if we get injured....
 

are we more likely than others to get RSD?

I injured my thumb over the weekend and a small but deep chunk was bitten off by a hinge. It's small, like half an inch diameter, but conical,like an upside-down volcano. I went to an ER and was given a tetanus shot and antibiotics and told to just put bacitracin on it and I'll be fine. Nothing to stitch because it was too wide.

But just changing the dressing tonight--this is day 3--had me, literally, in tears, sobbing in pain. I'm not a crybaby, but it was as if my thumb was stabbed down to the bone. It looks clean and all, but the pain is way more than I'd expect. It was just excruciating. Now it's calmed down and is just throbbing.

Does this sound normal for this type of injury--kind of a deep small bite of skin? Or is this because of neuropathy, and am i at greater risk of RSD? I googled preventing RSD and came up with Vitamin C.

If anybody has any suggestions, or knows if there's more prevention, I'd like to hear.

It's really pretty small, but deep. I'm on 5 days of Keflex.

are you sure it isnt infected. i had a puncture wound in my finger which when it became infected throbbed and the pain was pretty bad.

I accidently ripped a part of my nail off my thumb recently doing a "stupid" thing. It was a horrible pain for a WEEK.

RSD is a sympathetic neuropathy, where something activates the sympathetic nervous system. There are papers showing it can be prevented (trauma and surgical trauma RSD was blocked by simple Vit C treatments). It also responds to antioxidants, and seems to be some sort of biochemical signaling error. Also there are papers that calcium channel blocking drugs can help in the early stages. This suggests a malfunction of the NMDA receptor which is activated by calcium.

There are some patients over there with a crossover to PN but not as many as you'd expect.

I do think PNers feel pain more than other people when injured. This may be more of a link to Fibromyalgia than RSD.

I placed a small strong magnet over the nerve at the base of my thumb/wrist and the pain stopped. Without that little help that thumb was throbbing away and driving me nuts, especially at night. Certain positions in bed made it far more painful. I experimented with it some, since it has been a long while since I had an accidental injury of this magnitude!

In my line of work (locksmithing) I constantly injure thumbs & fingers.
I also have some sort of a condition where my skin splits along the fingerprint ridges and goes very deep. These injuries prevent me from playing the guitar or banjo for a month or so, every time. They hurt quite a bit. Sometimes its infection, others-just really hurts (fibro? RSD?).
I use anti-bacterial ointments, A&D ointment, and a dynamite herbal ointment I found in a health store (recommended by the owner) that really helps a lot in many instances.
But I always am exposed to dirty locks, dirt, cleansers, oils (WD-40), grease, etc.
This does not help the cleanliness of the hands.
I have to carry band-aids in my wallet all the time.

Yes, those split fingertips occur in printers and masons too.

When the skin gets defatted by solvents, it cracks.

Aquaphor ointment is good, too. There are cotton gloves you can wear after putting on the ointments --they are called Dermal Gloves, and sold in most pharmacies. At least they can order them for you, if they are not on the shelf.

Making sure you eat enough good fats will also restore your skin faster and keep it more resistant. Flax oil, especially. Rubbing evening primrose on the skin also works. It will heal and also prevent.

Thanks
 

I think this feels like a root canal without lidocaine, so I'm going to load up on Vitamin C to prevent RSD. Also, I'm seeing a surgeon this afternoon just to have it eye-balled. I don't think he'll say anything special, but I'll feel reassured to have read advice on how to care for something this deep. I don't have a lot of faith in the PA who saw me in the ER on Saturday, so I'll feel better with an MD looking.

I have strong magnets that someone on this site recommended years ago, so I will try them tonight and see if they help me get a good night's sleep.

Thanks, Folk.

Everything is very painful to me - even stimuli that most people would not find 'painful'. Sometimes referred to as the "Princess and the Pea" syndrome. No, it's not really called that...

Is it possible that you suffer from fibromyalgia? It is one of those nasty things that like to piggyback with other illnesses such as autoimmune disease, neuropathy, etc... It has a tendancy to "amplify" pain sensation.

I have that problem. Dental work always poses a problem with me - fortunately, my dentist administers nitrous oxide gas.

Hope you feel better.

Mere

Nitrous destroys B12. I have read that just one treatment with it can disrupt B12 metabolism!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17404524
As time passes more and more articles appear on this subject, but they were available back in 2000 or so even then.

