Hi Rayebrahim,
Thank you for you question and for being a part of the EmpowHer community. How frustrating it must be to not be getting relief from treatment.
I'm not a doctor, so I can't really say either way, but from what I've read online about the condition, your symptoms sound pretty classic for CRPS. I've read that there is no cure for the syndrome, so any treatment plan is designed to help alleviate symptoms. Symptoms often get worse with time despite treatment. Here is a list of possible treatments found on the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) website. They recommend a multi-faceted approach to dealing with the condition:
"Physical therapy: A gradually increasing exercise program to keep the painful limb or body part moving may help restore some range of motion and function.
Psychotherapy: CRPS often has profound psychological effects on people and their families. Those with CRPS may suffer from depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which heighten the perception of pain and make rehabilitation efforts more difficult.
Sympathetic nerve block: Some patients will get significant pain relief from sympathetic nerve blocks. Sympathetic blocks can be done in a variety of ways. One technique involves intravenous administration of phentolamine, a drug that blocks sympathetic receptors. Another technique involves placement of an anesthetic next to the spine to directly block the sympathetic nerves.
Medications: Many different classes of medication are used to treat CRPS, including topical analgesic drugs that act locally on painful nerves, skin, and muscles; antiseizure drugs; antidepressants, corticosteroids, and opioids. However, no single drug or combination of drugs has produced consistent long-lasting improvement in symptoms.
Surgical sympathectomy: The use of surgical sympathectomy, a technique that destroys the nerves involved in CRPS, is controversial. Some experts think it is unwarranted and makes CRPS worse; others report a favorable outcome. Sympathectomy should be used only in patients whose pain is dramatically relieved (although temporarily) by selective sympathetic blocks.
Spinal cord stimulation: The placement of stimulating electrodes next to the spinal cord provides a pleasant tingling sensation in the painful area. This technique appears to help many patients with their pain.
Intrathecal drug pumps: These devices administer drugs directly to the spinal fluid, so that opioids and local anesthetic agents can be delivered to pain-signaling targets in the spinal cord at doses far lower than those required for oral administration. This technique decreases side effects and increases drug effectiveness."
I'm asking a friend who is a chiropractic internist if she has any ideas for alternative treatments or if she has a good resource you can check out.
Hope this helps. It is good to advocate for yourself. Please let us know if you have any additional questions, or how we can help. Likewise, if you do find something that works for you, please share your experience with us.
Comment Reply
Hi Rayebrahim,
July 28, 2010 - 9:05amThank you for you question and for being a part of the EmpowHer community. How frustrating it must be to not be getting relief from treatment.
I'm not a doctor, so I can't really say either way, but from what I've read online about the condition, your symptoms sound pretty classic for CRPS. I've read that there is no cure for the syndrome, so any treatment plan is designed to help alleviate symptoms. Symptoms often get worse with time despite treatment. Here is a list of possible treatments found on the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) website. They recommend a multi-faceted approach to dealing with the condition:
"Physical therapy: A gradually increasing exercise program to keep the painful limb or body part moving may help restore some range of motion and function.
Psychotherapy: CRPS often has profound psychological effects on people and their families. Those with CRPS may suffer from depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, all of which heighten the perception of pain and make rehabilitation efforts more difficult.
Sympathetic nerve block: Some patients will get significant pain relief from sympathetic nerve blocks. Sympathetic blocks can be done in a variety of ways. One technique involves intravenous administration of phentolamine, a drug that blocks sympathetic receptors. Another technique involves placement of an anesthetic next to the spine to directly block the sympathetic nerves.
Medications: Many different classes of medication are used to treat CRPS, including topical analgesic drugs that act locally on painful nerves, skin, and muscles; antiseizure drugs; antidepressants, corticosteroids, and opioids. However, no single drug or combination of drugs has produced consistent long-lasting improvement in symptoms.
Surgical sympathectomy: The use of surgical sympathectomy, a technique that destroys the nerves involved in CRPS, is controversial. Some experts think it is unwarranted and makes CRPS worse; others report a favorable outcome. Sympathectomy should be used only in patients whose pain is dramatically relieved (although temporarily) by selective sympathetic blocks.
Spinal cord stimulation: The placement of stimulating electrodes next to the spinal cord provides a pleasant tingling sensation in the painful area. This technique appears to help many patients with their pain.
Intrathecal drug pumps: These devices administer drugs directly to the spinal fluid, so that opioids and local anesthetic agents can be delivered to pain-signaling targets in the spinal cord at doses far lower than those required for oral administration. This technique decreases side effects and increases drug effectiveness."
I'm asking a friend who is a chiropractic internist if she has any ideas for alternative treatments or if she has a good resource you can check out.
Hope this helps. It is good to advocate for yourself. Please let us know if you have any additional questions, or how we can help. Likewise, if you do find something that works for you, please share your experience with us.
This Comment
Reply