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Important - Please Read!
   I do not claim that this list contains every relevant RSD/chronic pain link; hopefully, a majority is represented.  I have also not personally reviewed every site here - not only would it be huge, taking more time than I have, but links are always popping up, disappearing, and breaking, so it could never be totally current.  Thus, this will always be a work in progress, and your help is gratefully accepted.
    If you would like to see a link added, or especially if you find an error, I'd consider it a great favor if you would let me know by clicking the e-mail link at the bottom of the page. Thanks!
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Table of Contents

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Key to Symbols
- = Somewhat subjective rating of sites, based on amount of useful information, ease of navigation, inclusion of scientific data, many links to other sources of information, overall appearance, etc.
 = Excellent sites for newcomers to RSD, who are seeking basic information without loads of technical data.
= Newly-added item.
  If a site isn't rated as you think it should be, please let me know!  Lack of a rating probably means I've not yet gotten to it, and any informal ratings of any site here are most welcome.

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RSD Sites
About CRPS  from the "About" series; summarizes symptoms, treatment, prevention, and lots of links to external sites
About RSD   a small, personal site with some good basic information and a collection of short articles about RSD
American RSD Hope Group  wonderful, multifaceted site addressing all aspects of CRPS/RSD
Arthritis Foundation RSD site  it  may be about arthritis, but they know lots about chronic pain
Australian RSD Syndrome Support Group  fairly basic, one-person site
AwareRSD   host site for discussion group, for making friends and getting info - a very personal feel
Bandolier article about Regional Sympathectomies systematic review of intravenous regional sympathectomy for RSD
Body of Hope   a personal, hopeful site with visualizations, inspirational poems, etc.
Canadian RSD Network really nice site, great feel, lots of good info
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome a short, basic, info for the patient-type description of CRPS
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - an excellent book with bibliography, medical dictionary, and annotated research guide to internet references. Available as paperback or e-book; the site details the books carefully and provides the sources for the book in its different form
Connections, a support group for people with chronic pain a new, still sparse site that's just getting underway
Diagnosing Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome - one of the many useful articles from the National Pain Foundation, provides a step-by-step
protocol for arriving at a differential diagnosis of CRPS, including the pros/cons of each component.
Faces of RSD autobiographical, religion-based, music-accompanied RSD site
For Grace large informational site; organized around group's founder, an ex-ballerina with >20yr RSD
Guide to Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in two parts, this "About.com" entry is thorough and scientifically accurate.
Healthline "Connect to Better Health" - comprehensive source of health information; as cited, it's set to search on CRPS
International Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Foundation Internat'l. RSD Foundation - Eric Phillips' organization
International Research Foundation for RSD/CRPS   very professional, informative site
Jim O-Donnell's RSD/CRPS site   large, detailed site, esp. by one person! Topics from med. articles, RSD docs,  studies, etc.
American RSDHope  from Maine, a huge, diverse, superbly concieved site - one of the best!
MedicineHouse.com info site for the LA Pain Clinic; expertly pitched at nonexperts, links to several books by its Director
MediFocus Guidebook on RSD Medifocus, publisher of many guideboks on various conditions, published this one in April 2005.
National Organization for Rare Disorders little RSD data, but links to organizations that you don't see elsewhere, like the RSD organization in Ireland.
Neuropathic Pain (incl. RSD) from the Merck Manual typically excellent entry from the Merck Manual
NIH NINDS RSD page NIH NINDS official RSD info page - lots of useful, not overly technical info
Pagans with RSD/CRPS it's small, but their hearts are in the right place!
Pain Page, The  a very diverse site with tons of excellent info - if you can find it past the title page!
Pain Pal's RSD and Medical Links site  nice collection of links about RSD diagnosis & Tx, including many original articles. 
Pain Relief Network   Siobhan Reynolds' groundbreaking site, "Standing up for patients in pain, and the physicians who treat them."  The focus is overcoming the DEA's abuses against pain physicians - a "clinical approach to the legal defense of pain care."
PARC (Promoting Awareness of RSD and CRPS in Canada) a rich source of what it is, current therapies, links to services and resources
Partners Against Pain  site by Purdue Pharma & Mayo Clinic; loads of data, esp. strong on scientific papers and opioid control
Peripheral Vascular Disease highly detailed, excellently illustrated treatise on the subject; probably too technical for most
Promoting Awareness of RSD and CRPS in Canada (PARC)
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD/CRPS) large, informative site from the Neurology Channel; features an unusually detailed treatment of RSD; for
instance, one of the first sections is called "RSD/CRPS Causes and Risk Factors".
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association of America (RSDSA), The  the best of them all, on virtually every count!
 Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association of California another really excellent site
RSD Alert  international eMagazine for the RSD community
RSD Awareness Coalition  very good, quite complete site from PA
RSDCare wonderful, friendly site with a mix of technical info and links to support groups and other resources.  Very nice. RSD/CRPS News    a great blog on RSD and its issues. Sponsored by RSDSA, it's a great variety of topics, all readily available.
RSD/CRPS World News Group  large Yahoo-based news group designed to make relevant articles, without their own URL or other unique identifier, available to the public.  An important site serving a critical need.
RSD Friends  a California-based support and information group
RSD On-Line  small, very nice, RSD discussion group.  Note: There is no associated website; the link will e-mail the group's moderator.
 RSD Page at Univ. of Wisconsin  short description from radiology hypertext
RSDPeace small, seemingly incomplete site
RSD(S)-CRPS Advisory! Welcome to CRPSA Home a very diverse, refreshingly eclectic site covering a wide range of RSD-relevent topics - particularly strong on some technical aspects of the syndrome and the legal aspects of Worker's Comp.
RSD UK  very good site forawareness, education, and support in the U.K.
RSD WebRing  "Webring"of only six RSD links - major popup ad conduit - not recommended
SCRSDA On-Line    extremely well organized and easily navigable site for the S. Carolina RSD Association
 University Center for Pain Medicine and Rehabilitation UTX - many excellent links

