Can a Spinal Tap cause RSD to spread?
 

Because of the way referrals draw out forever, an appointment with a neurologist I was referred to at the beginning of the year, when I was starting with trying to figure out what was happening to me, was this week. In the interim I had made it to an RSD specialist, and I am being treated - blocks, ketamine coming up soon - but when this pvious appointment came up, I went anyway.

This neurologist, a big IVIg guy, treating a lot of CIDP cases at USC, suggested testing for inmmune factors, which hadn't been done before. So I had a spinal tap on Tuesday. I made it to Friday before the post-tap headache kicked in (I thought I was going to be able to miss it entirely...), and it is pretty bad.

But my concern is that a burning pain, and a deep ache, has spread to an area in my mid back, not at the site of the tap, where I haven't had pain before. I'm worried that the tap has now exacerbated my RSD. It's more than a little upsetting to think I may have caused more pain for myself.

Any thoughts much welcomed.

Needles can cause a flare up, either in the extremity with RSD or at a site after a procedure like you had done. It doesn't mean that your RSD has spread there. I can only suggest that you monitor it and if it doesn't go away soon get to your doc and talk to him. It's not an impossibility that it may have spread, but then again, it may be nothing.

Just as an example....I'll use something that happened to me. My RSD started in Feb 2003 after I broke my knee at work. It was 8 months later that I found out my knee had been broken actually, during my 1st bone scan. The ER had dx me with "badly bruised knee". HA! As I was a wc case at the time things were delayed a lot! I was finally made by wc to get a block done, when they finally thought about it, over a year later in May 2004. The RSD had began in my left knee/lower leg/foot. It had already spread full body in the first 11 months.

Anywho....I went and had the block done. OMG!! Within 2 minutes of leaving the place, the horrific pain hit. My whole body hurt so bad, my back where the needle went in hurt so bad, some burning, tender to touch, you name I felt it! I couldn't sit, lay down, stand, walk, nothing. It sure made for a miserable time!! 2 months later the pain finally began to calm down. After it did that the pain in my back went away but the RSD didn't spread into my back. *phew* I think it's trying to now but that's ok because I've been stable for over 4 years and I feel lucky to have had that much time. It's a natural progression though not because of any procedure or injury.

I hope that this has helped you somewhat and allieviated your fear of spread. I'll be thinking of you and just hoping you'll be like me and it'll go away.

Gentle Hugs,

Karen

Thanks for the info, though sorry you had a bad time after your block.

I'm hoping I do just have a 'flare' and that things settle down. I'll take it even if it's two months as you describe as long as I know it subsides. My worry is that I can feel the pain/burning travelling from my mid to upper spine, but not at the site of the tap. All too frustrating...

That's what I felt too....it was sore for a couple of days at the site after the block, but the real pain and stuff I felt all up and down my back. It all just sucks and I too hope there's an end to it for you like for me.

Hugs,

Karen

yep..
 

Hi..
I have been able to tone down the flare ups with extra antioxadents.. Every time I get extra pain from a IV or whatever procedure, it feels just like spread and I take 1000 (extra) mg vitimin C.. it helps tone down the spread/flare action.

Even though I get RSD symptoms body wide I treat any flare up this way, I also use that area as normaly as possible and don't cottle it (cottling or over protecting seems to be like an added invatation for RSD to set in) use it as you normaly do, or try.

Good luck
Sandra