I know it can be hard. My daughter has it along with other chronic conditions. Consider yourself lucky to have family to help you. I am all my daughter has to help her. Other family members does not understand the pain she deals with on a daily basis. She is trying injections in her neck to do a nerve block for her RSD.

I hope it works to given her some relief. I can't imagine dealing with this and other conditions. I realized after looking at other situations that i am lucky to have such a big supportive group to call my family. I just hope it becomes easier to deal with in the long run.

So I'm an OT so this is biased but a good therapist should be able to help with the flare ups and educate on managing. If you haven't tried this route please do. I have treated it multiple times and it can get better

Hello.
I have RSD/CRPS type 2 in my right foot & leg. It developed after an ATV accident that crushed my right foot. It will be 2 years this June 21.
It is an incredibly painful disorder. I only went a month before I was diagnosed.
I started physical therapy as soon as I could. I started in a warm salt water pool but was hurt during therapy because the therapists had never heard of CRPS except for one older gal. She knew it as RSD.
I went backward a bit after being hurt but after Christmas I decided I had to help myself. I started doing the deep water exercises I learned in the physical therapy pool in my local rec center pool. They were range of motion exercises, I used a pool noodle under my arms to keep me a float. I stopped going to my local indoor pool as the chlorine & other chemicals were actually hurting my foot. I live in Colorado so I started taking medical marijuana. I take part of an Indica marijuana edible at bedtime. I helps me sleep, kills the pain & stopped the spasms. Opiods didn't work on my pain. The marijuana took my pain from a 9 to a 2 or 3 & sometimes a 1.
I was on crutches for a year but once I started the Indica marijuana I was able to start walking around my kitchen without the crutches. Then I could go a little farther & so on. I take a high dose of Gabapentin too. A low dose if Pristiq as well for Fibromyalgia.
I am a 50 year old woman.
Don't lose mobility. Try to find a knowledgeable physical therapist or look up on internet how to do exercises for RSD/CRPS.
Don't apply anything to the area that is perfumed, menthol or capsaicin. It hurts the Nerve endings.
Drink lots of water, eat a good diet, get fresh air & sunshine. Avoid sugar, alcohol, carbs, processed food, chemicals & dyes in food, body products, cleaning products.
Watch funny TV & movies so you can laugh. I work jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, color in coloring books for adults. Do something enjoyable that isn't strenuous. The coloring is actually a great stress reducer & creative & easy to do. It took my mind off of the pain. It was a stepping stone to get me back into jigsaws & crosswords. I hadn't done them for months after the accident.
Try to get your pain under control through these steps & medication. Many people with chronic pain use a few different medications to control pain. When the pain is under control you will sleep better. Sleep is SO important in RSD/CRPS.
I am so glad you have a loving & supportive family. That is huge! Spend time with them just loving them.
Join the Chronic Pain board, there is more going on over there.
I will check back here for you.
I hope you get relief soon.
Tracy

Septwedding is right. Start therapy & medicines ASAP. There is a better chance of recovery or improvement the sooner you start.
Don't ice the area, it can make the RSD worse or cause it to spread. Don't restrict blood flow to the area.
I've read that immobilization & compression & elevation & ice may be contributing factors to this disorder.
Too much cold damages the fragile nerves. Compression & elevation reduces blood flow which is essential for healing.
Rest of course us good.
Learn to pace yourself. Don't overdo. Do a little then rest, do a little more then rest.
I hope this helps.

Also the strains of marijuana I take are bred to relieve pain & spasms & stress & promote relaxation with the least amount of side effects.

While I was in physical therapy, I learned to desensitize the affected area so that my brain would still register other feelings as well. Not just the pain. I started this with the topical, noninvasive Electrotherapy. This was started on my back and was slowly moved closer to the nerve line that was being affected. Desensitization has really helped me. Something as simple as lightly brushing a string, or something similar, across the skin to make it so you feel the touch, but not the pain.

Another thing that helped me were essential oils. There are many wonderful essential oils that help with circulation as well as reduce swelling.