I was diagnosed a few months ago with RSD and at that time the Dr swiped my arm with alcohol to see if I had a reaction. It was colder than my other limb but not painful. The other day I had an FCE (functional capacity exam) and they did a surface emg, they wiped alcohol on my arm and it really burned and hurt. I've also been more sensitive to cold/air conditioning/fans than before and showers are starting to hurt my arm. My arm just feels cold on the inside alot, I find myself wearing a sweatshirt on these warm summer days, also because the fabric is soft and comfortable and I am afraid of it being uncovered. I didn't have these problems before...why now???? I have just finished about 4 months of OT but desensitizing was never done as I didn't seem to have that problem until now. I have alot of function in my hand but not much stregnth but now the burning is going all the way up into my shoulder. My hand and forearm are swollen (as have been) but the rest of my arm still looks normal. What is happening???? Why do things seem to keep getting worse?

(BTW- have had 6 nerve blocks that helped for 1 wk, take Cymbalta and Lyrica)

Hi..I can completely understand your sensitivity issue. I was just diagnosed with RSD a few weeks ago after an ER visit and being admitted into the hospital. I've been battling this now for over 2 years and just new something was terribly wrong somewhere but nobody would really listen to me. I went to so many Dr's and each one wanted to treat me in different ways. They were treating the symptoms but not the source.

I too have terrible sensitivity to cold and hot but cold is much worse. I can't even stand opening the freezer at this point. I have drinks without ice because I dread the thought of reaching for ice in the freezer. I was trying earlier today and I was jumping out of my skin. I can't stand breezes, fans, ac, etc. My family gets frustrated because I turn off all the fans and don't run the AC and they are sweating buckets (I'm under a blanket at times). I feel like such an idiot wearing a sweatshirt outside in the middle of summer. There are times where my skin feels hot but everyone else says ifeel cool. I also dread the shower. I now can't stand having the water hit me on the right side and after I get out of the shower, I get all freaked out and have to go lay on the floor for a while. It's horrible, absolutely horrible. I have dry skin now and try to run lotion on and go crazy! I just has a sensory test done and couldn't withstand the cold part at all. I'm surprised the Dr didn't have to peel me off the ceiling. He couldn't believe how bad my sensitivity was. It didn't take much before I was wincing in pain. It flared everything up and I was miserable the next day.

I am now losing function in my right hand. My hand is swollen most of the time and hurts. I have a terrible burning pain from the hand all the way to the neck. I can't seem to grab things or hold on to anything. It's getting quite frustrating because everything is going downhill so fast. I too am wondering why things are getting worse and so fast. I'm worried about losing function completely on my right side.

I have TOS on the right side, post surgical TSpine herniation & spinal cord compression (T10/T11), and full body RSD. Life is difficult!

Meds are Neurontin, Cymbalta, Fioricet,Lidocaine Patches

Sometimes sensitivity doesn't happen right away. The important thing is to begin desentizing before it gets too bad and you can't stand things at all.

When I first got rsd I was only sensitive to air, not touch. It stayed that way until year 3 and then touch sensitivity started. I can't take showers anymore because it feels like a billion knives flaying my skin off my body. I can take a bath fine. I can't stand to be touched and especially not when my pain is high. I don't have many issues with clothes other than they can't be rough feeling. I have danceskin pants and those exercise type pants. They're soft and comfortable. I wear nothing but t-shirts like I always have. :-)

It's not abnormal at all. Some things just take time.

Hugs,

Karen

I am very sensitive but was more before. I don't allow any doctor touch my rsd area even. What I have begun to do is lightly touch my area and try to wear different items though this is very hard. For me the rsd has been something that can go up and down. Like things get worse and then better. It is frustrating and like a roller coaster. Do you have a good pain doctor?Are you able to keep moving?Wait I just rerad this. Are these symptoms since the emg? I know when I had mine I was in a flare up of extreme pain. It reved something up oh my. Do you have as needed meds? It did settle down but I know how painful and frustrating the wait is. Can you call the doc who did it if this is maybe a result of it?
Galena I am wearing danskin pants as we speak. They are very soft.

It was a surface EMG done by a physical therapist. There were no needles. I can touch my arm okay but I dread anyone else. I am okay with heat just not cold, I don't even like drinks cold or with ice anymore. I, too, won't even open the freezer. Showing and training my dogs has been my fun until this mess. I can pet them but if they lick my arm it's such a horrible feeling. That really tears me up. My kids are afraid to hug me. My pm Dr is on vacation, I see him next wk. What is a sensitivity test??

I have never heard of a surface emg or sensativity test. Anyhow cold is very hard on me like a huge difference in pain level. Even when I go to a doc office and the room is cold I go frozen and pain increases so much. I am not sure if it is a circulation issue or what. I was told though by my pain doc with the right treatment that should help that issue too. I can't have anyone touch my legs and I even fear hugs other then from my mom just in case of accidental step. Sorry I wish I had more answers for you. I hope your doc can give you more direction. It is very common though for people with rsd to be super sensitive.