RSD Alert

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Warning and encouraging

If you came to this page direct from a Search engine and don't know about Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, please take time to visit our Home page and learn about RSD.

RSD Alert is a voluntary organisation publishing RSD/CRPS information, mostly provided by our readers. Remember that what works for some people may not work for others. Always consult your medical advisor about your own treatment.

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Treatments

Thermography

Description

"Clinical thermography is the detection & recording of a patient's skin surface thermal patterns, using instruments which can provide visual & quantitative documentation of these temperature measurements... it provides information on normal & abnormal functioning of the sensory & sympathetic nervous systems, vascular dysfunction, myofascial trauma & local inflammatory processes". (Definition from the International Thermographic Society)

Notes

In a temperature controlled room an infrared camera records the heat emission from the patient. The video, and any stills, are then reviewed by the Consultant. After that, it is common to undergo a Cold Stressor Test.

Comments

How this infrared video is taken is, the patient stands lightly clothed in a controlled room with the temperature around 20degC for about 20 minutes. Then an infrared camera records the heat emission on a video. The video is then reviewed by the Consultant. Still pictures can be taken from this film. After my legs were imaged I had a Cold Stressor Test, which involved having my feet placed in freezer bags, then immersed in 2 buckets for 2 mins, then taken out & recorded for 2 mins to see if my feet recovered from the immersion. Pam - Brisbane, Australia

The images below record a Cold Stressor Test on the feet of a patient who has severe RSD. Because the sympathetic nerves are bilateral (i.e. cover both sides of the body) if you immerse one limb in cold water the opposing limb, in sympathy, will drop in temperature. With RSD/CRPS, when the "healthy" limb is placed in cold water the temperature of opposing (RSD affected) limb may increase, instead of lowering. In these examples, the left foot takes more time to recover from the test than the right foot.

Many thanks to Pam Lockwood for providing the information and the images used on this page.

See our alternative page on Thermal Imaging for more personal comments on this treatment.

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