At my first attempt at therapy, they used a machine called fluidotherapy. It was a machine that you could put an arm or a leg into. They would warm it up before putting your arm or leg into... it was basically a metal box that contained finely ground up corn cobs. In the end of the box, was a cloth, and you stuck your arm or leg in there. The machine would "gently" throw the corn cobs on your arm or leg while blowing warm air around. I think the idea was for desensitizing. Since my pain was in my shoulder, and the thing threw the cobs at my forearm - it didn't help anything. It felt pretty bizarre. Kind of gave me the willies that there was no way to clean the cobs between patients. Who knows what the person before me had (shivers!) - but I kept telling myself that they rarely had anyone with RSD, so it probably had not been on for months before I was in there.

My therapist insisted I do it for 20-30 minutes of my hour of therapy. With my shoulder injury, it was painful to put my arm in the box, and hold it still that long. I am a short person, and it was uncomfortable sitting in a way to get my arm in the box. I didn't have sensitivity in the area that would fit in the box, and didn't understand why he wanted me to do it. He showed me in his textbook for OT - where it said to do fluidotherapy. That was why - It said so! I got my bill for therapy, and found I had to pay $40 per session for this fluidotherapy. After that bill, I didn't do it. I told him it did nothing, except make my shoulder hurt worse, and if he insisted, then I was not going to pay for it! (I guess I am a nightmare patient! LOL!)

Of course, they would follow it up with ice too (Yikes!)

They don't use fluidotherapy (or ice) at the place I go to now.

Maybe the fluidotherapy they use where Heidi goes is completely different....