Hi everyone,

I am writing today because I have been feeling discouraged and frustrated and i felt the need to vent. This tuesday I was rushing and I bumped my RSD arm's elbow on the door handle. After this happens I pass out and get almost paralyzed for hours with bad pain flare ups. Usually, by the next day i can move, just bad increased pain which i usually cant do much besides sit with my arm on a pillow covered up. Now, ever since tuesday I haven't been able to move due to so much pain. I have gone to the bathroom maybe 4 times max. I cannot move my arm,fingers anything. The flare up isnt going down at all. I have been sitting in my recliner without moving my arm. I just cant take it. I am fearing the rsd has spread because now it cant handle the touch of blankets or anything like it did before, Tonight i really wanted to shower quick to just wash off my body but now my arm is screaming pain to hang, cant lift it over my head and cannot handle water hitting it at all. I took extra morphine before even getting up to take the shower. Each day i wake up i am getting more fearful that this will now be permanent because it has never been like this before. All I can do is pray at this point. Has anyone had this sort of thing happen and it turned out the RSD was actually spreading??

hi leggie. i'm sorry you bumped your rsd limb and understand how scary it can be for fear of spread. with time you will learn what rsd spread is vs. a really bad flare up. even drs don't always know and that's where learning to listen to your own body comes into play. it could be that you are just having a really bad flare up because you bumped your arm so hard and it may subside with time. if it is spread the pain will probably continue on and not stop and you will have physical symptoms though maybe not as significant as you initially had with rsd. some symptoms may be increased swelling, redness, excessive hair growth on your arm, trouble moving your arm, temperature changes and above all increased burning pain. you may also have something else and may want to have dr check for a fracture by taking an xray. i am not a dr but am just explaining my experiences on how to tell the difference between rsd spread and rsd flare ups. whatever it is try to stay calm because stress can add to pain. you may find that in a few days your symptoms may subside. if not it could be spread but if i were you i would then confirm with a dr and xrays. usually with rsd spread it is something you just know immediately where with flare ups you don't. that's my rule of thumb anyway during the past five years of having rsd. i hope it is just a flare up from the bump and that your pain eases soon. sending soft hugs your way.

WOW! How awful for you! Dont worry about this spreading though. Im not saying it wont, but worrying wont help u anyway. Just focus on what to do about the pain u now have. When my foot originally went haywire, i found it helpful to wear a sock because it buffered accidental stimuli from triggering pain. You might want to trycovering your arm to protect it. Keep it out of the shower, away from hot pots, etc. I broke my ankle, the same side as my rsd foot. Caused flare of rsd big time. Had to have it casted because the casual bumps or brushings of the foot would cause same old rsd searing pains. Its been a couple years and it hasnt spread any where else physically. I have developed hypothyroidism, anxiety, and some gastro intestinal disorders which i attribute to this. So take a deep breathe, hold it a few seconds, let it out slowly, and say to yourself, this too shall pass. Fingers crossed . Lol!

I agree totally with RSD ME, and happygirlpa. Protect your arm as much as possible. Do anything that can keep yourself as calm as possible. I found reading the RSD LIFESAVERS sticky extremely helpful, and I just recently went back and reread it. Not to be discouraging in anyway, but I have full body RSD, and like RSD ME said you will definitely know if it's a spread. Do all you can to stay calm (way easier said than done.) Be kind to yourself. Hopefully this is just a bad flare up, it will subside, and you will be able to feel some peace. Sending Hugs.

Sent from my XT1028 using Tapatalk

Hi Leggies,

I am sorry you are hurting and so scared right now. I would be scared too. From what I have read, spread can originate from a new trauma because of increased spinal glial activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Anything you can do to reduce these factors is helpful. Thoughts are anitoxidants like 500mg Vit C if you don't take it already, Omega-3s and Vit E. If it doesn't calm down a short burst of oral steroids may help knock the inflammation back.

If you are not feeling better after the weekend call your doctors office and see what they can do as far as blocks, steroids, ketamine, etc.

Sending prayers and healing love,

I took a pretty bad fall yesterday, and of course always worry I'll cause spread. I put on Lidocaine patches in the worst 2 areas, applied Epsom salt lotion, and took a max dose of pain meds and slept most of the day. I try to keep a back up course of steroids in, but I'm out unfortunately.

You really have to figure out what works for you, because small injuries are a part of life and you want to avoid spread.

I'll follow up with a block or Ketamine infusion if I need to.

My main affected area is my left arm, pretty much all of it.my elbow is extra sensitive. My last flare up lasted over a week...I'm still not a 100%. Epsom salt baths really help before bed time. I haven't started any treatments yet cause I'm trying my own helpful ways before I put all that toxic stuff in me. Music also helps. The main thing is tryin to not think about it..I know easier said than done. Hope you feel better.