[swimtime]

What causes the changes in skin appearance with CRPS? I'm confused about something. Our son's skin discoloration is primarily along the nerve that is damaged (superficial peroneal), on top of his foot, midway between ankle and little toes. It started out as a little red spot, no bigger than a fingertip, and has changed over the months to a specific blue mottled area a couple inches in diameter.

But since the emg, he has a new area of discoloration (same type, blue mottled) on the other side of the foot. I can't figure out why the discoloration spread. Of course neurology says it can't be from the emg, but it's odd.

He's been able to pinpoint a specific spot along the course of the SPN that feels "pinched" when he everts his foot. This makes me think the nerve damage may actually be an entrapment after all. The neurologist thinks the damaged nerve is healing, but was willing to humor me with a referral to neurosurgery for another opinion.

I want a fast forward button to the day when all the questions are laid to rest and he's running again, without pain. A child's pain is hard on a mom's heart. I sure do love that boy.

[Littlepaw]

I can only imagine how hard this is on you. Witnessing a child's pain is just gut wrenching even when it's brief. My son had his wisdom teeth out this week and that first day was just pitiful.

There is not a lot of literature on the skin charges of CRPS though I read an article at one point specifically on cutaneous blood flow. My understanding is the interface between the nerves and the small blood vessels does not work properly and therefore the skin is not nourished or temperature adjusted as it should be. The redness starts from inflammatory compounds and the mottling comes later as those decrease.

Is the new area of mottling in any way related to needle placement for the EMG? even below it perhaps? I wonder if he has some bruising that is taking a while to resolve. After my last cortisone injection in April I had a purple mottled spot that took weeks to go away.

I say go for it on the consult. It is always good to have information. I honestly don't know how the EMG could rule entrapment out versus a lesion. He could even have both. Between hardware and scar tissue, Entrapment of some kind almost seems like a given.

Hang in there Mom! You are getting good information at this point and a better idea about how to treat this. That boy will get up and running. We are all praying It will be sooner rather than later.

Hugs coming your way

[swimtime]

I think it's further down his foot from where one of the needles went. What worries me is that the nerve along that path was very painful for a few days. It was a new area of pain. After it stopped hurting, he still had that mottled look. Hoping it goes away. We definitely won't be doing any repeat emg's, though.

[RSD ME]

hi swimtime. i'm so sorry your son has rsd. i hope being that he is so young that he will go into remission from it soon. rsd causes all kinds of skin issues. discoloration is one issue. i have had rsd for almost five years now and have had everything from purple to red to mottled skin mainly in my original rsd site which is my right hand and wrist to my other hand and feet where my rsd has since spread too. it changes with the weather and pain levels and severity of the rsd spread. i just take it a day at a time and try to do my pt stretches at home to keep the blood circulating so that my joints don't all freeze up like my wrist has from having rsd while being casted. i hope you're son goes into remission soon and feels better. soft hugs coming your way.