I'm a newly diagnosed RSD patient at 2.5 months, not responded to my first nerve block, have another one next week, docs also want to perform nerve conductivity test on monday. I am relatively pain free right now with physical therapy, high dose gabapentin and cymbalta, and lots of exercise (I have RSD in my left foot with pain going up my left leg).
The nerve conductivity test is controversial, it provides useful information about nerve damage but I've read that it can also worsen the condition.
Is there any prophylatic pre-treatment that can be performed to dimish RSD before this procedure, or, any other surgical procedure that is performed. Please let me know.
thanks,
logicwoman

There's really nothing you can do. I had my emg done on both sides of my body from lower back to ankles. I felt sore for the next 2-3 days but the test itself while not exactly pleasant wasn't horrible either. It upped my pain a bit too but I think it's only because he did it over so much of me! lol

Over the past 6 years and studying I've done, I seen that people who have higher touch sensitivity tend to find an emg very painful. The ones who don't have it that bad or have no touch sensitivity at all, it wasn't so bad. At the time I had mine done, I only had sensitivity to air and not touch at all.

The emg of course won't provide any info to do with rsd, but it's common to have one done because it is very helpful for a doc to know if there's nerve damage or not involved in the limb that has rsd in it.

I hope it's a good test and I'll be waiting to hear how it went on Monday.

Hugs,

Karen

Appropriate to your name, I have to question why they're messing with you so much right now if your meds are working and you're able to get plenty of exercise? ANYTHING they do can stir the pot and cause a disruption in the delicate balance of things and I would be cautious before I would proceed with much more testing.

I have RSD that started in my left foot in December and quickly spread to my right foot, to the bottoms of both feet (AFTER I quit having nerve blocks done) up both legs, and to my hands. I had an epidural nerve block a few weeks ago that triggered a MAJOR flare in me. I wish now I had just stuck to the sympathetic nerve blocks. It wasn't worth the "experiment" when things had been going ok (in retrospect, I wish I hadn't stopped having the SNB's so soon in the first place......it was containing the RSD until I quit......then it spread like crazy).

I guess my point is (or was, until I got sidetracked!!).....ask them seriously what they hope to gain by the test vs. the risk of causing a flare in you when you seem to have things under control at the moment.

I wish you well whichever route you choose and hope that you continue to remain as painfree as possible!!! We are glad to have you aboard, though sorry you need to be here!!

Everyone is right on this issue. EMG's can sort of hurt depending on your pain threshold. NCV's don't hurt, but I did not like the several I have had because I don't like getting chased around the room with an electric cattle prod. Frankly, the last two EMG's were mostly painless because I have little feeling in my shoulder, much of my arm and hand due to surgically caused nerve damage (the reason for my CRPS) so I didn't feel the needles going in! I have also heard of others flaring from the procedure. Since the idea is to stop pain signals from reaching the spinal cord, perhaps talk to the neurologist pre-procedure about the idea of taking oral pain meds just before you go in.

Hi logic woman,

I had nerve damage from a dog bite to my hand. I had compressions and they needed to be repaired in my instance. I had many nerve blocks and my pain doc new that my RSD was not going away without repair. Of course with RSD there are no guarantees...just hopefuls with each new treatment. The hand specialist saw me and it had spread up my arm and in shoulder....it seemed to me it was spreading to my chest and back I had been having the tingling all over my skin and pain stabbing aching etc....,color changes, sweating, cold rsd. 2 hand specialists just kept sending me back for blocks SGB upper xtremety. The one that saw me next did a thourough exam while I was in flare. will never forget......but most drs don't want to do nerve studies in RSd.
My surgeon did an exploratory under 2 blocks and put me deeply out.......absolutely no pain then I woke up with marcaine drip in my arm to numb me for a week post op. He was extremely careful about keeping a no pain atmosphere. When I woke up He said he repaired 3 areas of nerves and it was definately enough to cause my RSD. I felt like a brick had been lifted off me. Well that was Nov 08 and surg was done 16 mo. into my rsd. Hooshmand says surgery of this kind should be done within 6 mo onset RSD. I was worried about having it so late but have no regrets. I am however left with severe spasming sweating but nothing like the severe other symptoms that I left in the OR. Same guy is going to do Botox injections next week to paralyse the nerves to quiet them. Just my story everyone is diferent and you may tolerate the nerve studies OK. another point I have read that only a small percentage of RSD nerve damages actually can be detected in nerve studies. Mine were microscopically investigated.

If you do have nerve entrapments or compressions then your rsd may not stay quiet for ever. I hope you get resolve so you don't have to deal with rsd.


Take care, Wishing you no more pain ever
debbie