Mayo clinic's intro guide to RSD/CRPS
 

Found this surfing the web- its a Concise Review for Clinicians about RSD.
Its for doctors but its not that hard for a layman to understand. Talks about diagnosis, treatments, medication, etc.
Folks who have had RSD for a while may already know most of this info but it may be useful especially for newbies. It doesn't seem to mention some of the more advanced treatments like hyperbaric oxygen treatment, ketamine infusion and ketamine coma, so it may be either a bit conservative or simply out of date (from 2002). Still thought I'd toss it out, the URL is:
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com...2/174.full.pdf

I thought it was a very good article. BUT, the authors seem to indicate that many patients have many problems which do not at all seem to resolve or even get diagnosed as early as they should that lead to poorer outcomes. There were many, many treatment protocol, none of which (not surprisingly) led to a consistent positive outcome. Thier findings are in agreement with the literature of many authors yet, they make the unreferenced statement, twice, that only a small percentage of RSD sufferers are refractory with chronic symptoms that require ongoing care. In other words, almost everyone is cured. Amazing!!! I wish I fell into that catagory!

That is in direct contradiction to Schwartsman's (sp) article from a few months ago that refractory chronic symptoms are the best you can hope for in the long term.

Reminds me of Charlton Heston's statement from a few years ago that "no one gets off the earth alive." :Dancing-Chilli:

Hi I have to agree with Dubious
 

Hi I have to agree with Dubious, Mayo Clinic historically has a very poor attitude towards rsd, in all regards. the basically do not belivie in opiates for pain control. they belieive in pt for curing it. and lets face it as i enter year 7 and have tried every possible cure in the world there is no cure. I have an acquatience who went , he was sufferingwith rsd in one leg, out of work now for 3 years huge depression problems.

they told him to go to a clinic in south fl and get off all the pain meds that was his major problem. and then to start pt.

He tried to to as they said. Oh did he suffer and now he has full body rsd. the reduction of opiates to control his pain allowed opportunistic rsd to spread uncontrolled.
Mayo attitude was very poor when he was there.

Having said all that I guess they have had good sucess with children. But I think that is a whole different ball game.

Having said all that I greatly appreciate the posting of the article as something else seem to work for everyone.

Please dont take this as an attack on posting the information. i just felt compelled due to my friends suffering to post this.

Thanks,
cz