Can you please lend me your thoughts on using contrast baths for RSD affected limbs??

Good or bad??

Have they help you as far as "desensitizing" your RSD areas?

Thanks.

but he can hardly stand any water on his entire arm, so i can't get him to try it........grrrrr

he does other desensitizing things, like with peas, wash rags, etc......but they are not really doing any good for him....................sorry, i know i was not much help.....

Hi In Your Hands--I tried it--the Ice part madethings WORSE....
Have had much better luck using different textured things, like velvet, a soft wash-cloth, those fluffy nylon scrubber things that comes with bath-gel, and believe it or not, on a good day, I can sort of tolerate a well-worn loofah-sponge and a very gentle skin exfoliator lotion (nothing too harsh or "grainy" to start with). The OT and my Doc said to just start off real gentle with what can be tolerated, and slowly work up to more vigerous pressure/scrubbing. They said it is good to use small, circular motions, and work your way towards the heart (helps with swelling).

Maybe one day you hubby will be able to tolerate water better; I do all these things plus my hand/arm exercises in the tub, FAITHFULLY, every a.m., and sometimes, 3 times daily. It has really helped my arms not to be quite so sensitive, and helps maintain what strenght/ROM I've got.

Hope your hubby finds something that helps!

Hubby is doing those right now but not with ice - cool water - not cold....He can wear clothes - so thats a good thing LOL but most of his shirts are short sleve and it does bug him with a heavier jacket. They've been doing this for a couple of weeks - No major improvements or striking difference yet

Hi Hubby with RSD--In my personal experience, it took quite a bit longer that just several weeks--actually, come to think of it MONTHS adn MONTHS--and three years later, there are SOME days, depending on "triggers" and flare-ups, that the de-sensitization exercises are NOT very "comfortable"...

After three years w/ RSD, I STILL cannt stand to wear "tightish" sleeves on my arms (WINTER)--summer NO sleeves--so I just find men's jackets and shirts that are EXTRA large, baggy, (like super-soft flannel, the BIGGEST size I can find) and I also look at how the arm seams are constructed--if they are wide, raggedy seams with scratchy thread (especially that nylon stuff that is like fishing line)...it goes right back on the rack!!!

I don't know what size your hubby is, but maybe going to a store for the "larger men", where they have the extra-extra big sizes might help him find something a lot looser on the arms and more comfortable in the winter.

I hope he finds something that is warm and COMFORTABLE!

Sorry to jump in here but I.m going on almost 4 yrs and Im in stage 3 already. I use to be able to take a bath because Im in a wheelchair from RSD and I use to take 3 or 4 a day their are days that I cant even get in the water anymore. I hate it and everything I have has to been soft my cloth everything. I slept the first 3 yrs on top of the bed with fur then I started dating and I finally was able to get soft enough sheets and I also have a cast on still after all this time and Im now sleeping under the sheets but there are times when My back is so bad that I cant stand it. All I found was soft blankets ,clothes, pillows anything. Its so hard...................Half my body now is almost always purple and red and black spots. I dont really know what to say except the softer the better when its that bad. I went to a conference a yr after I was just in the chair with my exhusband now as of june of 2006 and he is a nures he couldnt handle it and I am to I worked for hospic before my accident and there was this girl alot younger then me and I was watching her and I kept on thinking that was going to be me she couldnt be touched wind air anything was more painful and guess what its me at 39 yrs old raising a 15 yrs old boy alone without family support and my wonderful boyfriend moved to Oregon and we were going with him we have not made it yet I just saw him and it was in the 30s and 40s but I love him enough to try the pain was hard but then I came home and went to court to finish property issues and the stress got to me 4 days in court over 20 throusand dollars in fees and Im falling apart but Im doing my best but Im still under the sheets but I have the flu and lost my voice for the last week 2 days after court so anything tigers it and anything you or he can find that helps then go for it one day it does and the next it might not but my pain is at the level the dr said anymore meds the strenght of them that he would have to put me in the hospital to stay to live...............So I keep going I cant and nothing workes that they have found injections ,pump.stimaltor Im getting desperate that he want to try another stimalor and put it in my neck but one bad move and I cant feel my son so I have been putting it off but I dont know anymore and the pump they caused a hole in my spinal cord so that came out but they waited 8 months so do what ever is good that day. Im sorry I didnt mean to butt in but I didnt think wind could hurt me but it does and I hope your husband doesnt get there. But go for anything...............Anything that works for him it might not make sence but it will to the pain..............Sorry again and good luck I hope I didnt scare you Im in a bad stage and cant find any dr that can help anymore.....................BEST WISHES TO BOTH OF YOU............. Gentle hugs Karen

Hi Karen--I'm sorry that you are in so much pain all the time. If you go to the thread about nerve blocks, one of our fellow posters was describing a Brachial Plexus Block with a catheter that stays in--I am not sure if they can do something similar for RSD in the legs, but it sounds VERY interesting!

Brokenwings

Thanks for the great idea - Right now money is tight (fighting w/c) but will check at Goodwill and stuff for some larger things - He wears short sleeve almost always but his wardrobe is limited and there is nothing long sleeve that is comfortable for him. He gets cold so much easier it seems so we're going to have to do something - Thank goodness it's almost spring! We'll both be happier! He'll be warm or normal temp (for the most part) again and I'll be able to plant flowers!

Hi Hubby with RSD--yes--you just might be able to find something at Goodwill, or if your town has a Hospital, a lot of Hospitals have their own "thrift-shops". I have found some very NICE goose-down jackets there--they are much more "light-weight", and a heck of lot WARMER than heavy, bulky polyester-filled ones...

Sorry that you have to fight WC--I am beginning to think that the MINUTE they see RSD as a diagnosis, they start fighting AUTOMATICALLY...

I found a truly "enlightening" article on that very subject...
google "AMA is Harming Patients wtih RSD/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome".
Talk about an "eye opener"!!!!

Take Care and Stay WARM!!! If we are all lucky, we might just have an EARLY spring!!!

Brokenwings

Thank you Brokenwings, I will try and I am going to ask my pain specialist Dr about it on Thur. when I see him also. The bad thing is the RSD is full body now it moved so fast with in months it was everywhere. I have had everything and my dr said because of scare tissue and other problems he cant do anything and I was told by my other Dr dealing with my mistake a Dr did during suregery it has changed my life at 27 so much than I had an accident in 2003 I was 35yrs old I had the accident and got RSD but they both have said go and enjoy life and if you find something we will try so I will ask him ....Im in a chair now I hate it I have lost so much bone my cast is still on to after almost 4 yrs. But thank you so much for the help........Nothing ealse was happening and Im all alone I have a almost 15 yrs old son but he has to watch this and I just been devorce no help from my family . So thank you so much all the Drs say because I'm in stage 3 they cant help they try but it doesnt help but I want give up................