Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome is a type of chronic pain that usually affects a limb, such as an arm or a leg. It develops after a person sustains an injury (e.g. a sprained ankle), undergoes surgery, or suffers from a stroke or heart attack. The pain is mostly described to be greater than the ache of the initial injury.

CRPS is a rare medical condition and usually affects people ages 20 to 35, although some children can have it, too. It is known to affect more women than men. This type of chronic pain is not clearly understood, although some experts believe that CRPS is caused by a dysfunction in the central or peripheral nervous systems.

There is no known cure for CRPS. However, with early therapy, improvement and remission are possible.

Symptoms of CRPS

The symptoms of CRPS vary in severity and duration, and they can change over time. They also vary from person to person. However, there are common symptoms of CRPS you can watch out for:

• Burning or throbbing in the arm, leg, hand or foot
• Swelling and stiffness in the affected area
• Reduced ability to move the affected body part
• Skin sensitivity
• Skin colour changes
• Changes in skin texture (can become shiny and thin)
• Changes in skin temperature (may alternate between sweaty and cold)
• Rapid or very little nail and hair growth
• Muscle tremors, weakness and loss

The first symptoms that appear are usually pain, swelling, redness, hypersensitivity and skin temperature changes.

Prolonged suffering from Complex regional pain syndrome can lead to the affected limb turning cold and pale. This may be followed by skin and nail changes, muscle spasms and tightening. Once these latter symptoms manifest themselves, CRPS may already be irreversible. CRPS can sometimes spread from its source to other parts of the body, such as the opposite limb.

Sometimes, signs and symptoms of CRPS disappear on their own. However, CRPS can also persist for months or years.

If you experience pain that doesn’t seem to go away, and moving the affected part has become intolerable, consult your doctor right away.

Diagnosis of CRPS

While there is no specific test designed to diagnose CRPS, there are tests your physician can conduct to rule out other conditions. These include triple-phase bone scans, which help to identify any changes in blood circulation and the bone. Your doctor could also apply a stimulus, such as touch, heat or cold, to check for pain.

The best way to make a firm diagnosis of CRPS is through observation. These include finding out if you had an injury and if the pain is greater than what is expected based on the injury. Your doctor will also have to rule out other causes of pain and changes in the appearance of the affected area.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, CRPS could progress to tissue wasting (atrophy) or muscle tightening (contracture) that becomes fixed.

CRPS therapy

There is no cure for CRPS, so the goal of treatment is to alleviate pain. Therapies used to reduce CRPS symptoms include psychotherapy, physical therapy, and drug treatment. Doctors may ask you to use topical analgesics, corticosteroids, antidepressants, osteoporosis medicines, etc.

Other treatments your doctor might recommend to reduce pain include the use of sympathetic nerve blocks, surgical sympathectomy, intrathecal drug pumps and spinal cord stimulation.

CRPS medical alert bracelets

Mediband Australia makes CRPS medical alert bracelets that provide useful patient information, especially during emergencies.

If you or a loved one has certain medical conditions, it's important to wear the right Mediband medical alert bracelet.

For more information about our medical alert bracelets and other medical IDs, please browse through our Mediband accessories.