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Chronic Pain
Alliance of State Pain Initiatives a national newtork of interdisciplinary, state-based organizations dedicated to transforming the culture of pain care.
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine dedicated to expanding access of patients and families to high quality palliative care, and advancing the discipline of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons the preeminent provider of musculoskeletal education to orthopaedic surgeons and others in the world.
AAPainmanagement.org a strange site, consisting of a series of sponsored listings grouped generally by topic.
American Academy of Pain Management   the largest pain assoc. in the US (>6000); see their 2003 Medication Supplement.
vvAmerican Academy of Pain Medicine - the medical specialty society representing physicians practicing Pain Medicine.
American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA)  a multifaceted support/data clearinghouse for chronic pain and its sufferers
American Chronic Pain Association, Inc. The organization's purpose is to provide a support system for those suffering chronic pain through group activities.
American College of Rheumatology an organization that advances rheumatology through programs of education, research, advocacy and practice support that foster excellence in the care of people with arthritis and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
American Diabetes Association leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes.
American Geriatrics Society an organization dedicated to serving the elder members of our society with links about health, insurance, assisted living, etc.
American Medical Association To promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.
American Osteopathic Association a member association representing more than 64,000 osteopathic physicians (D.O.s).
American Pain Foundation   a center for information and lobbying for chronic pain causes - more politically active than most
American Pain Society, The   great, data-packed site; separate sections for patients/physicians/ researchers; home of J. Pain
American Society for Action on Pain many useful links to legal documents, magazine articles, etc. Fascinating and educational.
American Society of Anesthesiologists an educational, research and scientific association of physicians organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient.
American Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation With more than 7,500 members, the Academy represents more than 87 percent of US physiatrists and international colleagues from 37 countries.
American Society of Regional Pain Management assures excellence in patient care utilizing regional anesthesia and pain medicine; and
investigates the scientific basis of the specialty.
Amputee Coalition of America a national, non-profit amputee consumer educational organization representing people who have experienced amputation or are born with limb differences.
Arthritis Foundation helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation Pain Center  arthritis isn't RSD, but they're experts on chronic pain and learning to deal with it
Association of Oncology Social Work to advance excellence in the psychosocial care of persons with cancer, their families, and caregivers through networking, education, advocacy, research and resource development.
Australian Chronic Pain Association  often has link problems; I've connected maybe 20% of the time.
Bandolier: List of Systematic Reviews on Pain Topics  huge list; organized by Author but searchable
British Pain Society involved in all aspects of pain and its management through the work of the Council, Committees and Working Parties
Center for Advanced Medicine @ University of Chicago Hospitals & Health System  check out particularly the pain management clinic, part of the Dept. of Critical Care and Anesthesia
Center for Conscious Living   Dr. Carol Low uses hypnotherapy and bodywork in a new aproach to neuropathic pain; a recent paper describes an 83% cure rate for long-term (8-10 yrs) RSD patients! [Note: I've worked with her for my RSD, and IT WORKS!! - HB]
Center for Clinical Research in Winston-Salem, this organization carries out clinical trials exclusively in pain management.
Central Pain Syndrome Alliance - "Making a difference by connecting people around the globe with others who share a common bond of Central Pain."
Chronic Illness Alliance, Inc. The aim of the Alliance is to build a better focus in health policy and health services for all people with chronic illnesses.  It does this through education and research projects.
Chronic Pain Articles and Resources  from InfoMin in five parts (ca. 12 links ea) - Part I  Part II Part III Part IV  Most Recent
Chronic Non-Malignant Pain  a series of authoritative reviews on many aspects of chronic pain
Chronic Pain Education loads of info about chronic pain, uniquely detailed discussion of the role of acupuncture
Chronic Pain Foundation an excellent link library for those suffering from long-term illness, from chronic pain to depression.
Chronic Pain Outreach Chronicpain.org purpose is to lessen the suffering of people with chronic pain by educating pain sufferers, health care professionals, and the public about chronic pain and its management.
Chronic Pain Resources  five pages of links covering all aspects of chronic pain and its Tx (from the Medical Info. Network)
Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program Tampa, Florida VA Chronic Pain Support Groups  Steve Thomson manages this "down under" site from Sydney Australia.
Chronic Pain Support Group   Wally Worboys' is another Australian site from Narooma.
Circle of Friends With Arachnoiditis (COFWA)  called the "Arachniacs", they're here for support of those with arachnoiditis
Central Pain Syndrome Alliance  info site on "central pain" - chronic pain that's centrally-located; this includes neuropathic pain such as CRPS.
Costal Bend Chronic Pain Center  a Donald Rhodes site, selling his patented machine claimed to cure RSD
Dee's Pain Management Page  by a doctoral candidate, very complete but dated - not recently updated
Denial of Chronic Pain, The  very intriguing essay from the Pulsus site (the Canadian medical peer review publisher)
Disabled American Veterans
Hospice Foundation of America hospice is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families. Patients are referred to hospice when life expectancy is approximately six months or less
How to Cope with Pain - A unique site that focuses on non-pharmacological methods for dealing with pain, such as breathing/relaxation exercises, guided imagery, stress management, and sleep hygiene.
How to Describe your Pain to Doctors - a 2-page article, with four previously published articles cites, on how to describe pain.
Those of us with RSD know how hard this is just in describing it to partners, close friends, and others who are interested in your condition.
