Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) is a chronic neurological problem characterized by symptoms such as severe burning pain, swelling, and extreme sensitivity to touch. Usually pain is in the arms, hands, feet or legs.

RSD results from a malfunction in the nervous system; the body identifies an event as truamatic and begins misfiring pain signals to the brain. The event causing this malfunction may be an obvious physical trauma, such as a broken bone or surgery, or it may be harder to identify. Infection, nerve pressure, stroke, or heart attack can also be culprits behind RSD.

Also referred to as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I (CRPS I), RSD is commonly misdiagnosed as nerve damage following an injury because the burning sensation associated with both problems is similar. Prompt treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy can be very important as loss of mobility can result in some untreated cases.