I always thought that nitrous oxide gas was found to be the cause of PN in many cases.
Documented traces back, to be the only element that preceded the onset
of PN in quite young patients.
I won't let a dentist use it on me.
I undergo all procedures with topical, injected numbness,
or in one instance of severe dental work about 30 yrs ago-twilight sleep.

hands DO hurt horribly when injured, because of the high density of nerves in them which gives us excellent touch in our fingers. Sounds awful, hope the pain improves soon.

I think one of the definitions of RSD (someone correct me if I am wrong) is that the pain continues long AFTER the injury has healed, and is not linked to the severity of the pain of the actual injury. I used to have RSD, but mine eventually improved which I know is very unusual.

hope the pain eases up soon

raglet

Had no idea Nitrous oxide gas induced neuropathy. I had it twice. For replacement of fillings and then for placement of front crowns.

I will keep this in mind. Thanks for the information.

Mere

Was this before you were Dx'd with PN?
If after, did your Sx become more severe?

I was officially diagnosed with neuropathy only last Winter through skin biopsy. However, the symptoms I have been experiencing go back 17 years. So my illness was already apparent prior to receiving the N2O. And no, I don't think things became more severe. I do have severe episodes, but I can't attribute them to N2O.

saw surgeon
 

I saw the surgeon yesterday and he said that the thing is going to heal just fine, that the tip of the finger is very engorged with blood, and that between that and the wound itself, the number of nerve endings firing in my brain is huge. Think tip of penis swollen with an open wound, basically, he said. (being a man)

But since trying to carefully place on the wound a piece of gauze with a bit of a wound cream on over it sent me hyperventilating he was a bit stunned (being a vascular surgeon he mostly does toes, which are NOT sensitive on his patients)
and told me that it doesn't matter what I do to dress it:

No matter what I put on it, wet, dry, bacitracin, vaseline, wound dressing, it will heal. Keeping it dry and open to air will allow a scab to form, and that will make it LESS PAINFUL. However, allowing a scab to form will make it take longer to heal. My choice. (Not really, open to air is not a choice.) I was sent home with a baggy of supplies like leaving the dentist's office with a new toothbrush and floss--all sorts of gauze and creams to try, as well as light stretchy finger "gloves" to put on top.

By 11 pm it was throbbing, and I looked at it and was convined the swelling and red hot area had grown, and I'd need a hand surgeon today. I took Tramadol and Klonopin, FORGOT the magnets, and was awake until 4am. Up for work at 7. Looked at it, and it really looks no different.

Night is when the bogey man comes out, and all pain is worse; that's all. It's just a little thing, and it's NOT infected, and I have to remind myself to not get scared by the pain; it's like neuropathy pain: out of proportion to what's really wrong.

I've increased my anti-oxidants and Vit C, as well as curcumin, to prevent RSD ( which terrifies me), despite the good surgeon telling me I'm not at risk for it. I'm not easy to convince.

On the sidebar thread here: Nitrous Oxide: What I'm understanding is that it can cause a B12 deficiency state, right? So anyone who develops neuro symptoms after nitrous should be checked for B12 right away and probably given an injection immeditely while awaiting test results, and hopefully, because it's so acute, it should reverse? Is that the take-home message?

I used Americaine ointment (20% benzocaine) on my nail bed.

I also used triple antibiotic ointment. I applied them every other time when I cleaned it (which was not fun and pretty painful--but the Americaine helped). You might have to special order Americaine, as it is not commonly on shelves. Or get an RX for lidocaine jelly.

Studies show wounds heal faster when covered. There are even new bandages designed for this.
example:
http://www.medshopexpress.com/121453.html#

This type is also nice:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/catal..._sku=sku392264

but must be applied to clean areas.

Here is an example of why covering wounds is better:
http://www.squidoo.com/heal-open-wounds-faster

I kept mine covered for over a week!

Put the S pole of the magnet at the base of the thumb where that slight depression is at the wrist before the carpal ligament. That is where the nerve is.

Just let it heal up,, its going to be fine,, I am at the point that if I cut my finger off I probably wouldnt know it till I saw the blood,,,

magnets
 

I have round strong magnets. Would you suggest using one or two? I could tape one or two on my wrist, on opposite sides, I imagine. They are very strong.

Thanks for the information about keeping wounds covered. The surgeon said it would heal faster covered, but if I kept it open to air, would scab, and be less painful. He didnt think the amount of time it would add to the healing would matter much, if I could get the pain down. But really, I can't keep it open to air; I need to cover the thing with a good layer of padding and foam to protect it from bumps.

