When I have a flare up (and even when I don't since I have pretty high pain levels most of the time) I use the following:

1. First...hot bath with Epsom salts.

2. Ultrasound therapy with a home unit I got on Amazon for $40. I do the treatment on the areas that are flaring for 15-20 minutes usually.

3. TENS unit surrounding the area of flare up if possible. This only works for me if I can surround the area with the electrodes...not so good if it's a more generalized flare up over a large area...but when it DOES work this has the biggest impact on my pain levels and I will run it for an hour or more straight, rest and hour or two, then run it again and so on.

4. Heat patches...these help a lot. I get the one use ones like Thermacare but the cheaper generic versions. I find the neck ones work best for me because I can wrap around my ankle, foot, knee, arm, etc...wherever the flare up in. If it's my feet or hands I use the little heat packets they sell at sporting goods stores and put those in socks, shoes, or gloves for the same effect.

5. I do physical therapy exercises that I was given when I did at home physical therapy when I was in a wheelchair. These are non weight bearing exercises that allow me to move but do not require me to stand or do anything too strenuous that I can't handle during the flare up.

6. I have a playlist on my iPod that I use for flare ups...mostly instrumentals and scores from my favorite movies and tv shows. I use ear buds...for some reason having the ear buds in vs listening on a speaker helps more to calm the flare.

7. Find something I can do sitting to occupy my mind and distract me. TV does NOT work for me. I usually do some cross stitching, work on a puzzle, color, etc...something I can really lose myself in and that will really occupy my mind so that there is something other than just the pain. I also sometimes listen to audiobooks from audible (instead of the music) WHILE I do these things to assist in the losing myself in something else and keep my mind off the pain.

Hope some of that helps...I don't use medications at all for my RSD pain so the coping mechanisms for me are key to functioning each and every day.