RSD Can Develop Following an Auto Accident
One of the most common medical problems that people deal with is chronic pain. This can impact people’s ability to get out of bed, spend time with their loved ones, do their jobs, and engage in the activities that they previously enjoyed. Along with heart disease, cancer, and obesity, chronic pain remains one of the biggest challenges facing the sufferer as well as the healthcare system today. There are many questions that people have when they deal with chronic pain. Some of these include:
- Why am I always in pain?
- Should I expect my pain to get better or worse?
- What kind of tests can be done to identify the cause of my pain?
- Why can’t someone just switch off my pain?
- Can’t I just take stronger painkillers?
Unfortunately, pain isn’t something that can just be switched off and finding the cause of someone’s pain can be a challenge. Sometimes, after a litany of tests and imaging studies, people can be diagnosed with a disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD), otherwise known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). While this is a diagnosis, it often doesn’t provide any answers as to why someone is feeling chronic pain. This disease is often triggered by a traumatic accident, which can be hard to identify.
Some Statistics: Causes of RSD
When someone has been diagnosed with RSD, their body has produced an inflammatory response following an inciting event. This inflammatory response causes chronic damage to one or more nerves, typically in a limb somewhere. The body interprets this inflammatory response as severe pain that waxes and wanes. This pain is the hallmark symptom of RSD. According to a research study, there are many different possible causes of RSD. Examples include:
- Some researchers have reported that up to a third of people with a distal radius fracture can develop RSD
- Around a quarter of people who have sustained a Colles’ fracture can develop RSD
- A tibial fracture leads to RSD in about 30 percent of cases
- Those who have surgery for carpal tunnel could have a 25 percent chance of developing RSD
Even though it is important to note that these statistics were found after studies of a relatively small sample size, it must be highlighted that those who suffer bone fractures are at risk of developing RSD. One of the most common ways that people sustain bone fractures is in an auto accident.
Developing RSD After an Auto Accident
Most people who have been involved in an accident understand that even the smallest of fender benders can lead to a serious injury. One of the most common injuries that people develop in an auto accident is a bone fracture. In the acute period, the medical concerns involve stabilizing the bone, placing it back in the proper anatomic position, casting it, and allowing the body to heal. Unfortunately, these fractures can also lead to complications, one of which can be RSD. One prospective study analyzing people who sustained a tibial fracture even found that about a third of people had RSD following surgical repair of their injury. Why does this happen after a car accident?
Current research suggests that RSD develops because of an inflammatory response to some traumatic event, such as a bone fracture in a car accident. Some of the clinical symptoms that medical professionals will look for include:
- Severe pain in the affected limb
- Swelling at the injured site
- Redness of the injury
- Warmth underneath the surface of the skin
- Difficulty with mobility and coordination
These clinical findings are suggestive of inflammation and might make a medical professional concerned for RSD. In a collision, where a direct impact has been dealt to the limb, inflammation is more likely to develop. Many researchers think that this inflammation could be responsible for an increased sensation of the pain that ultimately leads to RSD. When people get their bone fracture placed in a cast following an auto accident, they may not notice anything until weeks later, when the cast comes off. After this, as they start to move their limb again, they may start to notice severe pain. This is often the first sign that something is wrong with the nerves in their limb.
In the end, RSD is a severe and debilitating disease that can lead to serious symptoms that impact someone’s quality of life. Therefore, it is important to seek out help. Those who have RSD should meet with a compassionate RSD attorney in Sacramento. It is important to look at the diagnosis from all angles and ensure nothing is overlooked.
Related Articles by Ed Smith
Contact an Experienced RSD Attorney in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, an RSD Lawyer in Sacramento. If someone you know has been involved in a car accident prior to developing Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, please call me at (916)-382-0693. I am available to provide compassionate free, friendly legal advice.
See some of our past case results here.
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