Good morning all, my wife broke her toe badly last Sept. She was fortunate to be quickly diagnosed with CRPS as of January when her pain kept getting worse and worse.

We have her with a pain management specialist through Univ of Michigan and they have her on a treatment plan currently (I might be missing something, but this is the majority): Nuerotin, Methadone, Percocet, self-physical therapy (gentle scrubbing every few hours with the hand) and she's been getting the numbing shots in her back every two weeks for a couple of months now. The shots do help some for about a week. The past 3 months the swelling in her foot is getting out of control though. She's reduced her workload in half but we have two children and it's hard for her to rest as much as necessary.

We've purchased a Temper-Pedic bed about a month ago that can keep her foot elevated while resting. I also bought some DMSO recently that we've been using for a few days now but I've read that could take awhile to notice. She uses compression socks also until they get to be too painful.

Any suggestions at all to help reduce the swelling? Even if it's just something basic that we might haven't tried (more water, less water, less sodium, etc??). I would be so grateful for any advice you might have.

She's petite at 5'6" and 120 lbs but here are two pics of her foot currently (add an h to the beginning of each link, since I'm new it won't let me post links):

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Hello
as the system will block any attempt at linking by new members (it is part of our anti spam programming) you will need to add those photos as attachments not links

There is a Manage Attachments field below the posting box that allows you to upload photos from your computer.

You might want to try Morton's Epsom lotion, now available at WalMart's first aid section.

I use it to take down swelling in my left foot, which comes and goes. Apply only about a quarter's diameter on the instep(top of the foot), not the toe itself, once a day, and only on intact skin. This is a wonderful product, and many of us here use it with success.
Gently rub in. I also put some up the ankle area to help open the circulation to remove that excess fluid retention.
This is what the bottle looks like:
http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-h...-epsom-lotion/

It is $5.98 at WalMart, and near the epsom salts and rubbing alcohol area. If your store does not have it yet, I am sure the pharmacy can order it...as WalMart has it online too.

I do not have RSD per se, but do have peripheral neuropathy, which also causes swelling.

Thank you MrsD! We will try this today, there's a Walmart that carries it just about 6 miles from us. Excited to have some hope...it's really important not to lose that.

Moderator, thank you for the attachment explanation. I've attached the files just to show how bad the edema has been lately.

Attached Thumbnails

   

You might have to put that lotion up the leg some. My swelling is confined more to the instep of the foot...not so much around the ankle. My ankle just gets bigger and HARD... not puffy. My instep however does puff up some.

You may need to be more patient for it to work as well...Mine starts to go back down within hours. I had surgery on that foot
over 50 yrs ago, on the instep and it has just started with this
swelling issue. So far 2 doctors are clueless... One said the circulation was upset, and with aging now that is why I get this
swelling. Who knows? I think the stairs I have all over here are
a trigger. When we live upNorth, I don't have these spells at all (no stairs there).
Just here.

Hello,

So sorry that your wife has this horrible disease. I also have CRPS 2 and have be fighting with edema as well although my edema is in my thigh and knee. I haven't yet found anything to take it completely away but here is what I find that works to reduce it some and keep it from getting worse.

1. Epsom salt soaks - sometimes I do this a 2-3 times per day.

2. compression stockings - the only way I can put these on due to the sensitivity is to use the lidoderm patches or voltaren cream first before putting them on. Once they are on it doesn't seem to flare the pain any more than it was before putting them on.

3. KT tape - taped by someone familiar with CRPS and the sympathetic nervous system. My therapist tapes to help reduce inflammation known as the 'spider method'. Again it does hurt a little more while it's being put on but, once it is on it doesn't seem to be any worse than normal and it does help a ton with the inflammation and the jiggle pain caused by the extra fluid. I take it off very gently after about 4-5 days while in the shower or bath.

4. Massage therapy on the unaffected body parts will also help with healing and blood flow and general body aches.

I do hope maybe something will help your wife as it has for me.

Never give up!
Tessa

Hello NGU,

Thanks for trying to find help for your wife. She's lucky to have you.

Please take those leopard print slippers away from her....they look too tight !

She should elevate that leg as much as she can, preferably above the level of her heart so resting in that new bed is a good idea). If she can tolerate massage to the area, gently work lotion from her feet up the leg toward her knee in long flowing strokes to try to increase the return circulation upwards. It can sound counterintuitive, but drinking enough water is also important in helping her heart get that pooled fluid back into the circulatory system to get it out of that area.