The cause of CRPS is now much closer to being understood.. research has been pointing in this direction for quite some time now but scientists have recently injected antibody serum from CRPS patients into rodents who then developed CRPS symptoms after injury, the rodents who were given control/normal antibody serum did not develop CRPS symptoms after injury..
This is HUGE for CRPS research.. and for us because it can possibly be much more treatable now, even for chronic cases. Copied from RSD/CRPS research and developement on Facebook .
Doesn't seem to stim from the brain as once thought!!!!! Awesome news. I am pumped.
Although it had previously been thought, that the cause of CRPS is exclusively an abnormal brain activity after injury, more recent results, including from the Liverpool group have pointed to an immune dysfunction.
Pinpoint the cause
Dr Goebel said: “It’s quite possible that CRPS is caused by a fault in the immune system. This study seems to pinpoint the cause as autoantibodies, and by examining this area further we can look to develop a cure.”
The project was subsidised by the European Union and co-financed by the European Social Fund. 7, the Pain Relief Foundation, Liverpool, UK,

In mice injected with the antibodies from CRPS sufferers, there was significantly more swelling of the affected limbs compared to mice injected with antibodies from healthy volunteers. Similar to what is seen in patient’s limbs, the paws of CRPS-antibody injected mice became more painful to pressure, and the paw tissues contained a higher concentration of the nerve-mediator Substance P.
Although it had previously been thought, that the cause of CRPS is exclusively an abnormal brain activity after injury, more recent results, including from the Liverpool group have pointed to an immune dysfunction.

Do you have a link for your quotes?

Here is the link http://www.healthcanal.com/disorders...discovery.html

I guess my only question with the research is where does that leave type II patients like myself?

We are in the same boat Vrea

While I am glad that there seems to be some insight into this disease, I am sorry for the poor little mice that have to endure such pain
Yes I guess I am one of those people. Just wish that in this day and age of technology where we can travel into outer space, that something hasn't been developed to replace animals in testing, even if I am to benefit. Don't mean to downplay your sharing this news, because it is light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks for the update. I've sometimes wondered if rsd caused my immune system to weaken or if my weakened immune system caused my rsd. Very interesting.

Hola Renee. Speaking for myself - my immune system was already weakened way in advance of RSD; I just didn't know it.

The way I look at it, the weakened immune system is the chicken and RSD is the egg. Then the RSD egg hatches and grows into another weak@$$ chicken. And that weak@$$ RSD chicken has its own crappy eggs which hatch into yet another round of cripsy chickens. In a relatively short time the henhouse is filled with RSD affected poultry. Treatment becomes exceedingly difficult when the henhouse is filled with a bunch of mothercluckers.

Hi Vision! Thanks for your views on RSD and the Immune System. I wonder sometimes if my immune system was weakened prior to RSD too, but am just now sure. My drs just don't know enough about rsd yet, but I hope that whatever is causing it, they can cure it and soon.
By the way, I really liked your analogy of weakened immune systems, rsd and chickens and eggs. It made me smile!
Thanks again for your thoughts and kindness.
I wish you and everyone else a peaceful and low pain day today.
Sincerely, your friend, Renee.

I've seen lots of things talking about speculation that CRPS is autoimmune related but nothing so concrete before. It made sense to me though, at least in my case. I was an undiagnosed celiac at the time my symptoms started and while it took an additional two years after my celiac diagnosis to get my CRPS diagnosis, my swelling did calm down after I was gluten free. I won't be surprised if they can make a definitive link.