Hi logic woman,

I had nerve damage from a dog bite to my hand. I had compressions and they needed to be repaired in my instance. I had many nerve blocks and my pain doc new that my RSD was not going away without repair. Of course with RSD there are no guarantees...just hopefuls with each new treatment. The hand specialist saw me and it had spread up my arm and in shoulder....it seemed to me it was spreading to my chest and back I had been having the tingling all over my skin and pain stabbing aching etc....,color changes, sweating, cold rsd. 2 hand specialists just kept sending me back for blocks SGB upper xtremety. The one that saw me next did a thourough exam while I was in flare. will never forget......but most drs don't want to do nerve studies in RSd.
My surgeon did an exploratory under 2 blocks and put me deeply out.......absolutely no pain then I woke up with marcaine drip in my arm to numb me for a week post op. He was extremely careful about keeping a no pain atmosphere. When I woke up He said he repaired 3 areas of nerves and it was definately enough to cause my RSD. I felt like a brick had been lifted off me. Well that was Nov 08 and surg was done 16 mo. into my rsd. Hooshmand says surgery of this kind should be done within 6 mo onset RSD. I was worried about having it so late but have no regrets. I am however left with severe spasming sweating but nothing like the severe other symptoms that I left in the OR. Same guy is going to do Botox injections next week to paralyse the nerves to quiet them. Just my story everyone is diferent and you may tolerate the nerve studies OK. another point I have read that only a small percentage of RSD nerve damages actually can be detected in nerve studies. Mine were microscopically investigated.

If you do have nerve entrapments or compressions then your rsd may not stay quiet for ever. I hope you get resolve so you don't have to deal with rsd.


Take care, Wishing you no more pain ever
debbie