I was wondering how you know when RSD is spreading? Can u tell on your own or does the doctor find it? I'm wondering because I've always been trying to keep my shoulder moving so it doesn't stiff up, well lately its been getting stiff on me no matter how much I move it. I've also been getting the shooting pains back but they don't stop at my shoulder anymore, they go up into the back of my neck, or my back. My back has also been burning lately. I called the doctor the other morning and he told me the spot on my hand is not from my injury and that I should be over my RSD. WOW, I really think he needs to do more research on RSD. I contacted a lawyer online, waiting to hear from them. If I didn't have RSD anymore then why do I still have a lot of pain and my palm gets excessivly sweaty and all the other symptoms lol.

Iffy,

You sound like me. I have had RSD in my left arm for just over a year. It started in my elbow after surgery, then spread to my hand and shoulder. Now I am having electrical shocks in my neck, burning pain and sweating big time all at the base of my neck. I thought I might have bone spurs or something but your question has me wondering if the RSD is spreading. Hmm.

I also had a severe frozen shoulder on the same side so I know how to keep my shoulder moving. This is what works for me; first, I starting going to an exercise facility that is also a rehab facility about five months ago. They have upper body ergometers, which look like you are pedaling a bike, only with your hands, and I have found this exercise to be so helpful in keeping my shoulder moving. It is hard for me to do it if I skip a week or two, but a PT experienced in RSD rehab got me started on it while I was in PT and he found several facilities I could join to keep up this exercise after my PT. It really helps the RSD and the residual stiffness from the frozen shoulder.

The other thing that helps me is aqua therapy. I just pay my $5 per session and go into a pool that is kept warmer for arthritis. I just gently move my arm and this helps me move the shoulder. This really feels good to me.

Another exercise I learned for my RSD is to take a regular rubber ball, or a basketball, and with two hands walk it up the wall and then back down to about waist level. Do this slowly 10 times and you should feel the muscles slowly working. This also helps me keep my shoulder moving.

I hope this helps. I am sure others will have great advice.

Iffynah wrote:
"I've always been trying to keep my shoulder moving so it doesn't stiff up"

Coffeebean wrote:
"I also had a severe frozen shoulder on the same side so I know how to keep my shoulder moving."

WOW. That sounds familiar. Three times over the last two-1/2 years I have had a shoulder "freeze up." This has been twice on the left and once on the right. I could only move my upper arm an inch or two in any direction and even that much was very painful. The first time, at an ER, they did an EKG because severe shoulder pain is a symptom of a heart attack.

Two times there was no apparent cause, and once it was after an injection into the shoulder. Because swelling is hard to see in the shoulder area, the doctors doubted it was RSD. They blamed it on tendonitis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Now, after hearing from you two, I am thinking it just might have been a flare-up of RSD. I know that is not any help to your question, but there might be a clue here.

How do you know when RSD is spreading? Well, since most doctors have a hard time with an RSD dx to begin with, you will be the first to know. Some or many of the RSD symptoms will be present and there is no other explanation. After a while, the doctors will "settle" on that diagnosis. A lot of the time, physicians mainly “rule out” other causes until nothing is left. (You will find out what it ISN’T).

Coffeebean had great advice. Do as much gentle exercise as you can tolerate. Remember, the old adage “no pain – no gain” is NOT true. Do not hurt yourself, but try to keep moving. Water is a great idea since it will give you support (buoyancy) and make the exercise easier.

Mike

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this right now - I really hope that the RSD isn't spreading.

My RSD started to spread to my right arm after a soft tissue injury - my arm immediately swelt up, changed colour and I got the dreaded burning and shooting pains. I could tell that the RSD was spreading after a few days when the swelling and pain didn't subside. I went to the ER room, had an x-ray and saw my PM dr and he diagnosed me with with a spread of the RSD.

If you suspect that the RSD is spreading, please start off by doing gentle excersises (even though it hurts!!) such as touching your shoulder, back and neck so that they don't become hypersensitve etc.

Please keep us all updated when you can and I hope this helps you and that you are able to get the proper care and treatment you so desperatley need and deserve,

Love and best wishes
Alison
xxx

If your Dr. says your RSD is gone, I would be looking for another Dr. To me when a Dr. says that, it makes me think he's not very knowledgable on RSD or he just doesn't know what else to do for you so he is passing it by as nothing.

Also, you might be dealing with Fibromyalgia too. It comes with RSD often and causes the pain in the back, neck and shoulders and it can be burning pain also at times.

My right arm is the one that froze on me. I have had 5 surgeries on my right arm and hand to get it usable along with Physical Therapy. I have been able to get the RSD into remission but I still have to watch what I am doing with both arms. I now have a torn rotator cuff on the left side. You may have more going on then just the RSD.

Don't give up, and think about a new Dr.

Ada

Thank you all very much for your help. I'm already thinking about finding another doctor but have to go thru steps because it is workmans comp. They recently hired a nurse to go with me to my appointments and I believe she has to go with me to one first to know that that doctor is full of it, then she will put in her recommondation. I have to go back to that doctor on the 18th, and I will let him have it so to speak! I've always been nice to this doctor but since he keeps pulling stupid crap with me I'm not so sure that I can be so nice anymore.

Again Thank You very much.