Author's Opening Note: DISCLAIMER - the discussion to follow is not only controversial - but it may be construed to be inflammatory. It is not meant to be at all. Further - there is no denigration of the patients - who suffer RSD - intended. It is well documented and acknowledged that RSD does exist and is real. And that there are those that have said that RSD is all in one's head. That is patently false. But there are those that speak to the "psycho-physiological" aspects of this disease. And yes - there is perhaps something to these arguments. This issue of the psycho-physiological connection - is the crux of this series of articles.
INTRODUCTION
This is the second of several articles on the topic of RSD and how the disease affects the mind of the patient - as well as - how the mind of the patient affects the presentation of the disease.
THE BRUTALITY OF THE DISEASE
There are few that really know first hand the brutal effects of this disease upon the lives of those that suffer the effects of RSD. This is because most patients continue to "look normal." It is hard to know what non-stop pain that has no upper bound is like. Not many have experienced such a great degree of pain as the patients continually without surcease.
Here are some first-hand accounts of the effects of RSD in the patient's own words.
A description of the pain - Complete, burning, itching, centipede-stomping hot coals, ice cold flesh with hot, red, swollen spots, bone shattering inner pain, muscle spasms that make limbs draw up, spine twisting lower & upper back burning & spasms, out of the blue zaps that make you fall, can't remember why you went to the bathroom, who you just talked to for an hour on the phone, any noise pushes you over the deep end, irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, chest pains, headaches that make you look for an axe, no sleep, 24/7 crying jags, screaming, fetal position pain.
A description of the continuing trauma - and loss of daily life - In December 1990, in a car accident I hurt my neck and left shoulder (seat belt). I kept working even though I was told by the doctor to stay home and let my body heal. A year later I could not work any more because left hand was ice cold, blue, no pulse and constantly dropping everything. My left shoulder and hand hurt and had been swollen since the accident. I was told I had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. They told me it was lose the first rib or my left arm. Of course I chose to keep the arm and let them take out a rib.
