The codes for RSD began to appear in the code book only in October 1993. The name change is already having an adverse effect on patients with RSD who are applying for Social Security disability benefits. History of RSD Civil War surgeons Mitchell, Morehouse, and Kean first described this phenomenon in 1864. More than a century later, RSD is still poorly understood and little recognized. Early detection, correct diagnosis, and immediate intervention are thought to produce better outcomes.
Research is ongoing but to date, there is no known cure.
Etiology of RSD RSD is most often initiated by trauma and may follow central nervous system damage such as stroke, tumor, or syrinx. Its six major components are pain, edema, autonomic dysfunction, movement disorder, trophic changes, and autoimmune phenomena. The process can spread to contiguous and contralateral areas of the body and can become generalized. RSD can be caused by a variety of precipitating events, including trauma to either a minor or major body part. In patients with RSD, there is thought to be a short circuit at the point of partial nerve interruption.