RSD & a possible broken arm?? Help...?

This condition (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy - RSD)has rendered my arm virtually useless, although it is extremely painful, I can't use it, or move it. I take a significant amount of analgesic narcotics to control the pain on a day to day basis, and work with physio 2-3x a week. Last night I went ice skating with my son where of course I was bumped and fell on top of my arm. The pain was excrutiating, but I assumed it was just the regular arm pain, just a bit magnified from the movement. As the night went on it hurt more and more. This morning it is intolerable. Through the physio I have been able to make small strides and was able to recently begin rotating my hand and forearm. This is now where the source of the pain is. I am going to the clinic shortly, but does anyone have any idea what kind of (possible) break this could be? Also, with the condition I have in my arm, it will not be able to be casted (if necessary). Does anyone know an alternative to casting?

Thanks for the ideas! I went to the hospital and I fractured the scaphoid and there is a small crack at the base of the radius as well. They through around a lot of ideas, but eventually they settled on a half cast, so as to not have too much pressure on my arm. This half cast is removable, and I can control the pressure on my arm with the tensor bandage.

It is horrible, and it hurts worse than before, but i'm glad I went and had it taken care of...

Thanks again!

If there is a broken bone you will at least have to have it in some type of splint to hold it still so that the bone can heal. A splint with an ace bandage using a sling is a possible alternative to casting your arm. Casting is probably not the best idea since you have such limited movement in your arm, and casing it would cause it to stiffen up even worse. There are many different types of possible breaks that you could have and an x-ray would be the only real way to know. I know that when I broke my ankle they simply placed it in a walking cast to help it heal and tried to give me as much time out of it as possible, but to still allow the bone to heal. Good luck!

If you can't have a cast, they will put it in a sling and wrap it to your body so you won't be able to move it. This sounds very painful, sorry you have to go through this.