I only used one neodymium magnet..1/2 in across. You don't need one on the "other side"... the nerve is only on the thumb side.

I guess you don't read here much... I have a magnet thread now, that has a link on it showing which nerve you can intercept for pain control:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...hlight=magnets

What is important is that the S pole should go against the skin.

magnets
 

Yes, Mrs D, You're right, since the treatment for Lyme I've not been on the site nearly so often. (Though I have a new Liza Jane sheet coming soon for symptom tracking)

I have the NEODYMIUM DISC MAGNETS --I've read your thread, and I'm still left with a question of placement. It's way too large and heavy to tape to my thumb--I think. Would placing it on my palm be helpful, or wrist? If so, South side towards skin? I'll try to be imaginative about putting it against the wound, but I don't think it's feasible.

I'm sorry I've hit the "wall" now---fatigue and pain combined to not thinking and logicking clearly enough on my own. So, if you gave me a clear instruction, I'd be happy to just take it, and not even try to digest it at this point.

Wall. (I've taken to calling a "melt-down" when I hit the crash-point at home and am with family or friends; but perhaps calling out "Wall!" is more to the point, more like calling out "Uncle!". "Meltdown" has been a good code-word which says, hey, don't expect anything more of Mom, AT ALL. She's USED UP.

Well, I guess you didn't read or understand my post.

There is nothing else I can offer you on the net.

You have a link to the anatomy, and you should understand that basic anatomy anyway.

Good luck.

I do not know?
 

It is almost a loaded question, given that each of US is DIFFERENT? PAIN WISE.
All I can safely state is that past experiences with 'muscle damages' to varied parts of my body that required varied 'therapies'? I LEARNED A LOT. I learned when to know that could be or not a chronic condition? I also learned it in the broader scale of the world vis-a-vis ANIMALS...who cannot speak for themselves. Believe me, I learned more from The Creatures, yet I helped them? Than I learned about me. I AM STILL LEARNING!
The Alexander and MANY other 'body awareness' techniques. I am INFORMED? Lot of good it does me now. Sorry, I can't cure or help your hurt. I could only counsel how to live with it. Can I ask? What sort of BARK do you chew on when it REALLY HURTS? I've been doing pencils lately, but, I realize that's not 'optimal'.

:hug::hug::hug:'s to you that you can get thru this? Show mercy and kindness to all! - j

Hi. I am sorry for your injury. I have RSD not from an injury though the cause is unknown and I have PN too. I was dx with both around the similar time though PN was first. My pain doc did suggest taking vitamin c for repair too. I agree I think with Mrs D who said we are more sensitive. Even my areas that are not impacted if I knock it or what ever I seem to be more sore then pre these conditions. Hope you feel better

Mrs D--I did read your thread, but I guess I missed a link, or something; I'm sorry you feel you cannot offer any direct advice on placing a magnet, because I do value your input, and you seem to have gotten such help from them. My take was you thought my original idea of interfering with the pain impulse as it travelled across the wrist was wrong, and that reading your post I'd figure it out on my own. I think sometimes people over=estimate what even those of us with large funds of knowledge can figure out on our own when our brains are hijacked by our pain or anxiety. I felt a bit insulted by your message, but I don't think you meant to me. It felt as if you thought me stupid or careless. When I was just doing the best I could.

I looked at pictures of thumbs online and it looked to me like a "felon", infection of the tip of the thumb, so I asked my neurologist if he could get me to a hand guy. When I told the hand guy's receptionist I might have a felon, they got me right in.

It isn't. It's a hematoma. He says it's mainly a crush injury, and the pain I'm having is way more than I "should". Do I have pain in other fingers, or other places? I have neuropathy, I said. That explains it. He said I"m having injury like a crush to a nerve, and this is a set=up for RSD. He says it's crucial I take pain meds around the clock (I've not been taking any), and get ahead of the pain. Also, he wants me to move the thumb and do exercises. He's more concerned about nerve pain than anything else, and said that whatever price I pay to get out of pain NOw is worth it to prevent RSD later.

SO I increased my Vit C to 2500mg/day. Added Circumin. Filled a tramadol prescription.

And I'll do anything else anybody can recommend, so this does not continue.

He wants me out of pain by Tuesday, or call him.

Just my crack holistic 2 pennies-Look up each of these in regards to wound healing:


Pomegranate extract(speed healing, collagen)
LLLT(increase SOD)-(laser) (speed healing)
Emu Oil rub on thumb(speed healing)
GliSODin increases SOD(healing)