New Treatments for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy was first described by Mitchell, in 1864.1 It has been difficult for clinicians to diagnose this disorder because it has many variations, often follows minor injury, and evolves and spreads over time.2,3 There are five main types of symptoms: pain, autonomic dysfunction, edema, a movement disorder, and dystrophy and atrophy. A new classification of this disorder and a new name, the complex regional pain syndrome, have been proposed in an effort to describe its clinical features more accurately and avoid the implications of the name “reflex sympathetic dystrophy.” The role of the sympathetic nervous system in . . .