Have any of you tried herbs or any natural remedies for your RSD? What has helped you?

Right now I am taking plenty of vitamins... magnesium (prevents depression, dizziness, muscle twitching and weakness), calcium (aids in neuromusclular activity), vitamin c (antioxidant, reduces inflammation and pain), b complex (helps restore healthy nerve function), milk thistle (helps to cleanse the liver while taking medications).

I am going to be getting a multivitamin and:
glucosamine (joint health, involved in formation of tendons, ligaments, bones)
chrondroitin (aids in creating cartilage in joints)
lecithin (helps nervous system, is involved with neurotransmitters)
vitamin E (antioxidant, maintains healthy nerves)
vitamin D for muscle spasms and pain


Any ideas of anything natural that helps with RSD/ CRPS, chronic pain syndromes or pain that has helped you or someone you know? TIA.

Also,are there any creams/ rubs that have helped you?

there are some very detailed remedy finders on these homeopathic websites.

http://www.abchomeopathy.com/simplified.php
http://www.hmedicine.com/news/guide/single/singles/all
http://www.webhomeopath.com/en/jsp/login.jsp

other
Medical/Wellness/Alternative
http://www.wellnessresources.com/pro.../protocols.htm
http://www.vitamin-insight.com/dieta...anagement.aspx
http://www.nwhealthsolutions.com/
http://www.mercola.com/index.html
http://www.consumerlab.com/

Hi Vanessa--

I was wondering how you think the vitamins are helping? My daughter has RSD and is having a flare right now after spraining her ankle. She has really found using lavendar essential oils and one called 'aches and pains' has been helpful. We put it on her sock or in water to soak her foot (when she wants to) and also in lotion to rub on it.

Another quick note...in past flares she has really liked contrast baths--not this time. Very painful in the cold water.

Well, at this point I am not too sure if/ how they are helping. But, I have only been taking them for 2 weeks.

I am making a teeny bit of progress in the right direction, but I am not sure if it is from the vitamins, or if it is a combination of: physical therapy, medication (neurontin 300 mg. in the morning, 300 mg. in the afternoon and 600 mg. at night. My PM Dr. just upped the dose at night to see if it would help with sleeping/ pain.), vitamins (the aboved mentioned ones), and I am no longer using the ice at PT/ home.

Just wondering... how old is your daughter? I am 16 years of age. It has been hard for me to find younger people with RSD.

Constrast baths are HARD on me, too. For me, though hot water bothers.

I'll have to look up those rubs. Maybe they would be of help to me. Might as well try.

Hi Venessa,
I tried all sorts of herbal and natural remedies. Here's a short list of what helped and what didn't:

- accupunture - worked and amazingly relieved my pain for a period of time
- chinese herbal teas - helped
- meditation - wonderful
- passive yoga - helped to move my body when I couldn't
- hydrocolonics - to clean out the constipated mess that narcotics created
- cranial sacral therapy - helped
- applied kineisiology - possibly helped didn't hurt
- messages - enourmously helpful for cramps in foot and ankle
- Reliv - a nutritiuonal supplement with a protein shake was the only food I ate many days

If your interested in more info I'd be glad to help you out. I believe that all alternatives help in some way to help attempt to balance the un-balanced(sick) body.
Peace,
Lisa

Vanessa
I have made some progress since my latest round of RSD started in late August 2005.

I started massage therapy (with a great therapist who also does cranial sacral therapy) almost immediately. I go to this woman every time I have a significant injury - knew her before RSD. Now that I have RSD, and she works on me, she can usually get the swelling down some, the color more normal, and the temperature better. Sometimes it lasts a couple days, sometimes only half an hour. When I first hurt my arm (the cause of the current problems with RSD) I started going to her 3 times a week for 1-1/2 hours. Now, a year and a half later, I am going every other week for 1-1/2 hours. She works on my RSD areas pretty much the entire time. I credit her work with me for the fact that I am so much better. She worked on me the last time I had RSD (it was in my foot then)... and I got almost 100% better before I hurt my shoulder and it came back. By the way, when I hurt my shoulder, the pain and symptoms came back in my foot. That diagnose that it was indeed RSD.

When I went to a knowledgeable pain mgmt doctor last year who worked with Stanton Hicks, she said there has been some research showing certain massage therapy can prevent the sensitivity to touch if started early enough. She questioned me a lot about mine - as I did not have very much sensitivity the first time I had RSD, and have not had this time either. I wish I could go back to her - she was good... but her office was in a building that my insurance would not pay the charge for - so I had to pay out of pocket $450 each office call plus my co-pay. It was a billing nightmare. Well anyway.....

I have problems with anti-inflamatories. So I take ginger capsules. They seem to help. I know I get worse if I run out and don't get any for a couple weeks. I also take grapeseed extract after reading Vicc's posts a year or so ago. Flax seed oil too because it is a good anti-oxident. I take tumeric, which is a natural pain reliever. I can't tell if that really helps or not. But, it's supposed to build up over time, so maybe not taking it for a day or so would not tell me. I take a mulit-capsule from my health food store for joint health that has a lot of things in it like pineapple extract (bromiline? bromide? something like that)..... I am at work right now or I would check on the name of the exact supplement for you. Another thing I take if I am flaring is arnica.. and use arnica gel. Magnesium, zinc because it's good for muscle problems (I've had painful muscles - myofacial pain for 30 years). Glucosamine condroitin for arthritis and joint health.

And, I try to eat right.... lots of fresh foods, few processed foods. Very few white things... lots of color. I have never been much for drinking (and can't when taking topomax) so I drink a little grape juice each day since I know wine is good for you.

I agree with lisa... meditation can really help. I've mentioned before that the book/cd combo Breakthrough Pain by Shinzen Young was a real turning point for me. I think the book, which is not very long, really helped me understand that you can separate your mind from the suffering that comes from pain. If you can take the fear out of the pain, it becomes much more bearable. Young really helped me understand a lot about pain, and what I could do to help myself through calm thoughts, breathing and a few minutes meditation.

good luck
Jules

I sure would love any info you have...

For how long did the acupuncture work for you?

Which teas do you reccomend?

Did you do the massages yourself?


The more info the better. Knowledge is power! TIA.

Is this the rub you mean???
http://cgi.ebay.com/DEEP-HEAT-RUB-10...QQcmdZViewItem

Hi Vanessa--
She uses lavendar and 'aches and pains' from a company called Wyndmere. She also uses the brand Aura Cacia. These brands aren't special in any way other than they are what we have at our local food co-op. I am guessing any health food store etc would carry some sort of essential oil. I know in our area, home sales of essential oils are popular too. I will have her post some websites she uses to mix and match them.

I googled "aches and pains natural pain relief"
i used the images search option- but if you click on a pic it will take you to the site where you can read more about the product-
http://images.google.com/images?svnu...ef&btnG=Search