Please let me know where I'm probably misinformed concerning RSDS.
 

Please let me know where I'm probably misinformed concerning RSDS.
Thanks.
From a laymen's point of view the gist of RSDS/RSDS medical treatment in our country is as follows:

Unfortunately, most of the traditional pain management centers in America merely mask the problem(s) and they don't cure them especially when it comes to RSDS. [I'll explain the reasons why in a bit] The traditional pain management medical team invariably/often consists of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and psychologists/psychiatrists [the latter not because the excruciating pain is in the patient's head, but rather their methods/focus are primarily directed at having the patient cope with the excruciating pain.] They use traditional [expensive] machines such as MRI's sonograms, X-rays etc. to assess the problem(s) [Many of you are probably much more familiar with them than I am.] coupled with pain-killing drugs such as neurontin which unfortunately oft-times doesn't work one iota.
From what I can gather there is only approximately 2,000 to 2,500 new cases of RSDS in the U.S. each year. Accordingly there seemingly isn't the financial incentive to invest in alternative equipment or treatments--ones that actually work. I've previously indicated the centers in America that concentrate on RSDS. Anecdotally, I think you'll find the following interesting from a medical standpoint as to how our 12 year old granddaughter was seemingly cured of RSDS. First Dr. Constance Haber of Monroeville, PA took a thermal image of her foot and it was blue! Really! Next our granddaughter had two ninety minutes photon sessions back to back. The treatment didn't seem to work at first and our granddaughter's pain conintued to be about an 8 on a scale from 1 to 10. The next day after her 90 minute session. our granddaughter noted that her pain seemed to diminish to a 6. The thermal images were mostly orange and red. The next day after her photon treatment it went from a 6 to a 4 and later that evening our granddaughter said that it went to a 2. The next day they took a thermal image of Cameron's foot and it was bright red and after her 90 minute photon treatment the pain miraculously had abated after approximately 4 to 5 months of omnipresent pain! What are everyone's thought's? Miracle? Inevitable? Something else--etc.?

My thougths are interesting! I have never heard of photon treatment. What exactly is it? I do know that children have a much better chance of getting rsd to go into remission than adults do. I also completely agree with you that pain mgmt centers (as well as most other doctors) in America only want to mask the problems and not treat the problem. I also believe most doctors (and people) do not believe how bad the pain is with rsd...they just want us to suck it up and deal with it because it can't be that bad! In the beginning of thinking maybe it is rsd they throw (as you said) all kinds of money and testing for rsd and most everything will come up normal as rsd is a diagnosis that must be ruled out from other things in order to arrive at the rsd diagnosis. The drug companies as well as the doctors are making lots of money on us rsd patients so why would they want to cure it when they can continue to milk us and the system for all it is worth. Insurance Companies from what I have dealt with will do anything that does not help you and won't let you try anything that will help you. And if you really feel it would help you you have to fight tooth and nail to get the treatment paid for by them. It is a sad thing that America thinks we are so technologically advanced but yet can't cure rsd, MS, the common cold, etc...it always amazes me. Sorry I am in a not great mood tonight and it may reflect how I feel right now.

I am glad your granddaughter is doing much better now. There should be laws on kids getting this disease as it is horrible for adults and kids should never be able to get it.
Take care,
kathy d

This is wonderful news...am with Kathy on this one...only children, it seems, can truly go into remission. Please tells us more about the Photon treatment. It really sounds interesting :)

I read about cold-laser treatment in The Patients guide to RSD. It emits low power light waves over area to reduce inflamation. Cold laser therapy uses a combination of electrical stimulation and cold- laser beams to increase seritonin levels in the body to heal naturally. It is PROVEN effective in more than 100 successful clinical trials. Why isn't anyone pointed to this?

We have a thread on the PN forum about this.

I even use a strong laser pointer on my feet... 5mW with success.
It is small so I have to move it around some, but it has been very effective for my ankle pain. I have to continue with it, as the the effects don't last forever, however.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread149338.html

Hi Jerie,
I had my chiropractor use cold laser treatment on my over the years. It does work. I did have a lowering of pain. But I will warn there was a fine line to how much I could have and if I went over the time limit I had more pain the next day. It was worth a shot to me as you know us...we will try anything that we hope will lower the pain. I had to stop as WC said they felt it wasn't doing anything. I guess if you can't Irish dance after a few months of treatment then it doesn't work;.)
Thanks,
kathy d

If it does work or help and you can't get wc or ins to keep paying for therapy - look into buying your own unit, they might pay for it that way.

Or if you can swing it, buy it on your own & try to get a reimbursement somehow.

There are a few different types that may have similar results.
LED light therapy - takes a little longer than Low level laser

near/far infrared is a healing therapy
I know my far infrared heating pad helps me much more than regular heating pads. (muscle/myofascial pain)

We got a Light Relief Infrared Pain Relief Device for my dh's knee injury as well as a small ultrasound unit off Amazon and both really fixed him up.
He had kneeled hard on a rock, right below the kneecap and had lots of bruising, ongoing swelling and stiffness, but a couple weeks worth of treatments after work in the evening and all is back to normal.