How to Talk to Your Doctor about Chronic Pain - from CNN, a very good list of suggestions on talking to your doctor about your chronic pain, and why these various factors are important.
InfoMIN   Chronic Pain, CFS, FMS and other resources from Lois Randall; covers many chronic pain sources incl. CFS, fibro., RSD, IBS, etc.
Integrative Pain Medicine - from the superb Beth-Israel Dept. of Pain and Palliative Care, an article on dietary factors which can aid in the treatment of chronic pain from any source.
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM) - a scientific society that advocates the improvement of the legal situation for the use of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.) and its pharmacologically most important compounds, the cannabinoids. Check out the "Science" page, which summarizes research around the world on cannabis as an analgesic.
International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), The  non-profit prof. org'n., open to anyone with interest in pain therapy
Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.
Mayday Fund, The  for support of pain research
Medicine.net a general purpose site for medical advice, particularly good on pain issues
MedlinePlus: Pain sponsored by NIH, an excellent resource for those suffering pain for any reason - many great links for loads of information.
Medtronic Pain Therapies  an introduction to neurostimulation and intrathecal drug delivery
Mesana Clinic - a major MD clinic, specializing in Tx of chronic pain
Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America
National Chronic Pain Outreach - temporarily out of service from Mass. General
National Foundation for the Treatment of Pain   information & lobbying for chronic pain issues
National Fibromyalgia Association working to support people with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses.
National Headache Association a source of help to sufferers' families, physicians who treat headache sufferers, allied healthcare professionals and to the public.
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Hospice believes that death is an integral part of the life cycle and that intensive palliative care focuses on pain relief, comfort and enhanced quality of life as appropriate goals for the terminally ill.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society a collective of passionate individuals who want to do something about MS now—to move together toward a world free of multiple sclerosis.
National Organization for Rare Disorders a unique federation of voluntary health organizations dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them.
National Pain Foundation   very professional site - "on-line education and support community" for patients, families, physicians
NINDS Chronic Pain Information Page  lots of current information from the NIH institute that deals with chronic pain, CRPS, etc.
N. Amer. Chronic Pain Assoc. of Canada a registered Canadian Charity and Affiliate of the American Chronic Pain Association
Oxford Pain Internet Site summaries of systematic reviews in Pain Relief; it's also the home site for Bandolier, their journal
Oxford Pain Research huge research effort at Oxford into the mechanisms, etiology, Dx, Tx, and other data about chronic pain
Our Chronic Pain Mission  eclectic site with much great info, but with clear right-wing slant
Pain Central  Appalachian Pain Found. site - great technical articles, great resources for contacting other  pain people
Pain.com "A World of Info on Pain"
Pain Diaries from Health.com, making a case why keeping a pain diary, along with several independent variables, may help us pinpoint just what factors stimulate our pain, which is known to be different individually.
Pain Killers an excellent, 3pg article based on an interview with Dr. Russell Portnoy of Beth-Israel, on the evolution of attitudes and methods involved with pain relief in the general patient population.
Painlab - concentrates primarily on medications; the "Focus on Medications" pages are terrific.
PainLink - archives of Amer. Pain Soc. from 1995-2001 - although dated, there's still much good stuff here!
Pain Management Health Center - from WebMD, a large, multifacetted site, including "hot topics in pain management (PM)," "latest headlines", "managing your chronic pain", "today on WebMD videos", a large Pain Management Guide, and much more!
Pain Management Online useful site; accompanies a chain of pain mngmt. clinics
Pain Management Plan (from the Arthritis Foundation)  small model template for a plan for dealing with chronic pain
Pain Management Resource Guide (Massachusetts)very good; part of the Div. of Prof. Licensure site
Pain Medicine and Palliative Care  from Beth-Israel Hospital's Dept. of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care
Pain Net, Inc. information, training, holistic Tx of chronic pain
PainPathways.org
Pain & Policy Studies Group Homepage   an excellent, multidisciplinary group which lobbies for sufferers of chronic pain
Pain Relief Foundation
Pain Research Center University of Utah   a top-tier organization which provides services, education, and carries out research on chronic pain of all kinds. Excellent site for newcomers to the world of chronic pain and their families.
Pain Resources for Patients and Their Families  a really excellent collection of links, maintained by the Utah group (above). It was clearly carefully edited, and is not just a huge list of links.
Pain Web, The  "The website for health professionals" current news, slideshows, meetings, case reports, etc.
PainWorld Australian site on chronic pain - info on treatments, trials, page for newcomers, etc. Very complete.
Partners Against Pain
Patient Advocate Foundation
Peripheral Neuropathy a major piece on peripheral neuropathy, mostly in the context of HIV illness, but it's the same syndrome and hurts just as much in either syndrome.
Physicians4Patients "made by physicians - for patients". It's essentially a physician-mediated online support group. Better than it sounds.
PostOperative Pain Management (Virtual Anaesthesia Textbook) from GE HealthCare, a complete, fascinating, but not overly rigorous, textbook on anesthesia, formatted with minimal text and many links. A great resource.
Power Over Your Pain
Race Against Pain founded by a professional car racer, features a discussion board, much good technical information, and a physician finder
RCN Pain Forum by the Royal College of Nursing in the UK
Relief of Chronic Non-Malignant Pain  long, easily read paper by Oxford's pain research P.I., Prof. Henry McQuay - excellent!
Rest Ministries a service ministry for people who live with chronic pain
Sceptor Pain Foundation is committed to providing access to pain management and treatment resources.
Society for Pain Practice Management
Tame the Pain a good site, but sponsored by Medtronic®, with the obvious slant toward SCS and similar therapies
WIP-World Institute of Pain
Worldwide Congress on Pain all you ever want to know about chronic pain

