Re-Post- Interesting Facts About RSD - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Message Board

Horsie Nutt · 08-08-2003, 12:25 AM

I can't remember who origionally posted this one, but it's got some important things you should know if you have RSD. Who-ever origionally posted this, please stand up.

Hey Bryn, was it you?

Interesting Facts About RSD

There are an estimated over 7 million victims of RSD all across the USA.

RSD strikes men and women but typically 75 percent of cases are in women.

It strikes victims from 1 to 101 although about 65 percent of patients contract the disease in their 30s or 40s.

In 30 percent of RSD cases, the precipitating cause is unknown.

***RSD patients should not be treated with ice -- it could make the RSD worsen and may spread.***

40 percent of all patients have seem 10 or more doctors since getting RSD.

RSD patients do not want their loved ones to know how painful the disease is.

A drop in the barometric pressure increases the pain in nearly 3 out of 4 patients.

RSD spreads in up to 80 percent of cases with only 8 percent of these cases being full body or systemic.

The overall response rate to treatment is poor with over 50 percent of patients reporting significant pain and sometimes disability years later.

RSD pain is ranked 42 on the McGill pain index, which means it is rated as the most painful chronic pain disease that exists .

RSD occurs in approximately 1 to 15 percent of cases of peripheral nerve injury .

“ . . . The pain of RSD is enough to drive anybody out of their mind but
what I admire is the fact that RSD patients still keep their sanity. . . ” Dr H. Hooshmand, M. D., P.A.

"If Hell were a clinical medical condition, it might look something like reflex sympathetic dystrophy or RSD." Tom Haederle - Johns Hopkins University

Here's the McGill Pain Scale I found, so I'll add it to this post since it mentioned it.
Cathy

"According to the McGill pain index, arthritis has a pain rating of 18, a fracture 19, labor 22, cancer 26, chronic back pain 27, while incredibly, RSD/CRPS has a rating of 42. It is extreme to say the least."

[This message has been edited by Horsie Nutt (edited 08-08-2003).]