Occupational Therapy

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Comments

One nice lady from a hospital near me made me try to squeeze plasticine because her theory was that the only reason my hand hurt was because I don't touch many things and I should handle plasticine and squeeze so I can get my hand moving! I tried to explain that the only reason I don't touch much is because it hurts too much, but she insisted. A week later she came back and asked me if I'd done it; I said "yes, I did try it, but it made my hand feel like it was on fire even more". She made me do it there and then , but stopped me when I started crying. I told her my hand was burning, so she put her hand near and said she could feel the heat and I could probably fry an egg on it. She then gave me finger exercises to try and that was the last I saw of her. Helen - A member of RSD UK Group

My name is Jan Walmsley, Occupational Therapist at Southport District General Hospital, UK. I have been working with patients referred by their consultant to attempt to treat complications resulting from RSD.
In my experience some of the patients have been treated by the Physiotherpist prior to being seen by myself, I see this as a last resort. the patients I have treated so far have been pleased with the results achieved through a variety of treatment regiems used in Occupational therapy. Initially I build up a good rapport with the patient to gain their confidence in me as a therapist. Humour is most certainly an advantage, in that it, gets the patient to relax and not focus on the problem and pain. tactile stimulation with the patient taking control of his own treatment under supervision enables them to work towards buildiing up their tolerance levels, once this has been achieved and the area of hypersensitivity under control, I then move onto active and passive range of movement in the affected limb. I use the M.U.L.E (E-Link) which again works on the patient actively carrying out range of movement techniques whilst distracted by watching the monitor to play the computer games. this is a graded exercise programme and works very well. regularly measuring of the limb and discussing with the patients how they perceive their performance levels with activities of daily living. wax bath treatments are given to the upper limb to reduce pain and stiffness, thus the patient leaves therapy feeling relaxed and pain free. if required resting splints have been made to prevent / reduce contractures. As a therapist, and one of the multidisciplinary health professionals, I feel that patients would fare better if they were referred to O.T's early on in their diagnosis as this is a crucial time for treatment to commence.

I am constantly striving to find out new techniques in particular for people with lower limb rsd.

I hope you have found this reflection of my treatment helpful. please feel free to email me with your ideas or comments. Jan Walmsley - Southport, Lancashire, UK