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Drug Information
Arthritis Today's 2003 Drug Guide nicely organized and executed site, with complete information for the lay public
Australian Drug Information Network (ADIN)  diverse, refreshingly objective drug info; unique search engine (great)
Australian Drug Policy Website   compare this with the USA's corresponding site
Clinical Pharmacology Online written by pharmacists, the primary resource for drug info and medication management for many pharmacies, pharmacists, hospitals, etc. It's so comprehensive that you must see the main page for a list.
Dictionary of Pharmaceutical Medicine, A officially called "MediLexicon", this is a truly incredible info source, in addition to its incomparable collection of over 200,000 acronyms and abbreviations. You can get data on any medical condition, even receive periodic e-mail updates on the disorder(s) of your choice.
Dr. Bob's Psychopharmacology Tips everything you'd need to know about psychoactive drugs, in basic language
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  yes, it's a stretch in this category, but hope springs eternal - the optimist in me looks forward to the day when "DEA" stands for "Drug Education Administration".  Don't hold your breath.
Drug InfoNet  loads of drug/disease information; esp. strong on current news
Drug Information Association  a training and education site for healthcare professionals
Drugs - National Drug Policy website (NZ)  fascinating look at NZ's version of our DEA - you'll want to move
Drug Reform Coordination Network - Drug Policy Library  probably the largest on-line library of drug policy
Foundation for Alcohol & Drug Education N.Z. site; another "wish we had one" site - excellent, objective data
Healthtouch Online   large amount of drug information
Medical College of Wisconsin Drug Formulary   excellent, concise link collection dealing with drug information
Medication links to discussions of commonly prescribed meds and their effects
New Analgesics on the Horizon   nice, short summary of the major types of new analgesics, from NMDA antagonists to NOS inhibitors
New Zealand Drug Foundation   N.Z.'s DEA, but this one actually provides honest drug information.  It can be done.
NSAIDs and Adverse Effects   from Bandolier, a great series of mini-reviews on NSAID use; more balanced than the name implies
NSAID Focus   probably more than you wanted to know about NSAIDs
Opioids in Chronic Nonmalignant Pain   short newsletter summarizing current thinking
Oxford League Table of Analgesic Efficacy  beautiful table of 50 analgesics/admin. routes - it's even well-documented!
Oxford League Table of Analgesics in Acute Pain  excellent comparison tables of most analgesics
Pharmaceutical Information Network Home Page  PharmInfoNet features up-to-date, free and accurate drug information
PharmInfoNet: Pharmaceutical Information Network  geared toward pharmacists, a thorough site with valuable info and links
PharmWeb  huge, on-line community of healthcare prof. with patient info, virtual library, provider directory, etc.
PhRMA Foundation  The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association
ReutersHealth   The premier supplier of health and medical news on the Internet
Rx List   Best all around drug info site around - should be the first place to look for info on a specific drug.
Understanding Clinical Trials II  very good explanation of the ins and outs of clinical trials
U.S. Pharmacist very nice online journals, free

