Red Dots
 

Hi Everyone,

I'm wondering something. I saw all of the pictures that everyone submitted of their RSD. None of them look like mine.

My left arm is swollen all the time, red, but I also have these red dots all on my forearm and some on my upper arm. I also have these red dots on my left arm but more in 1 area on my forearm.

Does anyone else have red dots?

are they raised bump like? I have raised bump dots on both of my upper arms, sometimes it goes down to my forarms but only when they are REALLY swollen.
carrie

Hi,
 

I have red dots on my legs and arms. I thought they came with getting older. They are about the size of a red hot piece of candy and looks like them actually.

I am 56. I don't know how old you are but I do remember Bill would get them also.

Some medications can cause spots. I have been on Prevacid for years and now it's causing big bruised spots on my right arm which is also my worst place with the RSD.

Have a great day.

Ada

If you want to know how many RSDers have the red dots, than you will have to exclude yourself and Ada (you both have TOS, so you aren't *sure* it isn't from that).

I get the red dots, as you may've seen in my pics, but if not here they are:


http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC_0085-1.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC_0084-1.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...DSC_0083-1.jpg


It will be interesting to see how many people with just RSD get the RED DOTS!

Hi girl,
 

These places I have are raised and they are red. I don't know if they are called liver spots or not.

As far as TOS they don't come from TOS, I'm sure. There are several on here with TOS and they can say also. I think Jo has TOS so she would know about them also.

Again, there might be different kinds we are talking about.

Ada

unless we have a vast number of people (with RSD) tell us that they also have them. I'd just like to be sure and look into it. It is an interesting subject, one that if we discuss we might come to a firm conclusion that, yes, it is RSD.

What I am saying is: if we exclude the TOSers we might be SURE that, yes it is definetely RSD!

Also- yes, there could be different kinds, as you said. Are yours always there? Or do they fade away? Mine fade away and are not raised normally.

OR you could be talking about something that comes with old age and has nothing absolutely to do with RSD. Who knows...

Ihh,
 

.................edit..................

As this is a forum for support and for all members to be able to share their views and experience I have had to make some edits and am requesting that all replies remain in keeping with an atmosphere of support and self help

thanks very much for everyone's co-operation
Cheri

I just have RSD and I have red spots. They look like little blood blisters actually. Some are flat, some are raised up a bit and you can feel it, some are little, some are big. I think I got a few of them on my legs in my pics I posted.

Sometimes they just don't come out that well on the camera though. Some are big, some are little and I have them mostly on my legs. They sometimes open up and turn into sores that can take 2 weeks or more to heal. Oh, I hate when I have to shave and open one up! Dang that hurts!

I have a couple on my arms and 2 or 3 on my fingers even! I had never had these before RSD, but once I got it, they popped up all over my legs with a couple of months and have been there ever since. From all the people I've talked to over the years, lots of RSD'ers get them. Some people get actual rashes others dots. RSD makes no sense, and I hope I have made some sense and didn't ramble too much. *sheepish look*

Hugs,

Karen

poka dot
 

I have got red spots too.. usta be just on my legs but now I see I have them on my lower torso too a whole lot of em.. like lil inside blood blisters or burst corpulses er what ever ya callem.. like varicose veins but substitute vein for cell.. little burst cells mabie?

Thanks good topic subject.

Hi

I also have the red dots - they turn into sores on my feet but I have them down my legs and arms (I have full body RSD but not TOS) and apparently my back? They look very impressive alongside the purple swelling! It's weird some of them are raised (the ones on my legs) but the ones on my arms don't really appear to be - it's definetly odd!!! I find (especially on my feet) that they get patches of red surrounding them - (it's odd because the red is boiling hot to the touch whilst the rest of my legs are ice cold - anyone else noticed that?).

Does anyone here get frequent ulcers/ absesses? do you think they are associated with the red dots? Just a random question.

Love ya

Frogga

PS Does TOS caused red dots? Just if it causes impaired blood circulation to the arms (which I think it does) then the altered blood flow might be responsible for them? I don't know - someone with more info can you enlighten me?

