CRPS - Why don't all injuries end in CRPS?

Why don't all injuries end in CRPS/RSD?

Sorry it has been a while since I have posted on the blog. I have been having some connection issues with verizon. Still not much better but now and then I can get through and get caught up.

Just a quick one today to see how it is going to work. 

We get this question a lot, why don't they all end in CRPS? 

I ask myself this question every time I watch America's Funniest Home Video's and see those people; fall off houses, off of bikes, landing on their backs, bouncing their bodies on the sidewalk, and a hundred other ways they get look to get injured but seem to bounce right back up and even laugh it off. 

I don't know whether to cringe or call them an idiot or both. Usually both.

While at the same time we hear from people who have developed CRPS from things as simple as stubbing their toe or maybe while just playing sports or enjoying their favorite activity, but not doing it in a crazy way. 

So why do some get the horrible life-changing pain and others seem to bounce through life like a drunken bowling ball in a lane with bumpers? 

I have only seen one study so far that really addresses the issue in a scientific way. There have been other articles written where people have made educated guesses as to why some people are more susceptible. But these guestimates have as many ridiculous answers as they have plausible ones.

But the credible study described how they believe that the brains of CRPS patients, and those who suffer from CP in general, are different. That our pain pathways are actually wider allowing for more pain signals to pass through increasing the likelihood of a chronic problem to set in.  That is a watered down version of the research of course but you get the gist. 

They didn't find any certain type of personality was more susceptible but it does seem that more Type A personalties have the disease. 

The RSDSA recently completed a survey of CRPS patients to update the numbers and what they found was interesting. It updated a lot of the numbers that American RSDHope had from their last survey in 1998. Some things did change, such as the number of Drs that were seen before getting a correct diagnosis ( a lot less now) but others didn't (still about a 4 to 1 ratio of women to men). 

I will talk about some of these in my next post assuming this goes off without a problem.

In closing,

I wanted to ask if anyone is affiliated with AT&T and so can help us, American RSDHope, in obtaining a discount on an I-Phone and/or it's accompanying monthly phone charge for one of the board members?

If so, drop us an email at RSDHope@mail.org

Thanks guys!

Peace, Keith

www.RSDHope.org