New Ways to Give to RSDSA

The team here at RSDSA is appreciative of the contributions provided to us as we work to fulfill our mission. Since we are here to meet the changing needs of the CRPS/RSD community, we also want to inform our community of the ever changing ways you can help fundraise and donate to our organization. Here are a few ways you can donate to RSDSA so we can continue to provide support, education, and hope to all affected by the pain and disability of CRPS/RSD, while we drive research to develop better treatments and a cure. Donating Funds From an IRA Money that you have in an individual retirement account (IRA) can be donated to RSDSA. Additionally, if you have reached…continue reading

Chiropractors and Philosophy: A Perfect Match

Written by Dr. Katinka van der Merwe for the RSDSA blog. Few topics I have discussed in my career have drawn more attention, more praise, and also more criticism than the following one: the medical fallacy of treating chronic pain. I have treated approximately 560 patients suffering from CRPS as well as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and often see success where medical science has failed. These patients have been everywhere in the world, to the most renowned clinics, such as the Cleveland Clinic, CHOPE, and the Mayo Clinic, and yet they have not been able to find answers. I now consider myself as somewhat of an expert on the topic. I have certainly devoted my life to giving hope to those…continue reading

How Art and Apps Helped My CRPS

Written by Deanna Hart for the RSDSA blog. How and when did you develop CRPS/RSD? I rolled my ankle while working in a high stress environment in September 2019. What has daily life been like since your diagnosis? For the first six months, I did not know if I would get better; it seemed to only get worse. I could hardly walk with my left foot as it felt like the tissues in my ankle and foot were tearing, my foot was rigid, often strangely discolored and had strange temperatures. It felt like I had muscle spasms tearing my ankle and foot apart from the inside, even while at rest. At high stress times, my past injuries and pains in…continue reading

Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up.

Recorded by Lisa Folsom for the RSDSA blog. Listen in as Lisa details how a 2015 injury of her left pinky finger caused her CRPS, her diagnosis, education for friends and family, treatments, and much more. https://youtu.be/wLQMEWbqAGw   Learn more about Lisa via her YouTube Channel and her Instagram. If you're interested in writing or recording your story for the RSDSA blog, please send us an email at alexisdavis@rsds.org. Please consider making a donation to RSDSA today! --   We've also included the full transcript of Lisa's video: Hi, everybody. My name is Lisa, and I am the 44-year-old wife to a wonderful and handsome husband, the mom to three pretty darn good kids that are now in their 20s…continue reading

Hit The Ground Running With Everything You Have

Written by Teryl Worster for the RSDSA blog. How and when did you develop CRPS/RSD? On June 4, 2020 I sustained a fractured bone in my right hand from a kick from my horse. What has daily life been like since your diagnosis? I had never had a broken bone in the 54 years of my life and I was very active, so I was not sure what to expect. Things went fairly well at the onset as I have a high tolerance for pain and was a certified personal trainer, so I felt that I could bounce back relatively quickly. I also own and operate a wellness spa, so I felt that I had all I needed at my…continue reading

Nerve Pain Is Hard to Explain

Written by Heather Maerten for the RSDSA blog.  My name is Heather Maerten and I'm a mother of three and a pediatric nurse. How and when did you develop CRPS/RSD? In August of 2015, I was working as a nurse in emergency transport for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. During a call, I rolled my ankle coming off the helicopter. I went to urgent care after my shift and was diagnosed with a sprain after the s-ray was misread (my talus bone in my ankle was actually fractured). From August to April, I saw multiple doctors and completed six weeks of physical therapy on a broken bone, unknowingly. In April, I met with a specialist and after multiple images it was…continue reading

CRPS Warrior Kathleen Coleman’s Story

Submitted by Jay Conner and Kathleen Coleman for the RSDSA blog. CRPS Warrior Kathleen Coleman is the biggest Tampa Bay Lightning fan you'll ever meet. She lives in Arizona and wanted RSDSA to help share her message of hope and gratitude via the below video by Jay Conner of Jaybird Media. Please consider making a donation to RSDSA today!continue reading

FAQs – RSDSA’s Treating the Whole Person: Optimizing Wellness Conference – 2020

The RSDSA team is excited to have you join our first virtual conference from October 19th through October 22nd. Below are a few FAQs to ensure you have an amazing experience!   Q. Is the conference free? The conference is 100% free to join!   Q. When does registration close? Registration does not close! You can register at anytime, even once the sessions have started!   Q. What time does the conference begin? The conference officially begins with networking and our expo hall at 6:30p Eastern / 3:30p Pacific each night. Sessions begin at 7p Eastern / 4p Pacific each night.   Q. Which browser should I watch the conference on if I'm on a desktop or laptop? Hopin recommends…continue reading

Faces of Pain

Written by Rocky Odell for the RSDSA blog. I am but one face in pain out of millions My name is not important. However, my PAIN is very important. A physician triggered the monster I now live with. CRPS, also known as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, is a pain disease with no cure and is very misunderstood. It has crippled my body. I live with pain often beyond description. It is a very real disease often called the most painful disease known to man. It is also called the suicide disease. All the faces of pain share pain from diseases and injuries we never heard of and certainly never wanted. We all suffer in ways the healthy cannot even fathom.…continue reading

CRPS and The Digestive System

Written by Dr. Katinka van der Merwe for the RSDSA blog. The Spero Clinic has gained a reputation for effective, non-invasive nervous system rehabilitation, and for the sheer number of people who have found remission after going through our program. Often people ask me why our clinic is so unique in its approach. I think the answer is multifaceted, but certainly, one of the factors that makes us most successful where other approaches have failed is that we approach the body as a whole. This may seem simple, but if you think about it, it is very powerful. When patients are suffering from conditions like CRPS or EDS (Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome), they are often bounced around from specialist to specialist.…continue reading