Changes in Some Treatment Guidelines

The Colorado Division of Workers Compensation has issued revised treatment guidelines effective February 2012 for Chronic Pain and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Regional Sympathetic Dystrophy. The latter we used to call RSD and it along with Chronic Pain have seemed to evolve over the years. They are complicated matters and physicians have often disagreed with each other on diagnosis and treatment. Those utilized by insurers tend to be conservative and seldom side with the claimant and those utilized by claimants tend to be liberal and generally side with the claimant. The purpose of the guidelines is to set forth the recommended methodology and these matters are among the most difficult to deal with. The guidelines provide clues as to what to do when handling such matters. Since many claimants have chronic pain and RSD can be extremely disabling the guidelines afford us some idea of treatment. They are long but interesting to read. A claimant may want to be informed so he or she can discuss matters with the treating physicians. While the internet may have good information you can start your research by reading any guidelines posted on the Division website.