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Excellent Medical Information Sites
AHCPR Clinical Practice Guidelines  sponsored by the NIM, a free, full-text library on health information and health care
Anesthesia Pain Management Program the main page for Univ. of Penn.'s med. school program on anesth. & pain
Bandolier  Evidence based healthcare resource
Bath Information and Data Services (BIDS) delivering online journals to researchers worldwide   
Chronic Pain in America: Roadblocks to Relief - a Roper-Starch Survey from the Amer. Pain Soc. - very detailed.
Clinical Effects of Intensive, Specific Exercise results of a huge study on the effects of exercise on chronic low back pain
Combined Health Information Database from NIH, a set of 10 databases covering health topics like Alzheimer's, deafness, diabetes, digestive diseases, oral health, weight control, etc.
Health Communication Network - from Australia; includes books, teaching packages (some on-line) and conference information
HealthGate Home Page  a provider of organizational tools for hospitals and other health providers. Interesting.
An Illustrated Guide to Muscles & Medical Massage - supports the use of massage and bodywork for chronic pain
IMPACC USA  Health and Back Pain Web Resources from a team of PT's, excellent resources for chronic pain of all kinds
Interactive Patient, The from Marshall med. school, a great, totally interactive diagnostic practice tool - try it!
MedBioWorld  largest medical reference site - 1000s of journals, specialty sites, etc.
Medical Information Network  covers chronic pain, CFS, FMS, and similar horrors
MedicineHouse.com  info site for the LA Pain Clinic; expertly pitched at nonexperts, links to several books by its Director
Mediconsult.com Inc. Dr. Michel Bazinet, Medical Director. Welcome to the virtual medical clinic.
MedWebPlus   great index to all things medical
Mensana Clinic    a Dx/Tx facility for chronic pain patients; also has a great link collection
MGH Neurology Web Forum, The a huge number of discussion groups covering every conceivable aspect of neurology. Not for the faint-hearted.
National Guidelines Clearing House (an interactive site featuring access to more than 700 clinical practice guidelines)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)   the NIH institute concerned with RSD
Neurology Service (Mass. Gen. Hosp.)  Mass. Gen. Hospital's online, free articles, web sites, etc. for any neurological malady
Orthopædics Home page, University of Washington Bone and Joint Sources - Public Information for patients, families, students, physicians, scientists, and therapists.
Patients' Guide to Local and Regional Anæsthesia by an anesthesiologist, a superb guide to local and regional anesthesia, written for patients, meant to allay their fears. It does a great job.
Quick Reference Guide 1a: Acute Pain Management in Adults an excellent resource for ER physicians, includes sections on both pain assessment and management options
Richard Chapman's - definitive page of pain research resources
RN_Toolkit [Pain Awareness is Important to Nurses (PAIN)] a super 147pg handbook on all aspects of chronic pain
State-of-the-Science on CRPS/RSD a synopsis of a typically thorough a SoS meeting; the participants included neurologists, neuroscientists, patient advocates and NINDS staff. Includes summaries of the professionals' remarks and a number of new research directions that appear promising.
Statistical Resources on the Web - Univ. of Mich.'s document center for all topics even remotely health-oriented. Large and well organized.
Wolfson School of Health Sciencesat Thames Valley University


