Hi everyone,

My physiotherapist has mentioned he was just at seminar on Mirror box therapy and is thinking of trying it for my right hand/arm. Has anyone tried this? And if you have how were the results? Did it help at all?

Thanks in advance for the responses!

Take care,
Karen

Hi Karen
I have been using mirror therapy but do not use a box. I have upper limb CRPS so I prop a long mirror on a table. I get some relief but it is not long lasting. The relief I get allows me to persist with my home physical therapy program. I came across mirror therapy while researching treatments and noted that there had been success in treating phantom limb pain so I tried it and it worked immediately.

Teri

Hope it works for you!!!!!!

Thanks so much for responding! That gives me some hope. Even short lived relief is still relief! After 7 months of this burn...i am ready for even a few hours of not feeling it! Thanks again!

This is something I have never heard, but looks very promising..thanks for posting this

I bought a mirrorbox online (about $45). My daughter just didn't use it which frustrated me. There are a lot of good studies about the success rate and it sure could not be easier to use. I even showed her an episode of House where he built one for someone so she could see I was not crazy. I think she thought I was not treating her pain seriously because how could something so simple work.

For a dozen free full text articles on mirror box and related therapies, check out the RSDSA Medical Archive page, under the heading "Mirror Therapy and Graded Motor Imagery" at http://www.rsdsa.org/researchlibrary.html#MirrorTherapy

In particular, check out the articles by Candy McCabe, R.N., Ph.D, who is probably the most informed and active proponent of the therapy in the world today, as well as the leading expert on CRPS in the U.K.

Mike

I go to physio again this afternoon...so I will ask him what my treatment involves etc. I will let you guys know what he says!

Take care,
Karen

Mirror therapy was first described by V.S. Ramachandran for treatment of phantom limb pain, but has since been proven in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) / RSD, and stroke rehabilitation, as well as for hand and foot rehabilitation following an injury or surgery. Google **** it is a good place to start; it has lots of information and a link to where you can purchase a folding mirror box.

Don't waste your money on a mirror box. You don't need a box to do mirror therapy for CRPS, just a mirror, preferably a cheap long one from the dollar store.

Hi Karen,

I've tried Mirror Box Therapy with my Physiotherapist's for severe Dystonia in my left leg. My foot is rotated out to the side and has been for 3 and a half years.

I'm sad to say that the mirror therapy didn't work for me. I had physio 3 times weekly and also was allowed to take the mirror box home with me to try. I tried it for about 3 months then my doctor and physio decided my Dystonia was too advanced so i'd need medications to try and correct it ... sadly none of those worked either and I am now looking into having a Baclofen pump inserted in my spine although my doctor won't do this yet as i'm only 16.

As i'm sure you know, what works for one person with RSD won't work for the other. I'd definitely give it a shot though! It DOES hurt (as do most things with RSD) but you do get used to it a little and if it works it'd be totally worth it !

Good Luck! I hope you have positive results and please keep us posted!