Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and Car Accidents

It was terrible. One minute you were driving to the store; the next you were trapped inside your car with smoke pouring out from the hood. You thought that you were done with the trauma of the accident after you got done with the police report and the insurance company, but now, days after the crash, you've have a burning, tingling sensation at the site of your minor injury. Your doctor thinks you might have reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

What is Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy?

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), also known as complex regional pain syndrome, is a chronic, painful, progressive disorder that can strike at any age and is often associated with injuries from car accidents. RSD usually starts at the site of an injury. Even a mild cut or sprain can lead to RSD.

Early symptoms of RSD include a burning sensation or shooting pains, increased sweating, increase in temperature around the injury site, muscle spasms and joint stiffness. As the syndrome progresses, the pain generally increases, osteoporosis can develop and the muscle in the affected limb will usually atrophy. Often this proceeds to bone deformation, limited mobility and spread of the disease to other parts of the body.

Diagnosis of RSD is made after a general exam and a number of tests. These include a bone density test, a test that measures the temperature changes and blood flow to the affected limb, X-rays, and nerve conduction tests. RSD is a difficult disease to diagnose, as many of the early symptoms are also indicative of other disorders.

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and Auto Accidents

RSD and auto accidents often coincide. Nerve injuries and cuts, even relatively minor ones, can bring on the onset of RSD. The exact cause is not known, but up to five percent of nerve injuries will develop into RSD. Early diagnosis of RSD is important. Although there is no cure, the progress of the disease can be slowed and with early treatment, normal movement is possible. Remission occurs in a minority of cases.

Because RSD often doesn't appear until days or even weeks after an auto injury, it's important not to settle with an insurance agency or other party until you know the full extent of your injuries from a Michigan car crash. If you've suffered a minor cut or sprain as the result of a Michigan car accident, be sure to wait until you are certain that your injuries are not serious before you settle. The money the insurance company is offering may be enticing, but it likely won't be enough to cover the cost of a lifetime of care.

Treating Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Since there is no known cure for RSD, treatment for RSD involves managing the pain of this syndrome and slowing its progression. Most treatments include a combination of drug therapy, physical therapy and exercise, and behavior therapy to help people with RSD to live with the disease. Other techniques that are sometimes tried involve injecting medicine into the affected area to numb the nerves and installing an internal pain medication pump that delivers medicine directly to the spinal cord. In extreme cases, surgery is advised to sever the nerves to the affected area. Such surgery, however, has had mixed results.

RSD Facts

There's a lot of misinformation out there about RSD. Below are just a facts about RSD:

RSD affects between 200,000 and 1.2 million Americans
RSD may develop in up to 5 percent of all nerve injuries
Even a minor sprain can lead to RSD
RSD affects twice as many women as men
RSD usually affects the arms or the legs, but can occur anywhere on the body
RSD onset is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60
The American medical community is largely unaware of RSD. The average sufferer will see an average of five physicians before being diagnosed with RSD.

Where to Get More Information

To learn more about RSD, treatments for RSD and how to live with this disease, visit the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association Web site. This non-profit organization offers a wealth of information on this disease as well as support and tips for living with RSD.

Protecting your Rights

If you or someone you care about has developed RSD as a result of a Michigan auto accident, you owe it to yourself or to them to get sound legal representation. Treating RSD can be expensive, and it's only fair that the party at fault pays those bills. You don't want to punish anyone; you just want what's just.

Attorney Jason Waechter has been representing victims of Michigan automobile accidents for more than a decade and specializes in Michigan automobile accident cases. Our firm wins 97 percent of our cases and you don't have to pay us anything unless you win your case. You deserve a highly-qualified car accident attorney to look out from your interests after you've been in an auto accident. To make an appointment for a free, no-obligation consultation, visit our Web site today or call us at 800 708-5433. We can help you get justice.

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