PPS - As CRPS (RSD) is a Syndrome ( a group of symptoms) it is interesting to discover whether this is "pure" RSD or not because could give some more hints to the mechanism involved. I know that I also have dystonia (which is caused by the CNS and brain so not going to be involved) and HMS (weak connective tissues because of collagen issues which also wouldn't cause the dots) so don't think I have anything dermatological that could be responsible.

for those that feel ok about it...what about posting pictures of the spots? i know it can be hard to compare the type of spots just by descriptions.

and saying if you have just rsd...or rsd and tos?

i have a few photos......
side view of foot shows red dots that will probably turn into a lesion.........some are red, some are brown...
front view of leg shows scarring from lesions along with more brown and red spots...
i have rsd, not tos.

RSD and FM.. ok hope this works can never get the pics right.. seems to me they sorta pitted when my calf was hard as a rock (taken 2005)

I don't recall anyone on the TOS forum specifically mentioning any dots like that. But a few do have RSD also.

Just totally thinking out loud here-

I'm thinking it might have something to do with the skin and temp changes due to RSD, the hot, cold, burning, swelling, mottling etc.
Like the skin, nerves and system is going thru all this stuff and odd things like these just show up???

do they fade or come and go?

any relation to severity of symptoms?

If they stay for a while and seem to go thru the changes that are mentioned for moles and such - it would be good to have them checked just as a precaution.

:grouphug:

Hi all,

Vasomotor instability caused by malfunctioning sympathetic/autonomic systems can cause trophic changes in the skin. My doctor tells me that my red spots (yes, I have them too) are caused by small subcutaneous bleeds in fragile capilliaries of the skin.
These spots are called Petechiae and are common in many people and advancing age is one reason.
They can occur in allergies, some medications like steroids and aspirins can cause them and some autoimmune diseases.
Some serious illnesses will present with red spots but these don't "blanch" when you press onto them.
The good thing is that they are usually benign and the worst thing about them is the way they look:(:(

I would not say that this is necessarily a specific symptom of RSD/CRPS but a possible one.
Cheers
Tayla:hug:

Oh Geeezzz.
 

If a doctor was doing research and he wanted to be sure that these dots were purely from RSD, then yes, he would include only those with RSD in his study to be accurate. Would you feel like the doctor was rude to not include someone with RSD and TOS (or something else)?? Or would you feel singled out?

No one said each member wasn't welcome or the members with other diagnosis' weren't welcome. Look at my posts again, you are missing the whole point, Joselita.

Keep this thread on topic and stop the bickering and attacks or it will have to be closed. I would hate to see that, it's a good topic with a chance for ALL of you to discuss this.

It does make a difference in any dx if a person has more than one disease, syndrome or illness. Why is it such a big deal to clarify, so y'all get accurate data? I see no post here that excluding anyone.

Just thinking
 

I was trying to fall asleep and saw the thread and raised red dot thoughts.
Just to think out loud; Tos, fybro, and CRPS/RSD have to do with nerve activity, as part of their syndroms.
One thing Dr Togut could share with us at support group is hypernerve activitey of TOS, Allodynia, and also hyper pain perception. So if you have TOS sending hyper pain signals, or CRPS sending hyper pain signals, could the nerve tips at the skin react?

But tos and part of Crps, is hyper nerve sensitivity, sensory nerve issues, even myofascial...where the nerve inserts into the muscle and they muscle tries to protect it, makes a slpint causing muscle spasms...

If ther is a disconnection between the say feet burning, and the brain getting the signals, of the pain, would we still feel the pain? Is that notunlike a SCS that is confusing the pain signal. It is used for TOS pain, it is used for CRPS pain.....MS, and many others.......

Then also, think about shingles.....isn;t that a sensory nerve activity? I do notice, I do not get shingles, but I do get the red dots, and I can follow them around a nerve patterns. Some do get scabs on them, some take a long time to heal.

So couldn't it be just like herpes voister (sp) fever blisters, shingles, causing nerve ending flares.....
So the red pimples are inflamed nerve tips reaction....
I find relief from lidocain patches.

