Originally Posted by Brokenwings

Let us look at a patient with cancer ravaging their body with PAIN..let us also assume that this cancer is rare,there is not much research on the TYPE of cancer , of HOW that cancer is caused. The patient is in PAIN, and not able to fuction very well.

To me, it makes sense to TREAT the patient FIRST, by all KNOWN medical means, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, get the PAIN UNDER CONTROL, before sending the patient off to a psychlogist or psychiatrist to address any underling pscyhological pathology that might be CONTRIBUTING to their lack of abiltiy to cope, or whatever.

Why should it be any DIFFERENT for people who have RSD?

NOT ALL patients with RSD should AUTOMATICALLY be "ASSUMED" to have "underlying psychchiatric" pathology.. MANY patients can be quite psychologically heatlthy UNTIL faced with unrelenting pain, whether it be from cancer OR RSD.

There is ample research on this subject--the concept that PAIN can CAUSE a psycholical consequense.. If the PAIN can be controlled, then the patient will be in a better position to DEAL WITH getting the psycholgical ramifications in better perspective--whether or not they have a personality disorder, OR they just plain need to LEARN to cope with RSD and the pain..and all the ways it can effect their life.

To do otherwise, is sort of putting the cart in front of the horse, so to speak, IMHO

Brokenwings