Wow, I am so sorry you are all going through this kind of pain. Let me tell you I understand your pain. I was diagnosed with RSD in Dec. 2007 and have been trying to deal with it since then. I cut my left index finger and ended up with pain throughout my entire body (very rare, I am told). I did the blocks, different pain medications, saw a neurologist which tried different pain medications. The pain was unbelievable - intense burning 24/7 (7 on a scale of 10) - I could not function nor sleep. In August of 2008, after much prayer, we found a doctor who is a professor of neurosurgery at John Hopkins and he felt the pain was coming from the nerve damage in my finger. I had surgery to cut the damaged nerve and have it grow back - yes peripheral nerves do grow back - slowly - about 1 mm per day. The pain went even higher (8) as the nerve grew back (and I experience all sorts of new nerve pain, stabbing, shooting, vibrations, etc.). During this time I was doing PT and damaged the nerve about 6 weeks after surgery. Eventually, after about 3.5 months the pain was almost completely gone for about 9 days (what a joy that was) then it came back to about half of what it was before surgery (we believe I damaged the nerve during PT). Much more bearable at a 4 but still too high. By May 2009, I stopped using my hand and as long as I did not move the finger the pain stayed around a 1 or 2 but any movement of the hand sent it up (by this time it is 9 months after surgery). My arm has atrophied. I decided on a second surgery to bury the nerve in a bone in my hand to see if this would finally eliminate the pain and allow me to use my hand. I am 2 weeks after my second surgery and still waiting to see if the nerve will calm down.

I saw an article where researches now think RSD is simply nerve damage somewhere in the body. They know people can get RSD from a visable injury to the nerve (laceration, broken bone - Type II) - more and more doctors are now trying to repair the nerve (google nerve reconstruction, nerve grafting, nerve resection). Sometimes people don't remember dropping a can on their foot or hitting their elbow and then a while later they have RSD symptoms. Type I.

While I was at the PT office, I saw a man who simply twisted his arm and have nerve pain and a woman who simply bumped her arm on the fridge door and had nerve pain. They usually start with PT to try and resolve it but it if persists, surgery may be an option.

If they can find the source and fix the problem, the pain should go away or at least lessen.

Most of the doctors I saw (about 4 doctors) said that the cut probably started the problem but it was now its own problem and that fixing the nerve would not help. Well, for me, it did help somewhat.

Find a neurosurgeon who specializes in this.

Don't give up hope! With God, all things are possible!

Hope this helps you!