Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD) is a disorder that causes lasting pain, usually in an arm or leg, and it shows up after an injury, stroke, or even heart attack. But the severity of pain is typically worse than the original injury itself. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes it, but they are able to treat many cases.
The term reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome is actually not a name that doctors use anymore. It’s an older term used to describe one form of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). RSD is sometimes called Type I CRPS, and it’s caused by injury to tissue with no related nerve damage.
When you get RSD, your symptoms may show up slowly. You may have pain first, and then it may get worse over time. You may not realize your pain is abnormal at first.
It’s most common to get RSD in your arm, shoulder, leg, or hip. Usually the pain spreads beyond your injury site. In some cases, symptoms can spread to other parts of your body, too.
It’s most common to get RSD in your arm, shoulder, leg, or hip. Usually the pain spreads beyond your injury site. In some cases, symptoms can spread to other parts of your body, too.
RSD can also affect your immune system. This can cause:
Early detection is key in RSD treatment. The earlier you’re able to catch it, the better your treatment will work. Some cases of RSD don’t respond to treatment. RSD doesn’t have a cure, but it’s possible to recover from many of the symptoms.
Some of the medications your doctor may suggest include:
If your pain doesn’t seem to be going away, even after treatment, your doctor may suggest a surgery called a sympathectomy. During this procedure, a surgeon removes certain nerves around your blood vessels to help improve your blood flow.
Often, doctors don’t know your pain is being caused by RSD until you’ve had it for some time. When pain doesn’t go away, or is more severe than it should be for your type of injury, it can be the first clue that it could be RSD.
There’s no single test that can tell your doctor whether you have RSD. Instead, they’ll rely on a physical exam and your medical history information. There are also a few tests that can provide clues to see if you have certain signs of the condition. These include:
Bone scan. This test can detect if any of your bones are wearing away at the ends or whether there are issues with regular blood flow.
MRI. Your doctor might order an MRI to look inside your body, specifically at your tissues, for noticeable changes.
Sweat test. This test can tell your doctor if you sweat more on one side of your body than the other.
Thermography test. This sympathetic nervous system test checks to see if the temperature or blood flow is different at your injury site than in other parts of your body.
X-rays. These are typically ordered if your syndrome is in later stages to look for mineral loss in your bones.
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