Pain Measurement Resources
arrowMcGill Pain Scales the 1 - 10 scale all chronic pain patients are very familiar with (from the University of Utah Pain Research Center) (these are a sequential series of forms and instruments):
Quantitative Sensory and Autonomic Nervous System Testing Laboratories
Randall Chronic Pain Scale including instructions, examples, etc.
RSD Score Sheet
Symptom Checklist-90-RevisedTM (SCL-90-RÆ)

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Professional Associations
AAPM: American Academy of Pain Management  the largest pain org'n. in the USA; for pain clinicians
AAPM: American Academy of Pain Medicine the medical specialty society for pain physicians
American Academy of Neurology: Chronic Pain
American NeuroModulation Society
ACHE: American Council for Headache Education
APS: American Pain Society
ASAP: American Society for Action on Pain
ASPRRE: American Society for Pain Relief, Research, Education
American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine  for physicians involved in regional anesthesia
Anesthesia.Net the patients' guide to anesthesia
Australian Pain Society
Canadian Pain Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Management Consortium, The
CPS: Canadian Pain Society
Central Mechanisms of Pain Research Group (University of Sydney)
Cochrane Review Group on Pain, Palliative Care, and Supportive Care
Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center Pain Service
Cynergy Group (DuPen)
star starstar Doctor's Guide - Personal Editionsuper abstracting and medical information site - can personalize all aspects of info gathering
EuroPain (promoting collaborative pain research in Europe)
Freedom from Headaches (Biofeedback)
International "the largest multidisciplinary international  association in the field of pain"
International Spinal Injection Society for MDs wanting more data using specialized techniques for the diagnosis and Tx of pain
IPPS: International Pelvic Pain Society
ISTOP: Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain
ISIS: International Spinal Injection Society
Law, Medicine and Ethics - Research on Pain
Johns Hopkins Chronic Pain Treatment Program, The
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Pain Control Program
MGH Pain Center, The
National Forum of Independent Pain Clinicians
New York University Pain Management Center
PAIN: Symptoms/Diseases/ Illnesses-The Victoria Pain Clinic
Pain Research - Institute of Psychology, Aarhus University
Pain Management Online
Pain and Policy Studies Group
Pain Research Group (MD Anderson Cancer Center)
Pain Research at Oxford (UK)
Pain Relief Foundation (UK)
Quantitative Sensory and Autonomic Nervous System Testing Laboratories (Neuropathic Pain)
Texas Pain Society
Texas Pain Rehabilitation Institute
Tochigi Prefectural Society of Pain Clinicians, The (in Japanese) Touch and Pain Research (Apkarian)
Trigger Points for Dentists
University of Utah Pain Management Center
University of Toronto Pain Research Group
UCLA History of Pain Collection, The
WHO Cancer Pain Release Initiative
World Institute of Pain

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Pharmaceutical Companies
Abbott Laboratories
AstraZeneca
Baxter Health Care products
Boehringer--Mannheim
Bristol-Myers Squibb
CIBA-Geigy
Eli Lilly & Company Pharmaceuticals
Glaxo-Wellcome Pharmacology Guide
Hoechst - Division Pharmaceuticals
McKesson Corp
Merck (includes Merck Manual)
Pfizer
Purdue Frederick - Partners Against Pain
Roche Pharmaceuticals Roxane Pain Institutemuch information for patients experiencing pain. Browse their Pain Patient Library.
Searle HealthNet
Wyeth Health Care Wyeth has been a leader in the development of successful pharmaceuticals and health care products for both consumers and animals. For instance, they developed venlafaxine (Effexor®) and have now introduced one of Effexor's main metabolites, the O--demethylated analog, called desvenlafaxine, called Pristiq®. The compact, easily navigated site is worth a look! (Incidentally, Wyeth is in the process of being acquired by Pfizer.)
Zeneca Pharmaceuticals

