Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Causes
RSD is thought of as prolonging the normal sympathetic response to injury. In other words, the sympathetic nervous system over fires. RSD is more likely to occur after relatively minor injuries, than after major injuries. In fact, most people with RSD have suffered from some kind of localized tissue damage, which causes a reflex response from the sympathetic nervous system (that is pain or other sensations). So RSD can occur from an accident, from a response to surgery, from diseases such as visceral diseases, neurologic diseases, infections, vascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and tumors, and it can also occur from unknown origins.
To get even more specific, here is a list of some of the known causes of RSD. If you have RSD from something other than on this list, let me know and I will update it.
TRAUMA
Injury from Accident
Fracture of the hands, feet or wrists
Sprain
Dislocations
Minor cuts
Lacerations
Contusions
Crush injury of fingers, hands or wrists
Traumatic amputation of fingers
Reactions to Surgery
DISEASES
IDIOPATHIC
This page was last updated on September 26, 1996.
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