Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome following herpes zoster.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), or algodystrophy, is a poorly understood, painful syndrome that consists of multiple symptoms, including vasomotor instability, swelling, and chronic pain involving an extremity. Although RSDS following herpes zoster is classically recognized, only a few well-documented cases of this complication have been reported to date. We present the case of a 63-year-old white woman with characteristic signs and symptoms of RSDS in the left upper limb that appeared 3 weeks after she had a typical herpes zona involving the left C5-C6 dermatomes. Early diagnosis and treatment with physiotherapy, intranasal salmon calcitonin, and oral calcium achieved a progressive improvement of the disease, which healed without sequelae in a brief time.
Querol
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Departments of Dermatology and Rehabilitation, Hospital Reina Sofía de Tudela, Tudela, Spain. iqueroln@posta.unizar.es
Cisneros
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D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001132:Arm; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000379:methods; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*
D000700:Analgesics; C028815:salmon calcitonin; D002116:Calcitonin; D002118:Calcium