Technical Information  (some articles are technically quite complex)
From Basic Science to Blockbuster Drug: the Discovery of Lyrica a fascinating account of the development of pregabalin (Lyrica®), the incredibly successful followup to Neurontin. An amazing story.
Chest Pain Perspectives
Neuropathic Pain 107-slide presentation (HTML) by Dr. Kim Burchiel of OR Health Sci. Univ.
Pain Research at Oxford  short description of research into pain at Oxford Univ.
Suicide Information and Education Center - Suicide Prevention, Research, Training, Scientific Articles, Newsletters, etc.
Chronic Pain  MedicineNet's great chronic pain article 
Innovations in Drug Treatment for Pain  U. TX Cancer Center
OHSU newsletter focusing on RSD  
Outline Curriculum on Pain (Overview)
Randomized controlled trial of gabapentin in CRPS I   excellent article on gabapentin (Neurotin®) in CRPS/RSD
Relief of Chronic NonMalignant Pain (Oxford Univ.)
Spinal Cord Stimulators short review from OHSU
Systematic review of intravenous regional sympathectomy for RSD
Univ. of Mich. Anesthesiology Home Page
Univ. of Utah's "Neurological Processes of Pain" a great four-part series of animations (you need shockwave for several) on the neurology of pain signal transmission - kind of deep, but can be followed if you pay attention.
Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopædics

Recent (2009) Articles from the Medical Literature (all PDF files, requiring the FoxIt, Adobe, or similar PDF file reader)
[Note: In considering how best to cite these articles, I decided against providing the actual article citation (journal, year, volume, etc.) on this page, in favor of the paper's title and a brief description of its contents. If you find an article's description interesting, clicking its link will provide a PDF copy of the paper, from which the citation information is obvious. Please let me know if you disagree with my approach - HB]
A Natural History of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome a great review by Dr. Robert Schwartzman, one of the foremost RSD researchers in the US.
Current Understandings on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome by researchers in the Netherlands, this review covers the etiology and mechanism of CRPS, including psychological factors. A top-notch, 14-page review.
Spinal Cord Stimulation: "Neural Switch" in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome an exciting report from researchers at Johns Hopkins showing that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) can cure CRPS if started immediately upon diagnosis!
SCS in the Treatment of CRPS in the Lower Extremity a case report where SCS provided excellent pain control in a patient for whom no other techniques (anticonvulsants, antidepressants, opioids, topical creams, lumbar blocks, etc.) had succeeded.
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Pain of Neuropathic and Ischæmic Origin: Systematic Review and Economic Evaluation an amazing, exhaustive, 190-page review (prepared in the UK) that summarizes and analyzes over 6000 citations. Must be perused to be appreciated.
Peripheral Neuromodulation for Pain this review by Australian physicians, which is still in press (hasn't appeared in print yet), covers the use of nerve stimulation to relieve chronic pain, including CRPS.
Peripheral Median Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Iatrogenic CRPS shows how patient-controlled nerve stimulation decreased a patient's average pain score from 8/10 to 2/10.
Does Evidence Support Physiotherapy Management of Adult CRPS? a great Australian review showing how physical therapy can greatly augment the treatment of CRPS.
Bisphosphonates for the Therapy of CRPS I reviews the use of bisphosphonates (alendronate, clondronate, pamidronate) for treating the osteoporosis and its associated pain that often occur with CRPS.
Pentoxifylline Attenuates Nociceptive Sensitization and Cytokine Expression...in CRPS Trental® (pentoxifylline), a cytokine inhibitor, slows and inhibits the development of CRPS symptoms. Cytokines are produced in the body, producing serious imflammatory symptoms.
Efficacy of 5-Day Lidocaine Infusion for the Treatment of Refractory CRPS an exciting preliminary report that long-term lidocaine infusion successfully reduces all CRPS symptoms, even in patients whose disease has resisted other methods.
Intrathecal Baclofen for Dystonia of CRPS slowly administering baclofen via an implanted pump reduces the dystonia (muscle spasms) of CRPS for over a year. Further studies are warranted due to complications which can arise.

