Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy in Fort Worth

According to the Rare Diseases organization, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is a disorder in which pain, occurring spontaneously or from a sensory stimulus, is significantly more painful than it should be. For example, lightly touching the skin is not normally painful, but it causes extreme pain perception in patients with this condition. It usually affects one limb, generally after injury or surgery. Patients will also experience limited use of their affected limbs due to the pain.

What Are the Symptoms of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy?

The most prominent symptom of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is pain described as a burning, stinging, or tearing sensation deep inside the limbs. Sensory changes are also common and often include:

• Feeling pain from touch that wouldn’t normally be painful
• Sensory loss (e.g., numbness)
• Color and temperature changes in the affected extremity
• Swelling due to fluid build-up in the limb
• Skin that becomes thin and shiny

How Can Our physicians Help With Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy?

Early diagnosis and treatment are the best way to prevent complex regional pain syndrome from getting worse. The cause is unknown, though the condition may be a malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system. Since it most commonly appears after trauma to the extremities, some conditions that can trigger it include sprains, fractures, surgery, damage to blood vessels or nerves, and specific brain injuries.

At Peak Physical Medicine and Wellness, we provide our patients with a variety of treatment options designed to help reduce or eliminate pain caused by this form of neuropathy. Once we do the initial examination, we create a custom treatment plan based on our findings to ensure you get the best results. We know that you have been struggling with healing from either a condition or an injury, and we are here to provide some relief from this painful condition. Give us a call today at (817) 289-1555 .