Like I said, just thinking outloud...
Many tosers also have lumbar and other syndroms too,
One thing that some TOSers can tell you about when they battle it, if theirs is sensory real bad, a breeze blowing, "HURTS" and Terry Cloth towel,"HURTS"..
dianne:rolleyes:

Why is it?
 

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'm not sure why these treads turn into bickering, but I'm starting to be sorry I even asked. This is the second time I've posted a question and it's turned into bickering back and forth.

There were some question about the red dots and TOS. Yes, I have TOS, but no, the dots have nothing to do with TOS. I NEVER saw the dots until after surgery when I was told I got RSD.

I also have the red dots (RSD) on my right arm (didn't have TOS) and now on my face. I have never had TOS or have any TOS symptoms affect my face.

I'm sorry that this has a "feel bad" for you. :(

Please PM me and I'd love to discuss it further with you privately.

You're welcome here and cared for.

KD

Hi there,

Please do not think it is anything you have done that has led to " bickering":(
Your question was a good one and it does seem to have proven that red spots can be caused by many reasons and are not specific to RSD/TOS or any other disease as many well people also have petechiae. The good thing is that mostly no harm comes from these but of course it is always recommended to consult a doctor to determine that there is nothing sinister going on.

Take good care
Tayla:hug:

Oh mY gosh Tayla.
Your reply made me think of something.
My daughter had a gammit of medical problems. But, one trip to the doc with red dots led to a look at dots, ask a few questions, feel, and press, of course TOS symptoms flared from exam so it was thought the RSD and TOS flare from heat made the skin "dot up."

When I took my daughter home and put some fridge items away....There was a bushel of strawberries!
LOL, when I checked her I looked and said try benadryl! So the doc got $70 to say the more obvous, flare of syndroms, and Mom got home and figured out the real problem on that occasions.

ANother time a trip to the ER for a horrific flare from an IME exam by w/c doc, the ER doc said Bursitis.

I look at the doctor and said the exam included raising her arm and twisting it before I could STOP the IME doc. So her pain was taking her to the ground when he did this and cried all the way back to our town. Took her in the ER,

I said to the ER doctor, bursitis is local to a bursi area, why would it travel down the upper arm to forearm into the hand, back up under arm and into the chest with pain? Bursitis does not travel; this is a nerve flare and needs anitinflamatory, all the demerol in the world won't touch it.

So Toradol shot, the valium shot for spasms, and with in 15 minutes some relief was easing, not pain free, but de-escalation was happening. He had a discharge sheet for Motrin in his hand when I told hom NO WAY!

Another time a migraine brought on from the nerve flare in the traps into the skull left her devestated with pain. The demerol shot did not help, again I said I found in her flares that the valium and toradol helps. Finally convinced the nurse to tell the doctor what I said. They came in and took care of it and again de-escalation started. Daughter held nurses hand and thanked her for listening and helping. I never told my daughter, but the nurse wrote in the medical records, how patient smiled soon after receiving the medications!

So we try to trust the doctors diagx, but seems we also have to do our own understanding of our bodies. We could keep better track of symptoms to flares and activities and relate what may have or have not made a flare, and what helps, and what does not.

To Ihatetos, just a thought, but you said you never had tos symptoms in your face, your did not have them in one arm.
I am not saying that this at all related to or is related to TOS,
But understanding TOS,
The cervical nerve root starts at the spine, they travel into the other nerves that branch off into the traps, arms, hands, even neck and face.

Our bodies are bilaterial, a mirror. Just because you have a worse TOS side does not mean none of the other nerves on the other side are affected by TOS, they are just not primary affected.
The body does not carry a stop sign to nerve signals. You may have slight to no symptoms on the face and arm, but the nerves are one long cell and affect a lot more then we can relate to.
IE) one day wake up with an eye droop, face feels like novacain a bit; a good one is driving a car and hitting brakes fast and bracing how it sends "Zingers" down the arms into the hands POW! What a feeling. But the zingers did not go one side or the other, the sick nevers carried the hyper signals.

Not saying this is your case, but just the typical symptoms of TOS issues.
Di
Good thread