Types of Exercises in Physical Therapy for RSD

Chronic pain is one of the most pressing issues facing the healthcare system today. Even though there has been a lot of research that has yielded new diagnosis and treatment options for individuals suffering from a wide variety of conditions, chronic pain continues to languish with regards to funding. This has led to an unprecedented number of people suffering from chronic pain. According to statistics that have been published by the American Academy of Pain Medicine:

In a survey published by the Academy, more than half of the individuals surveyed felt like their pain was not well-controlled
About 60 percent of the responses indicated that they were feeling breakthrough pain daily
Most people reported that this pain impacted their quality of life
More than three-quarters of people indicated that they were feeling symptoms of depression
Almost 75 percent of individuals said that their pain was impacted their ability to do their job
Almost everyone said that their pain made it difficult to sleep

These statistics demonstrate just how severe chronic pain can be. While some people may describe their pain as an annoying, nagging feeling in the back of their mind, many people still have pain that is so severe that they cannot even get out of bed in the morning. This can make it difficult for them to attend school, go to work, and help out around the house. There are many different reasons why someone may suffer from chronic pain, and one of these conditions is called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). For individuals with this disease, their pain can be so severe that they may feel like there is no hope for recovery; however, with a well-structured treatment plan, they can get their pain under control and improve their quality of life.

An Overview: Balanced Treatment of RSD

The treatment of RSD can be challenging and is dependent on a balanced treatment approach. Because the disease is a multi-faceted challenge, the treatment should be well-rounded as well. Some of the potential treatment options include:

Medications: There are lots of different medications that people with RSD can be placed on. These include anti-inflammatories that can reduce the pressure being placed on the nerve and opioid or narcotic medications that can be used to target the pain receptors. Remember that these medications do have an addictive potential so they should be used with caution.
Nerve-Stimulation: There is also a role for electric nerve stimulation in the treatment of RSD. This involves placing a needle into the affected area and stimulating the nerve with a small electric current. This can help to quiet the pain response and blunt the signals coming from the nerve.
Surgery: In severe cases, surgical transection of the impacted nerve can be helpful in managing symptoms of this disease. While this may sound scary, it has proven beneficial in the treatment of severe cases of RSD.

An often overlooked aspect of RSD treatment is the role of physical therapy and exercises that can help restore function and mobility to an affected limb. There are specific exercises that can prove helpful.

Exercises can Help with the Treatment of RSD

When someone is undergoing physical therapy for the treatment of RSD, there are a lot of different exercises that they might perform. While these may be painful in the beginning, it is important to push through because these can be very beneficial in the management of their symptoms. Examples of some of the exercises that they might perform include:

Flexibility Training: This is important because it will reduce the stress on the muscles when they are being used. If the muscles are stressed, the nerves send this signal to the brain. This is how people can tell that their muscles are feeling tight; however, someone with RSD may instead feel pain. Improving flexibility will reduce the stress on the muscles and reduce the pain that they feel.
Range of Motion: Range of motion exercises are very important in the treatment of RSD because they help to restore the mobility and functionality of an affected limb. When someone doesn’t use a limb for a prolonged period of time, this limb becomes stiff. Range of motion exercises can help to remove the feeling of stiffness and can help people learn how to use an affected limb in a functional way.
Strength: Muscle strength is important because this will remove some of the stress from the nerves themselves. The more work the muscles are able to do, the less stressed the nerves will feel. This means that there will be fewer signals coming from the nerves, improving someone’s symptoms.

Ultimately, managing RSD is a team approach. Those with questions or concerns should meet with an experienced RSD attorney in Sacramento.

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Contact an Experienced RSD Attorney in Sacramento

I’m Ed Smith, an RSD Lawyer in Sacramento. If someone you know has been having trouble treating a diagnosis of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, please call me at (916)-382-0693. I am available to provide friendly, free legal advice.

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