2024-03-01 13:44:00
Anyone suffering from Sudeck’s disease in the foot needs comprehensive treatment. Which measures are included and which are not recommended.
The injury in the foot has long since begun to heal, but the pain does not or hardly subside: This is how Sudeck’s disease typically begins.
Sudeck’s disease is the outdated term for a form of the so-called complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS for short. This is a chronic pain disorder that can develop after an injury, but the symptoms cannot be explained directly and solely by this.
Unlike the actual consequences of the injury, the symptoms of Sudeck’s disease only appear a little later. How exactly they arise has not yet been sufficiently researched. One thing is certain: they usually don’t go away just by waiting. Those affected should seek treatment early because the chances of recovery are then better and subsequent damage can often be prevented.
How does Sudeck’s disease manifest itself in the foot?
Sudeck’s disease is primarily noticeable through severe pain that worsens with exertion. In many cases, there are additional complaints. Among other things, the affected foot may be swollen, red, overheated, hypersensitive and limited in strength and mobility.
All of this initially seems like “normal” consequences of an injury. However, there is a crucial difference between the symptoms of Sudeck’s disease and symptoms of direct injury: Sudeck’s disease only develops during the course of healing, often within two or three months. The symptoms cannot be adequately explained by the actual consequences of the injury. They are stronger than the recovery process would suggest and last longer. In addition, they are not only felt in the originally affected area, but also extend to adjacent areas.
The symptoms often change over time. For example, skin that is initially red and overheated may later turn pale or bluish and feel colder.
Sudeck’s disease in the foot – what’s behind it?
The cause of Sudeck’s disease is not yet fully understood. Several influences probably play a role. Among other things, an inappropriate reaction of the body to the injury-related inflammation seems to be involved. As a result, changes occur in the nerves that are involved in pain perception. These changes cause those affected to feel constant pain.
It is impossible to say why this happens to some people and not to others. It is clear that certain factors promote Sudeck’s disease. These include broken bones near a joint, rheumatic or other chronic pain diseases.
Sudeck’s disease in the foot – which treatment helps?
Early treatment is crucial for Sudeck’s disease in the foot. The sooner the sick start, the better the chances of recovery.
Different measures are available for therapy. Which of these work and how well has not yet been sufficiently researched. Experts currently believe that a combination of different remedies is necessary to bring about improvement.
On the one hand, the treatment involves certain medications, such as:
- Pain medications like ketamine and gabapentin
- Bisphosphonates (drugs used for osteoporosis)
- Glucocorticoids (anti-inflammatory agents)
On the other hand, therapy includes non-drug measures such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and/or psychotherapy. In occupational therapy, those affected practice movement patterns that do not cause them pain.
Physiotherapy is primarily about increasing mobility and strength, for example through certain exercises. The therapist can also use lymphatic drainage to relieve the swelling in the foot.
Psychotherapy can help to reduce the psychological suffering that is associated with the pain syndrome and can worsen the symptoms. For example, it can help sufferers resolve fears and change unfavorable behavior patterns.
Sudeck’s disease in the foot – what the treatment brings
If Sudeck’s disease is treated early, there is a good chance for many sufferers that their symptoms will subside or even disappear. However, the treatment is lengthy and requires a lot of patience. In many cases, recovery takes months or even years.
#Sudecks #disease #foot #symptoms #treatment