I've had RSD for 9 years.
I use pain meds and my Goldilocks method (jenough use of my effected limb to thwart atrophy, while not using it at all when my pain level starts elevating).
Lidocaine Patches are pure heaven for me in an emergency, but the catch is if you use them too often, they stop working. I never use them unless my base line pain hits a 7-8 level for me. I always use them for car trips more than 15 miles or so, and always flying! My right hand is the center for my pain, but for the last 3 years or so I've started slapping a patch on any part of my body I have the beginnings of new, serious, and unusual pain with and it seems to calm potentially new areas down.
Hyperbaric Therapy worked well for swelling I didn't even realize I had (swelling was hiding how extensive my atrophy is) but it is too expensive for me to keep up right now. I did 25 sessions @ $175 a pop. It actually got rid of the pain in my ankle that I had for years that was like a light case of RSD compared to my hand. If you can afford it, I would try it. If it had really seriously decreased the pain level in my hand I would have mortgaged my soul for more treatment...
As for Aquatic Therapy, I have a dilema, our local pool is far enough of a drive to increase my pain that unless I move (a serious consideration), my Goldilocks method says it's a wash. I will say I get SERIOUS relief from warm ocean water, like I'm a normal human again relief. Has anyone else experienced this???
I bought a used Mercedes, to replace, well actually another really old Mercedes that still worked perfectly (my son's luck) because the vibrations from the older car (that no one else could feel, of course) increased my pain base line signifigantly more the newer (also used
) model. I discovered this while my brother drove me in his car. I have to say hands free locks, and the big ignition key help as well. These seem like such small things...
The last of my oddball tips is I've had major, shall I say, plumbing problems from my pain meds. Nothing prescribed worked for very long, and some caused fun, new problems. After starting to eat 1-2 organic apples a day the, cough, problem is gonzo!