Allan M. Spiegel M.D. - RSD Therapy

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy is a disorder, which occurs following trauma to a nerve of the arm or leg. Researchers now believe that these symptoms occur because the nerves send a mixed signal to the brain. In effect, these inappropriate signals short circuit and interfere with the normal blood flow and sensory signals, thus generating symptoms of a reflex sympathetic dystrophy which includes severe burning pain, extreme sensitivity to even light touch, swelling, excessive sweating and change in bone and skin tissue.

Non hyperbaric oxygen treatment modalities for this painful disorder have included various medications, physical therapy, sympathetic nerve blocks, placement of spinal cord stimulators, as well as the use of a morphine pump. Unfortunately these therapies have rarely offered the patient any significant long-term improvement. A study of 15 patients (11 men and 4 women) was performed using hyperbaric oxygen therapy as the sole means of treatment after failure to improve by other modalities. The clinical diagnosis was based upon the presence of pain, tenderness, swelling, vasomotor instability, joint stiffness lasting long after a trauma.

Radiographic   studies   confirmed   bone    demineralization    and osteoporosis commonly seen in patients with RSD. After the first week of HBOT therapy, a marked reduction in pain and tenderness in the extremity was observed in 9 out of the 15 patients with discrete clinical improvement being recorded in 3 cases. Reduction of swelling and restoration of movement in the affected extremity progressed during the course of HBOT therapy.  At the completion of the first cycle of HBOT therapy, complete recovery, i.e. the absence of pain and the restoration of normal joint movement, was noted in 4 of the 15 patients. Marked clinical improvement after HBOT, i.e. occasional tenderness with minimal swelling occurring solely at night with almost normal movement of the affected joints, was noted in 5 out of the 15 cases. Moderate clinical improvement after HBOT, i.e. reduction of pain and swelling with partial restoration of movement, was noted in 4 of the 15 patients. In 2 of the 15 patients there was reduction in swelling with some persistent pain. An additional 10 sessions of HBOT was given to 4 cases in which there was a partial relapse of symptoms, only to afford the patient complete recovery. This demonstrates the significant effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

If you would like to learn more about RSD and how HBOT can help, visit the RSD secion on this website.

To help you discover what Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can do for you, for a limited time, Dr. Spiegel will provide a free assessment to determine if you would benefit from this treatment. To schedule a hyperbaric oxygen therapy consultation to discuss how this treatment can help you, give our office a call.