We have studies and articles that confirm what nearly all CRPS/RSDS Patients and the more informed Doctors know; that is that CRPS/RSDS DOES SPREAD.

In fact the Surveys show that it spreads in up to 70-80% of ALL cases!

In this section of our website we will be adding those articles, studies, and maybe some testimonials.

This is not only for the benefit of the Doctors out there that it does spread, but also to clarify it for the patients and loved ones. Those of us who have been there know what it is like to feel the CRPS/RSDS spread to a different part of your body and yet have the Drs tell you no, it doesn't.

I must make an important point first though. While CRPS/RSDS DOES SPREAD, it normally follows a parallel course. Meaning, spreading from one arm or hand to another, or one foot or leg to another. Sometimes it can spread from hand to shoulder in the same arm, often referred to as "shoulder-hand syndrome".

But don't be alarmed. Our study also shows that LESS THAN 10% of CRPS/RSDS patients have their CRPS/RSDS spread body-wide; also called systemic or full-body CRPS/RSDS.

Sometimes while it feels it might be a spread it can be "referred pain" or something else going on entirely. Many CRPS/RSDS patients develop Fibromyalgia for instance.

Our goal here is to share with you, articles and studies showing the fact that CRPS/RSDS DOES INDEED SPREAD.

The fiction that it does not needs to be stopped and we will provide you here with some ammunition and education to share with your Health Care Provider, to enable them to understand as well.

In the coming weeks and months we will be adding articles by Doctors around the country concerning this. If you have a good CRPS/RSDS Doctor who would like to write a short article, from a few paragraphs to a page, explaining how and why CRPS/RSDS spreads, please have him/her {"/content/ContactUsForm.asp","contact us"}

For now at least, do not send me your personal stories on how it spread for you. I would be inundated with thousands of experiences within a week.

One day we hope that a full Scientific Study will be done into the exact percentages of spread among CRPS/RSDS patients. Until then, we rely on this information.

More articles will be up in the coming weeks and months as they are written and shared!

Please see our disclaimer on the cover page.

These were submitted by Catherine Rice. Thanks!

ARTICLE ONE

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy also known as CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)
Article one  

ARTICLE TWO

Description of RSD. They have one small paragraph within the article that talks about SPREADING.
Article two  

ARTICLE THREE

ARTICLE FOUR

In the second paragraph they talk of RSD spreading and mention that it can go full body!
Article four  

ARTICLE FIVE

RSD spread is mentioned in 4th paragraph.
Article five  

ARTICLE SIX

I'll paste in the paragraph that talks about spreading but here is the link.
Article 6  

Prognosis and Treatment for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Patients
Patients may recover from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. Spontaneous recoveries are rare. Best results occur when there is an early diagnosis and aggressive treatment. Sympathetic blocks and sympathectomies are widely used to treat Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. (Raja & Hendler, 1990).

Additional forms of treatment include physical therapy, psychotherapy, biofeedback training, and use of various drugs including corticosteroids, calcium channel blockers, anti-convulsants, opiods, anti-inflammatories, and antidepressants.

(Stanton-Hicks, Baron, Boas, Gordh, Harden, Hendler, Koltzenburg, Raj, & Wilder, 1998).

ARTICLE SEVEN

I will paste in the paragraph that mentions spreading and here is the link to the whole article.
article seven  

"After the condition has been present for weeks or months, the second stage develops. The pain is often made worse by changes in temperature or by other stimulation, such as breezes, air conditioning, or light touch. The skin becomes cool, and the nails become brittle."

"The area may become very swollen and look pale and waxy. X-rays show thinning or damage of the joints or bones. Pain may spread, usually moving towards the centre of the body (from the foot to the hip or the hand to the shoulder, for example). The spreading pain often affects the muscles, producing painful spasms."

Thanks Catherine. I hope these help everyone!

If anyone has additional resources please send them on to us so we can add them here.

As Drs. submit their articles I will be adding them.

Dr Hooshang Hooshmand, author of CHRONIC PAIN, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Prevention and Management 1993 by CRC Press LLC has written a series of "puzzles" about CRPS/RSDS.

The following link is to his Puzzle # 18 concerning his thoughts about the spread of RSDS. It is called "Bilateral Involvement Of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome(CRPS)"

The second portion of this puzzle consists entirely of seventeen (17) additional references that support the Bilateral Involvement Of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) . It is an excellent resource.

Puzzle #18  

Puzzle #18 References  

RSDHope:

Dr Schwartz,

What are your thoughts about the "Spread Issue"?

Dr Schwartz:

I do think that spread can occur, but you must be careful to interpret the degree of spread.

RSDHope:

How is that?

Dr Schwartz:

Patients do get symptom spread but it may not always spread from CRPS/RSDS.

Please refer to my article for more of my interpretation. It explains what I mean by spread.

RSDHope:

Just so there is no confusion we have printed Dr Schwartz's article below

CRPS/RSDS WITH DISTANT EFFECTS

This is the final form of sympathetic pain syndrome. In this case, the person afflicted has sympathetic pain of any subtype (or true CRPS/RSDS) but also complains of their pain spreading with the somatic (musculoskeletal) system, and/or may also complain of various other symptoms related to the visceral organ system.

One of the best explanations for the spread of pain from limb to limb is the "table cloth effect". In this case, the fascia (the sticky stuff in between the skin and meat in chicken) gets pulled, just like a tablecloth, and causes kinks in distant places.

Mechanical effects associated with other injuries, or postural characteristics of the individual may also come into play. The visceral complaints encompass any atomically controlled response within the body. These include, but are not limited to rapid heart rate, change in bowel or bladder function, dizziness, or blurred vision.

(See also additional information on his web site) We Help What Hurts