Information about Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome formally known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. It is a Chronic Pain Syndrome which affects a part of the body, often an arm or leg. CRPS is rare and not very well known but can have a major impact on someone’s life and can be very disabling.

There are two types of CRPS; type 1 is when there is no identifiable nerve injury and type 2 is when the pain can be traced to an identifiable nerve injury.

CRPS may occur after surgery or an injury to part of the body. Symptoms may include:

• Burning pain in one part of the body
• Increased skin sensitivity
• Changes in skin temperature: warmer or cooler compared to the opposite extremity
• Changes in skin colour: often blotchy, purple, pale, or red
• Changes in skin texture: shiny and thin, and sometimes excessively sweaty
• Changes in nail and hair growth patterns
• Swelling and stiffness in affected joints
• Motor disability, with decreased ability to move the affected body part

CRPS can be exceptionally painful, so it can become difficult to move the affected area.  This can lead to muscles weakening and stiffness, sometimes, the less the affected area is moved the harder it can become to move and symptoms may get worse. Pain may also become worse when you are stressed and at night, this may result in lack of sleep.

Doctor’s are still unsure what causes CRPS, but they are lead to believe it is caused by a change in the nerves after an injury or surgery. It is understood that the nerves that send pain signals become more sensitive and non-pain nerves begin to send pain signals as well.

Although CRPS is incurable is can be controlled by treatments. Once your doctor has diagnosed you with CRPS they will help you to find the best treatment to help you and their aim will be to reduce the pain. Treatments may include:

·         Medicines – often a different combination of medicines are used to find the best combination that helps you.

·         Nerve Blocks – these are injections that may relief pain for a few hours and are maybe used so that the patients can do some exercises while the pain is relieved.

·         Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy – relaxation techniques have been successful in helping to deal with the pain and physiotherapy may help to keep the affected area moving.

CRPS is not a psychological syndrome, but people may develop psychological problems when family, friends, and co-workers do not believe their complaints of pain, people that suffer with CRPS need all the support they can get.