Re-Training your Brain - RSDSA

Mark Butler is a physical therapist at Nova Care in Medford, NJ. Dr. Butler discusses graded motor imagery and mirror box therapy for the treatment of CRPS.
To learn more about complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), visit Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA)’s website at rsds.org. #RSDSA #CRPS #RSD

[@kimberlyk9161]

Dr.Shwartzmen was the one who finally diognosed 10 years to late.I was offered the ketimine coma because my disease is very severe in nature .He told me I was one of his worst cases. I loved talking with him and wish he would come back to us.I have full-body rsd/crps.My head,face,eyes,nose,mouth,face on down to my feet.Its so hard to live the way we do. No one should live this way.Great speaker by the way.Thankyou.

[@GoldPeakLLC]

Hi Kimberly Can you explain what full body crps is? What are the symptoms? Does the swelling spread as well or is it only the skin hypersensitivity? I’m trying to understand what I have.

[@jeffvasey5503]

@ Legend Man , although counter intuitive this works! Mirror therapy "factually" rewires the brain. It's pretty amazing but I see it everyday , I work with two groups of 2-3 CRPS patients at a time in a 4 month functional restoration program. Seeing these patients change their entire lives using these apps and mirror therapy (first two months) is the most gratifying work that I've ever done.

[@dwaynepower2399]

Hi My name is Wayne. I have crps. Nerve damage after an operation 11 years ago. I just did the left /right recognition test for the first time online in a 39 Minute video with a test at the end. I got all twenty right That doesn't seem to make sense according to what you are presenting. Maybe you might conclude that I don't have cprs. But I absolutely definitely have it. What response would you give.

[@sunshinenOJ]

According to the Recognise App, in Lorimer Moseley's research for CRPS-1 they used left/right discrimination exercises for a total of two hours per day for two weeks before moving on to explicit motor imagery and mirror therapy for similar times. Has this time been reduced now?

[@kate_46754]

Do you feel that the mirror therapy has any value for minor crps as you're really trying to get it into remission. I have minor crps in my left foot and I go and walk/swim laps in the pool 3 times a week for an hour each time. I find that it's training my brain to tolerate the movement in my foot without the weight bearing. I've still been adivsed to try mirror treatment, which I only found useful when I had really severe issues. What do you think?

[@ashmibhanushali2159]

This is a best technique I found for chronic pain.but can you guide how to perform for chronic back pain?

[@mindovermovement6401]

Follow back pain Noi has a different technique .. two point discrimination

[@sarahdavis22]

We're on step 2 of this, and it's just not working. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. My 9 year old's pain is in her right foot. I took pictures of her left foot in different positions, and we're looking at them in the mirror. But it looks.....stupid next to her other foot that's not moving. She thinks there's no way her brain is going to think that picture is her right foot. So how do I get her to do this and just imagine moving 3-5 times a day for 2 weeks? I feel like this step is going to be such a fight that it's going to undo anything we accomplished with the magazines. I just really really need some help.

[@kimberlyk9161]

what about if its full-body is there anything new for us?

[@kimberlyk9161]

Alot of medical personal think were crazy or its in your head yes now it is because no one wanted to help me except my G.P and Drexal University.16 years of hell.

[@lewismiller4394]

How does this help with the swelling? I don't see any relief.

[@gregbisesi9966]

My wife found that it does help a bit pain wise, but its only temporary. She also saw no improvement in regard to swelling. There is certainly an important place for the reprogramming exercises in the overall treatment of CRPS. The best plan that has worked for her was Neridronate infusions, cognitive and brain remapping , diet and proper supplements and we think the most important is keep the affected body part moving!its painful, you need to gauge how much to stress the part with exercise and how much is too much and find that sweet spot. My wife was told by many physicians that she has been so successful because she continued to walk on the foot to move the foot. Immobilization and non movement causes bone loss. Once bone loss progresses it will be that much harder and longer to improve the CRPS affected limb. She is almost back to normal life. But the rehabilitation will continue on the affected foot from the damage from this worthless disease. All the best to you Lewis. Keep searching for The therapies that work for you.

[@MsBrowniepuff]

Look up grounding or earthing. Sounds crazy but it’s helped me dramatically with swelling for CRPS!

[@michelelena1816]

My CRPS is mainly in my brain and in my leg. My brain is on fire and I cannot tolerate temperature changes. A cool breeze causes my leg severe pain. I cannot be in the cold or hot. I cannot go into the refrigerated section of a store, my body freaks out. If it's over 80 degrees I get very hot and dizzy and gave passed out many times. My CRPS was caused by spine surgery. I also have had 5 major spine surgeries and am fused at 7 levels, due to spinal deformities. I have noticed that if I have many many activities going on in my brain, my pain is less in my affected limb. This video was not worth my time.

[@RSDSA]

Sorry to hear this, Michele. What can we create or find to better help you?

[@kimberlyk9161]

study me please Im willing to help if I can.Iv done alot and learned alot about my disease and things we can do we just have to try things till it works

[@BurtBowers]

This is not a solution to what factually is going on with a person's issues of a hurting part of their body...if my left arm or leg is hurting & I am looking in the mirror of my right arm or leg this does not correct what factually is going on with the pain I am feeling on the lefty side...does one go in to a medical doctor to say that my right side of whatever is hurting when it is actually the left side?...don't think so...

[@jeffvasey5503]

@ Legend Man , although counter intuitive this works! Mirror therapy "factually" rewires the brain. It's pretty amazing but I see it everyday , I work with two groups of 2-3 CRPS patients at a time in a 4 month functional restoration program. Seeing these patients change their entire lives using these apps and mirror therapy (first two months) is the most gratifying work that I've ever done.

[@paulabillanes5084]

@@jeffvasey5503 What if both hands are affected? How do you use mirror therapy?