Hi all--the cyanosis thing, at least for me, is "usually" associated with cold weather, or CHANGES is weather. I have recently noticed over the past year or so, however, that HOT weather aggravates the RSD as well...

So, I either have icey-cold, reddish/purple hands and arms, with a "burning pain" (like when you play in the snow, things go numb and start to thaw out), and then bright red, mottled shiney stuff going on in the palms of my hands. Sometimes, my skin feels as though it has a "sunburn".

The REAL difficulty is-- it just "does it"...this can be "problematic" when being examined so BRIEFLY (as seems to be the custom), by INSURANCE docs--THEY DO NOT examine for fingernail changes, differences in skin temperature, etc., and somehow "overlook" the OBJECTIVE DOCUMENTATION of these findings by other treating physicians , as PROPERLY noted in the medical records..

However--if we all could be placed in front of an air-conditioner during one of these "exams" for about five minutes...bet things would be rather "interesting"!

Again, I have often wondered why thermography isn't used as often to aid in the diagnosis of RSD/CRPS, particularly since technetium bone-scans have such a proven rate of unreliability, especially in the early stages of RSD. (50/50). And what about the "reliability" of a bone scan, when the individual has been doing either formal physical therapy or a home exercise program? USING the affected limb is what helps either RESTORE or PREVENT osteopenia from occuring...(and also helps reduce swelling, muscle atrophy).

As stated elsewhere, the "symptoms" of cyanosis/ischemia ARE the skin colour changes and the temperature changes; part of the "diagnostic criteria" for RSD.

Bottom line re cyanosis: Doesn't it seem like the "thermostat" is "broken" in the affected body parts?!

Brokenwings