg up to the knee began to swell, redden, and feel hot. This seemed to be the onset of RSD as it was so dramatic. Is there any research as to how quickly RSD appears after the 'inciting' incident? What have other patients experienced?

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Answers (3)

Karen Lee Richards, Health Guide

6/ 1/09 7:23am

I wish I could tell you for sure, but you may never know whether it was the initial injury or the treatment that triggered the RSD. There are some cases of immediate onset of RSD, but most of the time it doesn't show up for a few weeks or several months. Because of the dramatic reaction following your fifth treatment, it certainly does seem like that could be the onset – or an unusual coincidence of timing.

Since I don't have RSD, I can't share a personal experience – but we do have several RSD community members, so hopefully some of them will see your question and share their experiences.

reruho

8/21/09 7:56pm

I started having symptoms within 2 weeks of my car accident. My left arm was smashed against the window by the airbag. (I started out with a chipped ulnar, 4 weeks later they found a undisplaced distal radial fracture, and after another 4 weeks compression fractures in my hand.)

My first symptoms were burning pain and swelling. I was told to take bendryl and elevate my arm. After the cast came off, the allodynia started. I could not stand the movement of air across my skin, the touch of a sheet or any type of restrictive clothing in the wrist area. Within the next few weeks, it spread up my arm and I started having vasospasms in my upper arm and the freezing pain started. This is within the first 3 months.

I had my first diagnosis at 10 weeks and officially confirmed at 16 weeks by Pain Management. I had a couple of months on intensive OT after coming out out of the cast, during which I was able to regain full range of motion and use of my left arm. In other words, no atrophy. I do have some stiffness in my wrist (site of the original injury), usually in the mornings. I have had two sets of 3 stellate ganglion blocks. Which have been helpful, 7-10 painfree days with each block and returning pain at a lower level.

Now 2 years later, I can say that I have been able to get to a point where I live a relatively normal life as long as I take my medication and avoid some of the pain triggers.

rsdsfoot

1/ 5/10 9:11pm

I suspect the treatment of my foot pucture at urgent care caused my RSDS. During the treatment I was given an injection for the pain and also a saline flush (irrigation?)--both performed on the bottom of my foot at the site of the puncture. Both of these caused excruciating pain at the time the doctor performed them. The latter was done forcefully and caused severe pain across the top of my foot which seemed strange to me given the location of the wound. Within an hour of getting home I began experiencing extreme pain and swelling of the foot up to and including the ankle. I was diagnosed with RSDS three months later.

Q: How long after a trauma do RSD (crps) symptoms begin? Do others wonder if their treatment actually

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