Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Treatment in India

Robert Sharma, a 58-year-old accountant, had...

Robert Sharma, a 58-year-old accountant, had always been active, enjoying weekend hikes. Six months ago, he slipped on ice and fractured his wrist. The cast came off, but the pain didn't. Instead, his right hand became swollen, discolored (alternating between red and purple), and intensely sensitive, even a light breeze from a fan felt like a burn. He couldn't hold a pen or type. His primary care physician, suspecting Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, referred him to an Internal Medicine specialist in pain management. The doctor recommended a series of sympathetic nerve blocks to interrupt the misfiring pain signals in his sympathetic nervous system. Robert was anxious but desperate. The first procedure, an injection near the stellate ganglion in his neck, was done under imaging guidance. He felt immediate warmth and some relief in his hand. Over the next three weeks, he received two more blocks. Post-procedure, combined with aggressive physical therapy, the constant burning pain subsided from a 9/10 to a manageable 3/10. The swelling reduced, and he regained some movement. Emotionally, Robert had descended from frustration to deep despair, feeling his identity slipping away. After treatment, while not fully cured, he felt hope return. He could write his name again and started gentle swimming, reclaiming a piece of his life.