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Relevant Medical Journals
Acute Pain
American Journal of Pain Management - official organ of the American Academy of Pain Management
Analgesia
Anesthesia and Analgesia
Anesthesiology & Critical Care
British Medical Journal   one of the most highly respected internationally
Clinical Journal of Pain, The
Current Pain and Headache Reports
Der Schmerz 
European Journal of Pain, The
FreeMedicalJournals.com  dedicated to the accessibility of free medical journals for the public   
Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain
Journal of Headache and Pain, The
Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain   
Journal of Pain, The  from the American Pain Society
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Journal of Pharmaceutical Care in Pain and Symptom Control (follow journals link)
Medical Science Bulletin: Analgesic and Anesthetic Drug Reviews   ELECTRONIC journal
New England Journal of Medicine   one of the most respected medical journals in the world
NurseWeek   On-Line Version of Magazine
NurseWeek's News Page
Pain  this journal (with Top. Pain Mgmt. a close second) has the most direct relevence to RSD and neuropathies.
Pain Clinic, The
Pain Forum
Pain Research and Management
Pain Reviews
Pediatric Pain Letter, The
Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
Seminars in Anesthesia
Perioperative Medicine and Pain
South African Journal of Anaesthesiology and Analgesia
Topics in Pain Management
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Home Pages of Pain Researchers and Clinicians
A. Vania Apkarian Cortical Representation of Pain
Hugh Allen - Palm Pilots in Pain Management
Lars Arendt-Nielsen - Muscle Pain and Motor Control
Murat Aydede Bibliography of Philosophical Pain Literature
D.A. Bakal - Headache, Chronic Pain
Gary J. Bennett - Neuropathic Pain
Dee Burrows - Nursing Research Page
Nigel Bush - Quality of Life and Cancer Related Pain
Dan Cherkin - Epidemiology of Pain and Pain Interventions
Eric Chudler - CNS Mechanisms
Robert Coghill - Brain Imagery
David Cundiff - Cancer Pain and Terminal Illness
T.J. Coderre - Neural Mechanisms and Neuronal Plasticity
Raymond Dionne NIH-NIDR Clinical Pharmacology Studies
A.W. Duggan - Neuropeptides and the Suppression of Pain
Gary Duncan - Pain and the CNS
Andrew Elizaga: Illustrated Regional Anesthestics and Pain
Howard Fields - Neural Circuitry Underlying Pain Modulation
G. Allen Finley - Pediatric Pain
Richard H. Gracely - Pain Measurement
Donna Hammond - Neuropharmacology
Dan R. Kenshalo, Jr NIH-NIDR Behavioral & Neuronal Correlates
Arthur Lipman - Pharmacy
Joseph LeDoux - Emotion and Pain
Horace Loh - Neuropharmacology
Steven Maier - Learned Helplessness, Psychoneuroimmunology
Patrick McGrath - Pediatric Pain
Vjekoslav Miletic - Neural Circuitry of Nociception
John D. Loeser - Chronic Pain
Wolfgang Miltner - Cortical Representations of Pain
Gayle Page - Immune Function, Perioperative Pain
Jose Ochoa - Pathophysiology of Pain
Richard Patt: MD Anderson Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Richard Payne: MD Anderson Pain and Symptom Management
Frank Porreca: Opioid Mechanisms, Neuroplasticity
Edward Perl - Specificity in Neural Processing
Don Ramsey - What is Pain?
William J. Roberts - Mechanisms of Chronic Pain
Gary B. Rollman - Pain Measurement and Control
Ehrenfried Schindler - Anesthesia and Pain Resources on the Internet
Michael Von Korff - Epidemiology of Chronic Pain, Health Services
Linda R. Watkins - Pain Modulation Systems
Lukas Radbruch: Pain Clinic, University of Cologne
Tony Yaksh - Neuropharmacology
Robert Zachariae - Experimental Pain Research

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Finding an RSD Specialist
Finding A CRPS Specialist from the RSDSA site, an excellent article on what you should know when looking for an RSD specialist.
Pain Clinics from the excellent Pain.com site, a search engine to find CRPS clinics anywhere in the world
RSDSA Review Archive the collection of review articles kept on the RSDSA site; several are relevant to assessing the qualifications of RSD docs.
RSDSA Medical Articles Archive as above, but consists of scholarly papers from the peer-reviewed medical literature.

Sites with utilities for identifying CRPS specialists (as listed in the RSDSA site)
American Academy of Pain Management
American Academy of Pain Medication
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Board of Pain Medicine
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
Pain.com

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Americans with Disabilities Act  the Job Accommodation Network; excellent links, resources, legislation, governmental sites, etc.

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Last Update:
Copyright ©2009
Prof. Howard Black
NOTICE: Nothing in this site is to be construed or interpreted as medical advice, and the author assumes no responsibility for any of the information to which links are provided. Although I am a Professor Emeritus of Medicinal and Organic Chemistry at Eastern Illinois University (EIU), nothing on this site is connected with or was prepared under the auspices or guidance of EIU or the EIU Department of Chemistry. I welcome input from others with suggestions, criticisms, errors to point out, effusive praise, or any other data, perspective, etc. that will make this site better and more useful. If you would like to send me something, just click my name in the cell to the left.